Grammy nominations today ... which reggae album will make the list?

Grammy season gets into high gear today with the announcement of the nominees at noon eastern time on Live.GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy’s social channels.

Grammy watchers locally are focused on the Best Reggae Album category, in which 67 albums were submitted, some of which were chosen for Grammy consideration. Much has been said about the fact that this is a considerable decrease from the 125 albums submitted last year. Industry insiders are sounding a warning bell about the need to ensure that the Recording Academy keeps the reggae category.

However, numbered among the projects which received Grammy consideration and are therefore eligible for nomination today are: Outside – Runkus and Toddla T; Elev8 – Bling Dawg; 438 – Masicka; M.O.A.M. – Hezron; Refugees – Jimmy Cliff; Rise Up – Sizzla; Tears Of Joy – Teflon; Third Time’s The Charm – Protoje; Mid-Atlantic Dub – Bumpin Uglies; Wisdom – Stick Figure; Temple Road – Naaman; Mood Swing – Hirie; Brand New Eyes – The Green; Always With Me – The Movement; Come Fly With Me – Shaggy; Di Best – Elephant Man; Emancipated – Spice; Gifted – Koffee; I AM GREAT – I-Octane; Legend – Jahmiel; Melody – Demarco; Red Reign – Konshens; Reggaeland – Yaadcore; Scorcha – Sean Paul; The Kalling – Kabaka Pyramid; Toxicity – Bugle; Effection – Mihali; Therapy – Rygin King; Team Different – UTGT; Transition – Tommy Lee Sparta and True Religion – Vybz Kartel.

And while most will be focused on the reggae category, Gramps Morgan has a personal interest in the category of Best Country Album. His album, Deeper, has been selected for consideration. “This is history, and I give thanks. As far as my mind can remember, it’s the first time a reggae artiste has been considered in the country category, and I want to thank my entire team, “Gramps told The Gleaner.

Also among the considered is a compilation titled Jamaican Garrison Christmas, produced by Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards, but the producer said he was being realistic when he admitted that his chances of a nomination are limited.

“Although I submitted the album Jamaican Garrison Christmas and it was accepted, it’s highly unlikely that it will be nominated, as dancehall and compilation albums tend not to be nominated unless there is a song on the album with strong commercial success in the United States,” Edwards explained.

He was bold enough to name the artistes who he thinks will pick up a nomination for the 2023 Reggae Grammy.

“This year, my five picks for nominees are Black Uhuru, Koffee, Stick Figure, Kabaka Pyramid and Jimmy Cliff. I think Protoje might be in there as well because he is signed to a major label, and he is making good reggae music,” Edwards said.

Let’s take a quick look at Contractor’s picks.

Gifted, Koffee’s debut album – and the follow-up to her 2020 Grammy Award-winning EP, Rapture – was released on March 25 by Promised Land Recordings. It debuted in the number two spot on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, behind Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Gifted sold approximately 3,500 units during its first week of release.

In September, Californian reggae band Stick Figure captured the headlines when they dethroned reggae king Bob Marley from the top spot on the Billboard chart, a position held by the album Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers for 140 weeks. Their 14-track album, Wisdom, was released on September 9 via Ruffwood Records and was produced, recorded and mixed by Stick Figure’s lead vocalist, Scott Woodruff. It features collaborations with Barrington Levy, Bermudan singjay Collie Buddz, and fellow Californian band Slightly Stoopid.

Grammy-nominated reggae singer Protoje’s sixth studio album, Third Time’s The Charm, was released on September 23 via In.Digg.Nation Collective in partnership with RCA Records. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. The 10-track album includes contributions from Jorja Smith, Samory I, Jesse Royal, and producers like Iotosh, Ziah .Push, and Zion I Kings.

Reggae revivalist Kabaka Pyramid released his new album, The Kalling, on September 30 via Ghetto Youths International/Bebble Rock Music. Produced by Damian Marley, the 15-track album sees the artiste collaborating with Jesse Royal, Protoje, Stephen Marley, Jemere Morgan, Peter Tosh and Buju Banton.

“Damian outdid himself on The Kalling,” Kabaka Pyramid told The Gleaner in a recent interview.

Refugees, the legendary Jimmy Cliff’s first album in over a decade, was released on August 12 and it comes packaged with a strong humanitarian base. “As a humanitarian, I wrote the song due to emotional feelings towards freedom taken away from human beings. None of us should be forced by violence, economics, war, or persecution to leave our country against our will,” Cliff has been quoted as saying. He teamed up with Wyclef Jean on the title track and forged a unit with his record label, Universal Music Enterprises, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to create a web page setting out some of the different ways that everyone who hears the album can support refugees. Jimmy Cliff celebrated his 78th birthday on July 30.

Eight-time Reggae Grammy nominee Black Uhuru won the first-ever Grammy for reggae music in 1985 with their recording, Anthem. The reggae group that originated in Waterhouse celebrates 50 years in the music business this year with the album New Day, which was released on May 13 via Law Records. Derrick ‘Duckie’ Simpson, founder and leader of the legendary roots reggae band, told THE STAR in September that reggae is now “owned by the white guy”. He was reacting to THE STAR’s question regarding the significance, if any, of the Californian reggae band Stick Figure pushing Bob Marley from the number one position on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.

“The significance of that is that reggae has been dethroned permanently. [Jamaican] people have turned their backs on it, so reggae is now owned by the white people ... like SOJA ... Foundation, Grounation. A deh so it deh now,” Simpson said.

This year, SOJA, a reggae band from California, became the first foreign, white group to win the Reggae Grammy Award.

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, February 5, 2023, and airs live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com