How things have changed! It wasn't very long ago that, when it came to Reggae music, one of the single biggest awards in all of music, The Grammy's, had been relegated to only giving out their annual trophy in recognition of the genre's best album of a particular year to a very select group of individuals and even potential individuals. First was the group of legends, with Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear and the likes; then was a group of EXTREMELY popular contemporary artists such as Shaggy, Inner Circle, Shabba Ranks and later, Sean Paul, and then there was anyone named Marley... and that was it. On the one or two occasions when someone who did not fit into either of these categories did win within the first three decades of the existence of the award, you could even make the case that it still did as, in 2001, Beenie Man's popularity had, arguably, risen to the levels of the likes of Shabba Ranks (and he had been nominated in the previous two years), as had that of Buju Banton, a decade later when he took home the prize (and he'd been nominated four times before winning) (and I also think he was convicted of a crime and sentenced to US prison in the very next day or two if I recall correctly).
All of that clearly changed in 2015 when, Morgan Heritage shocked everyone by taking home the thirty-second Reggae Grammy award with their album, "Strictly Roots" [pictured]. That entire year was an odd one as the full nominees included the likes of Barrington Levy, Luciano and, jarringly, both Jah Cure and Rocky Dawuni. At the time, there was only a single nomination between them (Luciano, in 2002 for "A New Day") (Damian Marley's "Halfway Tree" won that year and deservedly so in my opinion)... and how cool is it that Rocky Dawuni was nominated for a Grammy! Since then, things have changed SLIGHTLY. US based bands have been honoured more consistently with both SOJA (more on them in a second) and Rebelution charting multiple Grammy nods, each, since 2015. Sweet singing Hawaiian, J Boog, has also had a pair of nominations, the Morgans have been back and we've seen a general push towards younger names who haven't necessarily had the global smashing success as Shabba and Sean Paul before them. Still, amongst the winners, things have returned to form for the most part, with a pair of Marleys, Ziggy in 2017 and Damian the following year, winning the Grammy (Ziggy would also be nominated in 2019 for "Rebellion Rises", as would "As I Am", from Julian Marley in 2020). In 2019 the award would go to "44/876", a collabourative effort between Shaggy and Pop legend, Sting, while last year Toots and The Maytals would win their second Grammy with "Got To Be Tough". But something strange happened in 2019 as well. I have no idea when this will be posted, but I am writing it on the twenty-fifth of March (currently it is 8:04PM, because I know you're wondering). Today is the same day on which one of the biggest Reggae albums of the year releases as the BLAZING Koffee has dealt to us "Gifted", her much anticipated debut full album (listening to it while I write this and writing its review will surely be the next thing I turn my attentions to). In 2020, her debut EP, "Rapture", would net the then ninteen year old Spanish Town native a Grammy, marking the very first time a female had won it (and only the fourth time one had been in the running by my quick search) (have two this year, a wonderful first) and although I typically don't like the idea of an EP winning album of the year, I have to give a big congratulations for the Grammy committee for that selection (the other projects up that year came via the 'usual suspects'), looking back. That was wonderful!
So, as we approach the 2022 Grammy Awards presentation, I though we'd take a quick look at the nominees for Best Reggae Album and make a (sure-to-be-incorrect) prediction (won't have to write one of these for next year, "Gifted" is winning, I assure you) (and Shenseea will also be up next year for her album "ALPHA") (as will, potentially, Beenie Man and, definitely, Sean Paul).
And the nominees are:
"Positive Vibration" by Gramps Morgan [Halo Entertainment Group]
The Morgans are represented once again this year, via Gramps with his third solo release, "Positive Vibration". I can remember listening to this album and thinking that something about it just didn't 'do it' for me (I think it's a little bit too... Country-ish for me), but I think he has a decent shot at winning the award in this, clearly, wide-open year. The heavily Country-ed aspect of his album may, in fact, endear him to voters even further and, of course, they're well familiar with his name.
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