The Recording Academy announces nominations for its 65th annual Grammy Awards today. And Jamaicans are anxiously waiting to hear who the nominees for the coveted Best Reggae Album category are.
Entertainment News: The World awaits the 65th Grammy Awards nominations
Last year, SOJA, a United States Reggae band, surprised the world and took home the Grammy making them the 2nd non-Jamaica act to accept the award. The English Reggae band, Steel Pulse, was the first.
Observer entertainment writer Kevin Jackson thinks the following albums will be the nominees.
- Scorcha-Sean Paul Island Records. The project is Sean Paul’s eighth studio album. He has been nominated several times before. And he won the big prize in 2004 with the Dutty Rock Album.
- Refugees-Jimmy Cliff, legendary singer-Universal Music Group. Jimmy has won the award twice-1986 and 2013.
- Gifted-Koffee-Land Recordings/Columbia. Koffee won the Grammy in 2020 with the EP Rapture.
- New Day-Black Uhuru. The group is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in music. They won the Grammy in 1985 with Anthem. Black Uhuru these days is basically Ducky Simpson.
- Wisdom-Stick Figure is a United States Reggae band. They have been the top reggae act in the United States for the past 10 years. If they made the cut, it would be their first nomination. Wisdom is Stick Figure’s seventh studio album.
- Com Fly Wi Me-Shaggy. The album is a compilation of Frank Sinatra’s best-known ballads with a Reggae flavor. The album was produced by Sting.
Shaggy is no stranger to the Grammy. He won in 1996 with Bombastic and again in 2019 with 44/876.
Of the albums on the list, Black Uhuru’s New Day appears to be the weakest. The effort is definitely below par. It is not even close to the Black Uhuru sound we are accustomed to hearing. Shaggy did an excellent job with Frank Sinatra’s songs. But I am sure Sinatra’s purist would take umbrage. Jimmy Cliff seems tame. Stick Figure’s Wisdom brings back the Bob Marley vibes. And they are the band to beat.