The Grammy nominations have been released and for the first time in two years, the nominations list for Best Reggae Album is completely Jamaican.
Host John Legend, who revealed the nominees live on Tuesday morning, revealed the lucky artistes who received a nod. They are The Kalling by Kabaka Pyramid, Gifted by Koffee, Scorcha by Sean Paul, Third Time’s The Charm by Protoje and Com Fly Wid Mi by Shaggy.
This is the first nomination for Kabaka Pyramid, whose sophomore album The Kalling was released on September 30, the last day of the Recording Academy’s eligibility period for the 65th Annual Awards. The album was released via Ghetto Youths Int’l and Bebble Rock Music.
Gifted is Koffee’s follow-up to her Rapture EP, which took home the Award for Best Reggae Album in 2020.
Protoje has now earned his second Grammy Award nomination for his sixth studio album, Third Time’s The Charm, which was released on September 23 via In.Digg.Nation Collection and RCA Records. His 2018 album A Matter of Time had been nominated.
Sean Paul has obtained his tenth Grammy nomination. The Temperature artiste has won Best Reggae Album Grammy for Dutty Rock.
Music legend Shaggy has picked up his eighth Grammy Award nomination, two of which previously earned him the Award for Best Reggae Album, for Boombastic and 44/876 with Sting.
The Best Reggae Album category has been scrutinized after a California-based group, SOJA, won the award last year, leading to not only criticisms of the Grammys but also criticisms by fans of artistes for the quality of music produced.
Since its inception in 1985, the Best Reggae Album award has only seen two non-Jamaican winners — Steel Pulse from England and SOJA from the United States, but it has also been dominated by the Marleys in years gone by.
