It will be an all-Jamaican affair in next year’s Grammy’s, as Jamaicans have swept the nominations in the Best Reggae Album category for the 2023 edition of the awards.
The list of nominees which was announced on Tuesday afternoon revealed the likes of reggae sensations Koffee, Kabaka Pyramid, and Protojoe, along with juggernauts Shaggy and Sean Paul who rounds a competitive nomination.
Koffee who is nominated for her album ‘Gifted’ will be seeking her second win at the awards with her second nomination, having previously walked away with the honor in 2019, for her “Rapture” EP.
While it will be her second time at the awards, it will be the first time since she signed to US-based RCA records and her first nomination for a full-length album release.
Gifted includes hits such as West Indies and lockdown favorite – “Lockdown” among other singles.
She is also the only female nominee in the category this year.
What is also a first, is a nomination for Dub-Reggae deejay Kabaka Pyramid.
Kabaka earned his first Grammy nod for his “Kalling” project.
He’s the only first-timer among the group this year and will also be going up against fellow dub Reggae star and friend Protoje.
Proto who was previously nominated in 2019 for his- A Matter of Time release bagged his second nomination for ‘Third Time’s the Charm’
Reggae and Dancehall superstars Shaggy and Sean Paul rounds out the best five releases from the genre this year.
10-time Grammy nominee Sean Paul, who was a favorite during last year’s awards with his Live N Livin album, returns to the nominees’ list with a vengeance for his Scorcha project.
Dutty Paul who won the Best Reggae category back in 2003, for his multi-platinum-selling breakout album Dutty Rock, will be eager to match that end result with another win.
Fellow past winner Shaggy will also be eying another accolade for his trophy cabinet after his-‘Come Fly with me’ album was voted among the top five nominees this year
Shaggy a two-time winner previously took the award in 2020 for his 44/876 joint project with British Pop legend Sting.
The group nominees mark a significant effort by the local acts to ensure the quality output from the island remains at a global standard.
The awards created a stir among the public last year after Virginia-based Reggae Band SOJA walked away with the win for their “Beauty in the Silence” album.
This year a Jamaican is assured of winning the coveted category.
The final round of voting for the best Reggae will open on December 14, 2022, and runs to Wednesday, January 4, 2023. The official award ceremony for the 65th GRAMMY Awards will be hosted on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023
