Jamaicans are up in arms about the Reggae Grammy

[Jangle]

I say serves them right. That's what we get.

Why SOJA Won The Reggae Grammy Against Five Jamaicans

The most critical question which, interestingly, has not been raised, is whether enough Jamaican artists, producers and engineers — who number in the thousands — have made a concerted effort to register to become voting members of the Recording Academy.

Considered the most prestigious in the world, the Grammys are a peer-voted music award presented by the Recording Academy, an American “learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals” which recognizes achievements in the music industry of songs and music that are popular worldwide.

According to Recording Academy rules, membership is open to creative or technical music professionals, such as singers, composers, producers, art directors, and engineers. Voting members must have been either producers, performers, or engineers on six or more tracks of a commercially released album or 12 or more digital tracks, a requirement that most of Jamaica’s music professionals of all ages, easily meet. Prospective members are also required to provide two recommendations from their peers and must pay a $100 membership fee yearly.

However, as recent as December 2020, Dancehall megastar Shaggy had to reiterate his call for qualified entertainers to become members of the Recording Academy in order to make their ballots count, this in the aftermath of the outcry by some Dancehall artists about what they deemed the continued snubbing of the genre by the Grammy Awards.


https://www.dancehallmag.com/2022/04..._pU13d9VaIcMLQ

[Lazie]

This is their 3rd nomination. Check them out on youtube, they have a serious following. It is my understanding they do all the American reggae festivals.

[Assasin]

you have bands like Soja, Big Mountain, Slightly Stoopid, Iration,Rebelution etc. who go around to festivals, sell their CDs and develop fans. There is a big Reggae scene in California that hey frequent. It was going to happen sometime. Everybody telling us that we need to step up production and while I see some bright spot we also need to listen and grow.

[Jangle]

I Am Glad SOJA Won!

It is perhaps portentous that the same week that the reggae industry tragically lost two founding members of The Mighty Diamonds, a predominantly white Reggae band won the Reggae Grammy. Some feel that this win adds insult to injury, and have all sorts of xenophobic and racist comments to post online, but all I can say is: Finally.

This has been a long time coming. SOJA deserved to win. For many years, the band has been soldiering on, championing Reggae in venues all across the US. SOJA has released eight studio albums, one dub album, one live album and two EPs, starting with their first album titled Creeping In in 1998.

In 2020, of the $106,602,998 in royalties collected by JACAP, 35 percent—a total of $37,385,556—was paid to local interests while $69,217,442 was paid to foreigners. In 2019, 36 percent of a total of $172,321,071 collected from radio stations went to locals while a whopping $109,517,516 was paid to overseas interest, accounting for 64 percent of the total. How can an industry survive when there is such a lopsided difference in the balance of trade?

So will anything sensible be done? In the UK, Grimsby Minster’s clock has been stuck at 12:02 for 12 years. The town was facing a

[OJ]

I tell you this, there is reggae comming out of Hawaii that is actually better than Soja and these American bands.. So let them keep believing they are entitled to anything.

[Jangle]

Afrobeat festival for Ja

AFROBEAT is taking over the world. Major record companies from the United States have set up divisions across Africa to capitalise on the success of Afrobeats artistes including WizKid, Stonebwoy, Davido, Burna Boy, Mr. Eazi, Tems, and Bujy TYE.

The Afro World Festival is slated to make its debut on local shores from May 26-31. Scheduled for Negril, the festival will feature, among others artistes, performances by Beenie Man, Davido, City Girls, Moneybaggyo, Orezi, Emma Nyara, and Poni Capri.

Netherlands-based Deni Sheriff — a well-known music video director, artiste manager and event planner — is one of the forces behind the staging of this festival. His partners include Ife Ade Tokan and Toba Abiodun.

“The intent of the festival is to expand Afrobeat to all parts of the world — and Jamaica plays a very big part in Afrobeat. Our objective is to connect and bring everyone together as one big family and have a good time,” said Sheriff.

He said events will take place at several locations in Negril, including Wavz Beach, Margaritaville, Woodstock, and the Jungle Nightclub.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/ente...stival-for-ja/