It is 2015 are met 30 years since the National Academy of Recording, art and science, known as HAP, establish a Reggae music category for the Grammy Awards.
Since its inception, Various questions have arisen due to the limited range of artists included in their nominations., being the traditional and majority winner of this award, members of the Marley family. Criticism has also arisen due to the exclusive nomination of Jamaican artists., leaving aside great creators of this genre, natives of other countries in the world. An example of this is that the only non-Jamaican band that has acquired the title was the British band “Steel Pulse” back in the year. 1987.
At the beginning of December, the list of nominees for Best Reggae Album for the 58th Grammy Awards was published., ceremony to be held next 15 of February, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
On this occasion and as a novelty of this edition 2015, New artists have been nominated so far in these thirty years of Reggae Grammy, as is the case of Jah Cure with his album “The Cure”, bestseller since its publication in July and which has already reached 10 thousand copies for sale; the historic Morgan Heritage family with “Strictly Roots”, production that topped the Billboard list after its release in April of this year and that comes to consolidate a work and musical formation that in 2008 was about to dissolve.
For the first time Barrington Levy, and, the great barrington, appears as a nominee in this musical contest with his new album “Acousticlevy”, compilation of his greatest hits in acoustic format. Jamaican artist Luciano is also part of this year's lineup with his album “Zion Awake”, second nomination in his career for this event, being the first in the year 2002 with his album “New Day”.
Finally, a pleasant surprise has generated the nomination of the African Rocky Dawuni, Ghanaian artist currently residing in the US, mainly known for his single African Reggae Fever. It is the first nomination for an African artist, and the second from an international artist – by this I mean outside the beautiful island of Jamaica- and will compete for the brand new award given by the music industry with his album “Branches of the Same Tree”.
It is worth remembering that in the first edition of this contest that incorporated Reggae in its list, in 1985, It was Black Uhuru with his album “Anthem” those who won the award for best recording. On that occasion the albums “Reggae Nights” Jimmy Cliff, “Steppin’ Out” the Steel Pulse, “Captured Live” by Peter Tosh and “King Yellowman” de Yellowman. Without a doubt a difficult choice.
