For the 2025 Grammy Awards, a new dancehall singles category was almost included.
The information was revealed by Alexx Antaeus, 2024 Best Reggae Album winner, who told WMV, “The dancehall single didn’t make it for this year (it was close). So, all we have Jamaica-wise is still Reggae Album of the Year, where dancehall albums could be entered.”
Antaeus, who worked with dancehall producer Notnice for his Grammy-winning collaborative album “Colors Of Royal” with Julian Marley, said the category for the reggae subgenre could be part of the ceremony in 2026.
“We are very close to having a Dancehall Single Category. But it hasn’t happened yet,” he said.
From July 17 until August 30, 2024, is the online entry eligibility period for all categories of albums and single recordings, regardless of the release date.
Last year, several dancehall albums were submitted in the Best Reggae Albums category. Byron Messia’s No Love, the top-selling dancehall album of 2023, was submitted along with Riffle Riddim, Valiant’s 4:14, I-Octane’s Dancehall Gift, Charly Black’s No Excuses, and Pablo YG’s Bad Juvi Mixtape, but they were all snubbed by voting academy members.
Only 6% of Grammy voting members are classified or connected to the reggae category, and World Music Views initiated the conversation when we asked Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, if there will ever be a dancehall category three years ago. He acknowledged the need for greater diversity and integration within the Academy, particularly in the reggae and dancehall arena in an interview with WMV.
“We have worked really hard over the last two years to include more music not less…we want more people from more genres, from more regions and make sure we are honoring them properly. It’s possible only because anything is possible.” Harvey said, adding that the way to do it is to propose it properly to the Recording Academy through a voting process.
“When it comes to categories it just depends on who submits. If the dancehall community wanted its own category and they felt so strongly about it- and the stakeholders in that category felt like ‘we want to have our own category’, and they submit it and they have the right language in the proposal, the right rationale as to why its important and they get the right signers and the right language and justification, you will have a new category.”
Beenie Man’s “Simma” was the only dancehall project nominated for the 2024 Grammy awards. It was his forth nomination and his only Grammy win happened in 2001 for his dancehall album “Art and Life” released on July 11, 2000 via Virgin Records .
Other Dancehall winners include Sean Paul’s “Dutty Rock,” in 2003, that year he was also nominated for Best New Artist. Shaggy’s “Boombastic,” won in 1996.
Popcaan did not submit his last studio album “Great Is He” released via Drake’s OVO Records last year, continuing a trend of prominent dancehall albums being overlooked.
Antaeus, who predicted his own Grammy win more than a month in advance of he ceremony said high on his shortlist this year is one particular dancehall album that could get his vote if it is submitted.
“In terms of dancehall albums to be submitted in Reggae, Mascika is without a doubt a winner as far as I am concerned. Yes I’d vote for that album,” Antaeus said.
Masicka’s sophomore album “Generation Of King” released December 1, 2023 via Def Jam Records is already nominated for the 2024 Caribbean Music Awards, his second nomination in as many years. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart.
But we are talking prematurely as we don’t know the entries yet, and we won’t know till early October. Artists will be releasing all the way up until the end of August,” he stated.
A Recording Academy member for over 30 years, Antaeus was mum on the details but ended by saying, “All I can say is that having a Dancehall category is very close in becoming reality. However, nothing has been officially confirmed by the Recording Academy.”
For album to be qualified for Best Reggae album it must satisfy the criteria of being more that 50 percent reggae, ska or dancehall. 40 albums have won the award with Ziggy Marley winning more times than anyone else; in 1989, 1990, 1998, 2007, 2014, 2015, and 2017. The Marley family on a whole has won the most Best Reggae Grammy awards, but Sean Paul’s dancehall album ‘Dutty Rock’ has been the most successful Grammy winning Best Reggae Album, certified triple Platinum (3,000,000) in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association Of America.
