Julian Marley and Alexx Antaeus are jointly the winners of the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for their album Colors Of Royal. The announcement was made at the premiere ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles California on Sunday.
This is the 40th Reggae Award to be presented at the Grammys since it was first included as Best Reggae Recording in 1985 and last time two persons who are not part of a group won the award was Shaggy and Sting’s 44/876 in 2018.
Black Uhuru’s Anthem won the first Best Reggae Recording in 1985 and the Marley family has the most Reggae Grammy awards with Ziggy Marley being nominated 15 times and winning 8 Best Reggae Album awards.
Alexx Antaeus of Monom Records, a first-time Grammy nominee released the eight track album independently in collaboration with Julian Marley on March 24, 2023. This is Julian’s third nomination after the 43 year old singer got a nod for his third studio album “Awake,” released by Universal Music/Tuff Gong in 2009. His brother Stephen Marley took home the award for the Acoustic version of Mind Control.
His other nomination was in 2020 for As I Am, Koffee’s debut EP Rapture won the award.
This year, five albums received nominations for Best Reggae Album, including Buju Banton‘s “Born For Greatness,” released on Def Jam Records, Burning Spear‘s “No Destroyer,” Beenie Man‘s “Simma” and Collie Buddz‘s “Cali Roots Riddim 2023..”
According to a report from The Recording Academy’s 2023 Member Class survey, only 6% of Grammy voters express an interest in reggae. This places the genre at No. 18 out of 22 categories, with Pop leading the chart at 41% of Grammy voting members.
The Reggae category incorgporates nominees from the dancehall and Ska genres. Traditionally announced in a pre-televised ceremony, last year and this year the category was streamed live on YouTube.
Other notable awards handed out at the Premiere ceremony are:
The Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Recording Winner is Rumble by Skrillex, Fred again.. & UK Grime and Dubstep MC Flowdan.
Barbie won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For? won Best Song Written For Visual Media. A remixed version of The Diary of Alicia Keys won Best Immersive Audio Album, 20 years after it’s release.
Virgin Islands native Theron Thomas of R. City wins the 2024 Grammy for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical. Among his credits are: Lil Durk, Tyla, Chlöe & Future, Ciara & Chris Brown, Cordae, Big Boss Vette, Jung Kook & Latto, Chlöe & Missy Elliott and Sekou.
In a clean sweep Killer Mike won Best Rap Album for “Micheal”. The album features the track “Run” which has a remix featuring Damian Marley. He also won Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERSby featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane.
André 3000 is now a 9-time Grammy winner. He becomes the sixth most awarded rapper of all time.
Tyla won the inaugural award for Best African Music Performance.
