Following their Best Reggae Album win at the 64th Annual Grammy awards on Sunday, Reggae band SOJA has climbed to N0. 1 on the top reggae iTunes albums chart with Beauty In The Silence.
The group released their seventh studio album, on September 24, 2021 after recording at the legendary Circle House Studios in Miami, Florida.The album’s featured artist include: Collie Buddz, Dirty Heads, J Boog, Nanpa Basico, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid, Stick Figure, and UB40.
It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums charts and No. 34 on Billboard’s Current Albums Sales chart, and No. 52 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart. Billboard describes the album as, “Contemporary reggae with a forthright social conscience.”
In light of their recent surprise Grammy win, the group is the third non Jamaican to win a Grammy for best Reggae album. Formed in 1997, their music is currently produced under ATO Records. Their third full-length album Born in Babylon peaked at #11 on the Top Heatseekers chart, while their 2012 album Strength to Survive topped the Billboard Reggae Album Chart. The last non-Jamaicans to win a Grammy award was Sting for his collab album 44/876 with Shaggy in 2019 and reggae band Steele Pulse in 1987 with Babylon the Bandit. Steel Pulse, were the first reggae band to appear on the Tonight television show.
SOJA edged out Jamaican reggae artists Spice, Etana, Jesse Royal, Gramps Morgan, and international recording superstar Sean Paul whose hit No Lie with Dua Lipa has almost 1 billion streams on YouTube.
The group thanked the island of Jamaica for the inspiration as they collected the award.
“To the founding fathers of Reggae and the island of Jamaica, you’ve inspired us all”
Social media reaction to the win with much surprise and disappointment with one person saying, “The decision to award SOJA is an affront to the sensibilities of the Jamaican people #GRAMMYs
“
Another saying, “How SOJA win reggae Grammy award HOWWWWW PEOPLE HOWWWWWW smh Grammys ain’t for us no way.”
Reggae artists Chronixx, Gramps Morgan and Etana have come out in support of the group’s win.
