Contractor predicts Grammy nominees for Best Reggae Album
Published:Friday | November 8, 2024 | 12:10 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Nominations for the 67th annual Grammy Award will be announced today and, as usual, we made a link with one brave music industry person who was willing to go out on a limb and pick five albums which he thinks will get nominated in the Best Reggae Album category this year.
Some 75 albums are up for consideration in the reggae category, among them a number of various artiste compilations, including Celebrating Jamaica 62; Dutty Money Riddim (Deluxe Edition); Jamaica Festival Song 2024 Competition; Reggae Virus Sweet Yuh and Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe).
Included in the solo projects are Sax in Dub by Dean Fraser; Masicka’s Generation of Kings; Romain Virgo’s The Gentle Man; Vybz Kartel’s Party With Me; Teejay: I Am Chippy; Etana – Nectar Of The Gods; Bugle’s Apex; Samory I’s Strength; Blakk Rasta – Salaga Soljah; BL Tha Hook Slaya – Dancehall Diaries Volume 1; and Brotha George – Mindset.
The eligibility period for compositions and recordings ran from September 16, 2023, to August 30, 2024.
Music marketer and producer, Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards, who actually got three of the five nominees right last year, was the only person who was ready for the challenge this year. His five predictions for the Best Reggae Album are Mirror 25 (Spice); Never Gets Late Here (Shenseea); Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired by the Film (Deluxe Edition); Evolution (The Wailers) and SOJA’s Beauty in the Acoustic.
Let’s look at the much-talked-about ‘Marley factor’. Last year, both Stephen and Julian Marley submitted albums for Grammy consideration, but whereas Stephen slid into the World Music category, Julian stayed in the reggae music category, which he won for Colors of Royal, with Antaeus. Edwards pointed out that none of the Marleys have a solo project this year, but the Marley name still looms large with the project Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired by the Film, which was released in February 2024 on Tuff Gong/Island Records.
“The 10-track album inspired by the successful Paramount Pictures biopic is up for consideration and I definitely think it is one of the big contenders for the reggae Grammy,” Edwards said. “The Marley family played a major role in selecting and approving all the song selections. The artistes appearing on the album are Skip Marley, Mystic Marley, Farruko, Shenseea, WizKid, Daniel Caesar, Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Jessie Reyez and Bloody Civilian.”
As to whether or not he feels that this project will win, Edwards declined to say.
Pointing out that ‘dancehall princess’ Shenseea “definitely made an impact in the USA in 2024 in reggae and dancehall”, Edwards noted that her second album Never Gets Late Here, which was released in May, made inroads on some of the top charts.
“ Work Me Out, featuring Wizkid hit Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Top 40 Airplay charts and the album debuted at number four on the Billboard Reggae Album charts. Shenseea has been seen and heard and this album is still doing what it is supposed to do,” Edwards stated.
Released through Rich Immigrants and Interscope Records, the album contains guest appearances from Coi Leray, Masicka, Rvssian, Di Genius, Wizkid and Anitta.
The Aston Barrett Jr-led Wailers released Evolution on August 30. It features Marcia Griffiths, Mykal Rose, Gramps Morgan and Emily Estefan.
“Emily Estefan is the daughter of the album’s producer, the multiple Grammy Award winner Emilio Estefan Jr, who also produced the band’s last Grammy nominated-album, One World, in 2020. It was their first album in 25 years,” Edwards stated, adding that Estefan is also one is one of the founding leaders of the Latin Grammy Awards.
Spice’s album, Mirror 25, celebrates her 25 years in the business and it is a collection of both reggae and dancehall tracks. It features collaborations with Busta Rhymes, Chronic Law, Jada Kingdom, Patoranking and Pamputtae.
“Her presence in the USA in 2024 has been very strong. She debuted at number 7 on the Billboard Reggae Album charts. The album was also featured this year in Billboard Magazine, Grammy.com and ABC News. That kind of visibility is the ideal promotion for a project such as this. And remember that her album, 10, which was produced by Shaggy for VP Records also secured a Grammy nomination. Spice is looking good,” Edwards declared.
American reggae band from Arlington, Virginia, Soja, won a Grammy in 2022 and was nominated in 2015 and 2017. Edwards sees them as a strong contender this year.
“In 2022 they won a Grammy for the album Beauty in the Silence and this album Beauty in the Acoustic highlights Soja’s songwriting excellence. They were consistently touring in the USA in 2024 and played at some of the biggest reggae festivals in the States including Cali Roots Fest and Reggae Rise Up. Being from Virginia, they have a grassroots following of reggae fans in the States which should help them to be nominated again this year,” Edwards said.
The 67th Grammy Awards unfolds on Sunday, February 2, 2025 live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and broadcasting live on the CBS Television Network.