Inaugural Dubby’s Awards to stream February 20
Published:Friday | January 29, 2021 | 12:10 AMShereita Grizzle/Staff Reporter
Votes have been cast, tabulated and the winners selected for the inaugural, yet highly anticipated Dubby’s Awards.
Those winners are expected to be announced in a virtual presentation set for February 20. Although co-creator of Dubwise Jamaica Jason Panton wanted the live-stream to be held earlier in the month to help usher in the Reggae Month celebrations, he also wanted to ensure that the show delivered was of the best quality. A later date was therefore the best option, and Panton says what is to come on the 20th will be nothing short of spectacular.
“We are still in the middle of ironing out some things, but it’s going to be something special, we guarantee that. We’re going to have a hostess or two; Kamila (McDonald) is going to be one and she always brings good energy to the stage. We’re going to be adding some information about the Dubby’s, and why we decided to start it, and, of course, we’re going to be throwing some entertainment in the mix; so it will be a great package,” he said. “I am not going to say yet who we will be having as performers because we are still awaiting some confirmations, working out schedules, etc, but we can tell you the show is going to be awesome.”
Pointing out that he has always loved the idea of a whole month of celebrations to honour reggae music, Panton says he is happy he and his team are able to add to the 2021 festivities. “February is Reggae Month and that’s what makes the Dubby’s all the more exciting. It’s an awards show that seeks to honour the best of Jamaican culture and highlight the musicians and artistes who are spreading that culture around the world. That is what Reggae Month is about, and I am just super excited to be able to add to the celebrations,” he said.
AIRING ON YOUTUBE
The Dubby’s will air on YouTube and Instagram Live on the Dubwise account. Panton also divulged that he will be engaging a local television station in the next few days to strike up a partnership in an effort to get the Dubby’s to air on television. He said that way, local viewers who do not have access to the Internet will still get to enjoy the Dubby’s experience.
Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner at the beginning of the month, Panton shared that he had been toying with the idea of an awards show for a number of years, and admitted that with the inactivity on the local live-event scene, he had time last year to finally put those plans into motion. After running a test to see how people would take the idea, Panton said he got the green light from the masses, whom he believes were sold on the idea of having an awards show that is uniquely crafted to suit the local music industry.
“Jamaicans have long called for an awards [show] that is authentically theirs, so I knew there was a market for it, but Jah know, the response was a pleasant surprise,” he said at the time. “It showed me that Jamaicans want to be recognised by their own, and the Dubwise brand is undoubtedly uniquely Jamaican. I think that also contributed a lot to the overwhelming response that we have received.”
The inaugural Dubby’s Awards sees nominees in categories such as Best Album/EP (male and female), Best Singles (male and female), Best Collaboration, Best Reggae/Dancehall Collaboration, Best Roots Singles, and Future Reggae Singles. From established artistes such as Protoje, Buju Banton, Chronixx and Etana to rising stars such as Lila Iké, Sevana, Jaz Elise, Tessellated, and Runkus, the Dubby’s features a balanced cross section of nominees.