tHis Caribbean has a long history in the global music scene, where local music has been recorded since the early 1900s. Lovey’s original Trinidad String Band was recorded in 1912, five years before jazz was first recorded. Since then, the music industry of these islands and the influence of music from them have influenced the development of genres throughout the Americas. Jazz and hip hop numbers stand out as they were explored in previous issues of Caribbean Beat (All available online).
Many island musicians are looking for ways to measure the success of their music. The music output of the Caribbean people is a unique technique that informs the world that it deserves praise beyond the passion of Chaubinism. Music Awards are more than a symbol of external verification. They serve as markers for the fast-growing island industry, recognizing the Caribbean DNA of music and their influence in the global music market. The Grammy Awards are one such marker.
Presentation Body, National Recording Arts and Science (Naras), was founded in 1957, just a year after Harry Belafonte. Calypso The album became the first seller of the US to 1 million people, and sold Elvis Presley that year, changing Americans’ music preferences forever. The first Grammy ceremony took place in 1958. Over the next decades, various regional genres have been recognized in golden gramophone statues within special categories.
Traditional and contemporary Spanish island music genres and styles – vachata and meringues of the Dominican Republic. Cuban salsa and Afro-Cuban music – have the best tropical Latin albums as a target. For Ligateon – A gift to the Puerto Rican world – it is the best mussica arbana album recently created.
Multiple Winners – Puerto Rico Bad Bunny. Panamanian in the St. Lucian descent Ruben blade. Cuba Gloria Estefan. Others – Defines the island’s excellence. (Note that over 50% of the 46 million people in the Caribbean have Spanish as their primary language. 90% of all native Spanish speakers live in the world.)
“We have seats at the table now…We’re not just members, we’re voting members. It’s a step in the right direction.”
“The Grammys are still the highest honor in music, no bar,” declared Naras, and recently “continuing to embrace a truly global mindset and seeking to attract and celebrate the current range of music from around the world.” Many Caribbean musicians embrace that sentiment in their hearts as the annual submission of music for nominations and awards increases, and new memberships by the Caribbean people grow.
In 2024, 75 projects were submitted to Grammy voters. From 1985, Naras awarded the Best Reggae Recording Award in 1992 to rebrand Best Reggae Albums of newly recorded original vocal or instrumental reggae albums, including Roots Reggae, Dancehall and Ska Music.
Over the course of 40 years, these awards have accumulated Grammy Statistics by Bob Marley’s children – sons Stephen (8), Ziggy (7), Damien “Juniorgon” (4) and Julian (1), and daughters Cedella and Sharon (3 each, three members of Melody Maker). Modern stars like legendary Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Sean Paul and Coffey are victorious, showing the breadth of recognition and the continued well enrich the world.
Trinidad & Tobago has been ongoing efforts to increase the number of members of Soca’s music producers regionally, by carving the space for submission to the new best global music performance Grammy since 2021. Outside of the US. ”
“If there’s no one in charge of culture, you shouldn’t pass the first hurdle or round.” SOCA SuperProducer Kasey Phillips is the leader in push for the inclusion of Soca Music in the Grammy Awards. “We have seats at the table now…We’re not just members, we’re voting members, and it’s important that local producers and creators have that voice. It’s a step in the right direction.”
A small step that focuses on the history of native Trinidadian music at the Grammy Awards. At the 14th Grammy Awards in 1972, Esso Trinidad Steel Band’s self-titled album (1971) was nominated for the best ethnic or traditional recording, a singular pioneering achievement for the national instruments of Trinidad and Tobago.
Bahamian Jeancanoe Band, Baha Mens, won a Grammy Award in 2001 for his best dance recording for the cover of Soca’s song “Who Let the Dogs” (moby other than the winner called it the “novelty” song, poor). However, Trinidadian composer and original singer Anslem Douglas was not qualified for statues. There was also no Banjigarin from Trinidad, who was the winner of the 2016 Best Dance/Electronic Album and one of the feature artists. Skrillex Diplo presents Jackü.
But not everyone is a Grammy Award fan. When asked why verification from overseas is necessary, we can assume that we can win our own awards and celebrate our own genres beyond reggaeton, reggae and dancehall, including calypso/soca, kompa and bouyon.
In 2024, 75 projects were submitted to Grammy voters, up from 65 the previous year.
Two iterations of the Caribbean Music Awards show – originally reestablished in 1990-1995 and 2023 – begin filling that important void. Others observe that in a competitive world of global music, the Grammy Awards are a positive for any career. The islanders count Barbadian Rihanna’s nine awards and Trinidad’s Heather Headley and Billy Oceans (one each), and when will their fellow countrymen and “Queen of Rap” Nicki Minaj win her first?
Theron Thomas of St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands) was awarded the 2024 Songwriter of the Year. Lil Durk, Tyla, Chloe Bailey, Ciara, Chris Brown, Cordae, Big Boss Vette, Jungkook. That important victory voted by all Naras members made him a home hero with the admiration of USVI governor and committee members.
“I came from a small 22-square-mile island,” he said in his acceptance speech. That USVI Creole ends with a bold affirmation, “This m***** Virgin Islands – I knew how we were going!” Island Brio at its best.
“At St. Thomas, we grew up on non-genre radio,” Thomas pointed out. “We grew up in hip hop, R&B, pop, reggae, calypso and country music. We never grew up thinking about genres. We loved music. We just said, “I like music, and I like that song.”
The foundation allowed him to sell his songs to Rihanna, Beyoncé, Rizzo, Adam Levine and Miley Cyrus. Thomas follows the legacy of Trinidadian-American songwriter Ralph McDonald (the best rhythm and blues song from 1982’s best rhythm and blues song “Just the Two of Us”) and Angela Hunte (the best rap song from 2011’s “Empire State of Mind”).
The broader Caribbean existence outside of Latin music on the Grammy Awards stage is limited despite the input of many. The vast output of various Latin music styles that make up the world’s fastest growing music ecosystem is a template to follow. Naras is looking to embrace the unique musical culture from these islands, embrace global sounds, and a kind of leveling of the arena, across reggae and Latin/Spanish speaking categories.
The Grammy Awards still exist in many regions of artistic achievements. Roll-calls and tallies of Caribbean achievements in recorded music continue. That golden gramophone statue is still a desirable mark of the merits of music.
Puerto Rican rapper Residen won the best musica Urbana album for his album at the 67th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles on February 2nd Las Letras Ya No Imbertan;The best reggae album went Bob Marley: One Love – Movie-inspired music (deluxe)performed by a variety of artists, including Puerto Rican Falco and Jamaican Shense, Skip Marley and Bob’s granddaughter Mystic.
