Jamaican women score three Grammy nods for the first time
Dancehall Queen Spice at the 2019 MTV Movie and TV
Awards event. playbookmg.com
Caribbean Life, DECEMBER 3-9, 2021 11
In the very macho-oriented
music industry, Jamaican
women have always complained
about the gender bias practices
they allege predominant in traditional
reggae and dancehall.
Last week the most recognized
authorities of the National Academy
of Recording Arts & Sciences
shattered the long-held
assumption by naming two
Jamaican women among six
contenders in the Best Reggae
Album Grammy category and
another for contributing to one
of the top awards slated for the
64th annual Grammy Awards.
For the first time in the
36-year history of the reggae
category, Etana and Spice are
nominees simultaneously competing
for the sole honor to
the genre. Spice is nominated
for the Shaggy-produced “10,”
while Etana earned a nomination
for her album “Pamoja.”
Best Reggae Album: Pamoja
— Etana, Positive Vibration —
Gramps Morgan, Live N Livin —
Sean Paul, Royal — Jesse Royal,
Beauty In The Silence — SOJA,
10 — Spice
Only four females were previously
nominated in the category
— Koffee, won last year with her
“Rapture” EP; Rita Marley was
nominated for “We Must Carry
On” in 1991; Sister Carol won
notices for “Lyrically Potent” in
1996; and Etana managed her
first nod with “Reggae Forever
in 2018.”
In addition to the gender
revealing news, 25-year-old
Shenseea could well collect a
golden. miniature gramophone
as a reward for collaborating
with five-time nominee Kanye
West on his “Donda” release.
Added in last-minute decisions
to up the category to 10
nominations with Taylor Swift’s
pop entry, Kanye’s competition
for the most anticipated winner
of the Album of the Year,
could triple chances for the third
Jamaican woman.
If the rapper wins, Shenseea
would automatically qualify to
receive one for featuring on the
27-track release.
Album of the Year: We Are —
Jon Batiste, Love For Sale —
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga,
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)
— Justin Bieber, Planet Her
(Deluxe) — Doja Cat, Happier
Than Ever — Billie Eilish, Back
Of My Mind — H.E.R., Montero
— Lil Nas X, Sour — Olivia Rodrigo,
Evermore — Taylor Swift,
Donda — Kanye West
A revision of Grammy rules
this year stipulates “if an album
is up for Album Of The Year,
then all credited featured artists,
songwriters of new material,
producers, recording engineers,
mixers, and mastering engineers
who worked on that album are
automatically nominated.”
“Featured artists are Grammy
eligible in Album Of The
Year; they are eligible in the
genre album categories if they
perform on more than 51 percent
of playing time; and are eligible
in performance categories
if they are credited as a featured
artist on the track/single.
According to NARAS — “To
be recognized as a Grammy
nominee, a featured artist must
be credited as a featured artist;
and make a significant and artistic
contribution beyond accompaniment.”
Previously, the Grammy rule
stated that all of these music
professionals had to be credited
with 33 percent or more of playing
time (on the album), in order
to be nominated.
Chinsea Lee was elated when
she got the news. Assuming the
revised Album of the Year rules
applied to the Best Dance/Electronic
Music Album, Best Progressive
R&B Album, Best Rap
Album categories she collaborated
with West, Masego and
Major Lazor, Chinsea Lee AKA
Shenseea posted on social media
that she was nominated four
times.
Catch You On The Inside!
Inside Life
By Vinette K. Pryce
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