Da Grammy’s 2025
Today we take a look at the nominees and end up making a sure-to-be-inaccurate prediction. We do it every years so…. let’s get to it. Below is the list of winners from the past 10 years.
2014 | Ziggy Marley – In Concert
2015 | Ziggy Marley – Fly Rasta
2016 | Morgan Heritage – Strictly Roots
2017 | Ziggy Marley – Ziggy Marley
2018 | Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley – Stony Hill
2019 | Sting & Shaggy – 44/876
2020 | Koffee – Rapture
2021 | Toots and the Maytals – Got to Be Tough
2022 | SOJA – Beauty in the Silence
2023 | Kabaka Pyramid – The Kalling
2024 | Julian Marley & Antaeus Colors of Royal
Take It Easy by Collie Buddz [Harper Digital]
TECHNICALLY, last year Bermy star, Collie Buddz, was also nominated via his lovely riddim, the Cali Roots and his name is back on the bill this year in a more direct form via his own album, Take It Easy (…which also released in 2023 but, apparently, it had passed the deadline). Take It Easy fully deserves to be her. It is a GOOD album and, given the fact that the people who vote for these things should be well familiar with Collie Buddz’ name you’d expect an album of his in 2024 (or 2023) to snatch a nomination. Previous nominee (and winner) Bounty Killer ups the star power present, giving Take It Easy a more LOGICAL look at a Grammy.
Collie Buddz – Take It Easy
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Never Gets Late Here by Shenseea [Rich Immigrants + Interscope Records]
Given her popularity and her prolificacy (and the fact that she just hit twenty-eight years old), you’d have to think that a Grammy at some point is in the future of superstar, Shenseea so don’t be surprised if 2025 is her year with Never Gets Late Here. Though I’ve yet to enjoy much of her work when compiled together (pretty sure I’m not her target audience), the ridiculously high level of talent is un-ignorable. Lyrically, Shenseea can do some SERIOUS damage and do it effortlessly. The greatest example of that, here, was a tune called Tap Out but she’s shown it in glaring spots throughout the years. Never Gets Late Here was quite well received amongst her fans as far as I could tell and heavily promoted as well and, like I said, perhaps this is her time.
Shenseea – Never Gets Late Here
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Bob Marley: One Love (soundtrack)[Island Records]
Probably the on-paper favourite this year would be the soundtrack to, easily, one of the biggest moments in Reggae music in 2024, the film Bob Marley: On Love. The original version of the album features music exclusively from the Gong, himself, while the nominated deluxe set features work of the legendary singer placed into the hands of several different vocalists. Most notable (to my audience) would be the likes of Skip Marley, Mystic Marley and the aforementioned Shenseea. That being said, I don’t particularly like this album, AT ALL, but you’re not shocked at all if, given its origins, that it goes home with the prize.
Playlist Album
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Evolution by The Wailers [Crescent Moon Records + Marshall Sound]
From Marley’s movie to his band. The immortal Wailers checked in for 2024 with the new project, Evolution which, although it didn’t seem to generate a ton of buzz, was a fine production and one of the finest of the entire year from the genre, in my opinion. I don’t find myself keeping up as much as I should with the wailers these days but I did take Evolution for a listen when it released (a couple of weeks or so after my birthday) and I was WELL impressed with songs such as You Belong To Me, Holding On with Gramps Morgan, Generation with Michael Rose, the all kinds of catchy Give It Up featuring the timeless Marcia Griffiths as well as the closer Sins and the title track. By my count, this is the fourth time the Wailers have been nominated for this award (in one form or another) and you’d think they’d win it one of these years, eventually; 2025 may just be it with, arguably, the single best album on this list.
Playlist Album
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Party With Me by Vybz Kartel [Adidjahiem Records]
To the surprise of absolutely no one, also getting a Grammy nod this year is the recently freed, Vybz Kartel, who, as expected, wasted NO TIME AT ALL, in putting together a piece of work and setting it out to the masses. Said work, Party With Me, was EONS from his best work to my opinion and he’ll likely never hit those heights again (when Kartel was at his zenith, there was NOTHING like him), but his nomination here goes to show that not even thirteen years directly out of the spotlight (…..but not REALLY) have diminished his popularity.
Playlist Album
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AND THE WINNER IS…..Take It Easy by Collie Buddz
Just being nominated a year ago, you would think, would have provided Collie Buddz with a familiar advantage because MOST LIKELY many of the same people who voted in 2023 are voting again in 2024. On top of that, the artist has a name which goes back quite awhile (Come Around is nearing two decades old at this point) and, as I said, Take It Easy is just good. I am rarely correct on these predictions and just assume that I’ll be wrong but I am actually EXPECTING Collie Buddz to win it this time. Am I right. Probably not, but who cares. See who takes home the Grammy for Best Reggae album (as well as the rest of them) on the 2nd of February, 2025.
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