Greenspoon’s Reggae Grammy 2022 Predictions: Who Will Get The Nod?

For Dancehall and Reggae fans following the annual Grammy Awards closely, they may be eager for some insight on which albums may make the cut for this year’s Best Reggae Album nominations and, perhaps more importantly, which of them may make the strongest case for winning the prestigious award in 2022.

Billboard reported that “artists featured at the awards – whether as nominees, winners or performers – can see surges in their sales and streams earnings ranging from 4% to nearly 400% the week-of and week after the ceremony.” Given the massive potential for gain and validation, both monetary and status-wise, it is no wonder artists, particularly those in the often-shafted genres of Reggae and Dancehall, continue to pursue the highly-coveted honor of being a Grammy nominee or winner, even as The Recording Academy – the governing body for the Grammys – moves slowly towards making the awards more inclusive and receptive to the diversity that exists in music.

Following the September 30, 2021 deadline, over 120 submissions have reportedly been made to the Best Reggae Album category, and the first round of voting, which is currently taking place, is expected to end on November 5.  So who will get the nods for the upcoming 64th GRAMMY Awards?

Having worked with some of the biggest names in music—from Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, and Mark Ronson to Beres Hammond, Morgan Heritage, Spice and many others—there are few as qualified as Brian Greenspoon, marketing guru and president of Spoonfed Entertainment, to speak on the subject. In fact, Greenspoon marketed and promoted the albums for three of the five Best Reggae Album nominees last year, namely the winners Toots and The Maytals, and nominees Maxi Priest and Skip Marley.  The Wailers and Buju Banton were also nominated.

In a sit-down with DancehallMag, Greenspoon shared his thoughts on five albums that could likely make the cut when the nominations for Best Reggae Album are officially announced via live stream on November 23.

SOLID GOLD – U ROY

“Daddy U-Roy and the Trojan Jamaica label assembled a cast of all-stars for this project, which will now serve as The Originator’s swan song since he left us in February,” shared the Boston University graduate.

He continued, “The album features a diverse list of guests like Ziggy Marley, Santigold, Shaggy, Tarrus Riley, Rygin King, David Hinds, Robbie Shakespeare, Jesse Royal, Richie Spice and Big Youth, all performing U-Roy’s biggest hits alongside The Godfather of Dancehall himself.”

Greenspoon, who worked on U-Roy’s album, further explained that special attention was paid to capture an authentic sound on the updated classics, and was accomplished thanks to some of Jamaica’s heaviest players like Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Robbie Lyn, Tony Chin, Dean Fraser, Stingray, Dwight Richards, Hopeton Williams, as well as UK contributors Mick Jones of The Clash, the Trojan Jamaica co-founders Zak Starkey and Sshh, and producer Youth.

“The strength of this ensemble is a testament to the legacy of the great U-Roy… and the album just kicks from beginning to end. Solid Gold U-Roy recently spent several weeks atop the NACC (North American College & Community radio) World charts, confirming that U-Roy’s uniquely timeless sound has been fully embraced by a new generation of fans. Respect due,” he shared.

10 – SPICE

According to Greenspoon, Spice’s 10 was years in the making and delivers on all fronts. The former Marketing Executive for VP Records and Elektra Records shared that the album, which is produced by Pop icon Shaggy, is an instant classic from the Queen of the Dancehall.

“10 includes record-breaking singles like ‘So Mi Like It’ and brand new crowd-pleasers like ‘Go Down Deh’ (featuring Shaggy and Sean Paul), which brought dancehall music into suburban living rooms this year via national TV performances on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Wendy Williams Show.”

Those performances, Greenspoon shared, made Spice the ultimate reggae ambassador as she was launching the album.

ROYAL – JESSE ROYAL

Greenspoon describes Jesse Royal’s fourth studio album as “a great sophomore album by an ever-evolving young artist who delivers his message with a commanding voice and clear purpose.”

The veteran marketer further highlighted that Jesse’s range was on full display on the album, citing tracks such as ‘Natty Pablo’ and acoustic ballads like ‘Differences’.

“The tracks inspired brilliant vocal contributions from Protoje, Vybz Kartel, Stonebwoy, Runkus, Kumar, and Samory I. As Jesse Royal continues to tour these songs, the album’s commercial success will only grow over time. Royal more than deserves a spot in the Grammy discussion,” Greenspoon said.

IN THE MOMENT – REBELUTION

It is not uncommon for international reggae acts to sometimes outsell and outperform their Jamaican counterparts, which explains why the California-based Reggae Rock band, Rebelution, made its way onto Greenspoon’s list with its most recent project, In The Moment.

According to Greenspoon, “Kabaka Pyramid, Busy Signal, and Keznamdi all make cameos on Rebelution’s bouncy, breezy, guitar-driven rhythms. Not dependent on radio play (although they do get love at the Alternative format), Rebelution is a touring machine with legions of fans who hit the merch table after a show, so don’t expect this album to drop off the charts anytime soon.”

VENT DELIUXE – DEXTA DAPS

“[I’m] not sure if this album can qualify, but it seems that Dexta Daps snuck in a last-minute entry by releasing the deluxe edition of his 2020 debut album on the final day that albums can be considered for a Grammy nomination,” Greenspoon explained.

He continued, “The updated version of Vent now includes 16 new tracks that boast features from international stars like Davido, Konshens, Drumma Boy, Friyie, Patrice Roberts, Marlon Asher, Pressure Busspipe, and the remix of his hit song “Call Me If” that now features Louie Culture and Torey Lanez. Like the original album predecessor, which debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, Vent Deluxe is full of big riddims, big vocals, and big hooks. If this project is indeed eligible for Grammy consideration, it’s definitely worthy of the nod.”

Greenspoon’s list certainly celebrates the diversity and quality which are to be found in nearly every level of the genre, and it would be no surprise to see these some of these names among the nominations once The Recording Academy makes the contenders known.

Given how unpredictable the Grammys have been over the years, there may very well be a few surprises in store for the Reggae/Dancehall category. And, even though the genre’s artists and fans have largely been disappointed with The Recording Academy’s inconsistency in effectively deciding on a winner for that category, fans, and artists even, are often entertained and captivated by the prospects, even if they are ultimately let down again.

The final round of voting for the awards will begin on December 6 this year, and end on January 5, 2022, while the awards ceremony will return to the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Monday, January 31, 2022.