Gramps Morgan Gets His Jamaican Citizenship: “It Feels Good”
Gramps Morgan has been in Jamaica not only celebrating and promoting his Grammy-nominated Positive Vibration album, but also rejoicing in the fact that he has obtained his Jamaican citizenship status at long last.
The Brooklyn-born Gramps was a picture of happiness as he told Ron Muschette during an interview on The Edge FM about the newest development.
“One of di biggest tings, big up the passport agency and the Jamaican Consulate, because I have just received my Jamaican citizenship. And it feels good,” Gramps said.
“Yeah man, a nuh St Thomas mi born. Mi born a Brooklyn New York, but raised with Jamaican culture. So it feels good to have mi Jamaican passport. Mi did have unconditional (landing) stamp sir,” he added, after Ron jokingly said he had been residing in Jamaica illegally.
Gramps also pointed out that the Positive Vibration album, which he has been promoting over the last six months, contained fusions of the sounds of older genres of Ska and Mento the original Jamaican music long considered a relic of the past, which he blended to produce the album’s beats, contrary to the assumption in many quarters that these were “new” or “foreign sounds”.
“So this is what I am saying with Jamaican culture: I am reminding them of our greatness, of our rich culture of Reggae, Ska. Listen to Runaway Bay: is a Ska song. Suh people listen it and seh is a different kinda Reggae album. No it’s not. Listen, it’s Ska music; its Mento music,” he explained.
“Suh people like: ‘is this new ting’. Is original Jamaican music. Mi just put two likkle Nashville guitar pon it an some banjo pon it… I’m like: a fi wi music dis,” the singer emphasized, in explaining the Country music sounds.
Gramps, who was the producer of Lieutenant Stitchie’s award-winning Masterclass album, also pointed out that he was also celebrating trend-setting Rastafarian fashion, dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, via the beaver hat he has been sporting in recent times.
“This is a original Rastaman beaver from back inna di days, from (the movie) Rockers,” Gramps, 45, said.
“When yuh look pon mi beaver, a di original beaver Rastaman beaver. The original Rastaman hat man. Mi a show dem seh did ting original. A we set fashion from long time,” he added.
In November, Gramps’ Positive Vibration was nominated in the Best Reggae Album category alongside Spice’s 10, Sean Paul’s Live N Livin, Jesse Royal’s Royal, Etana’s Pamoja and American band SOJA’s Beauty in the Silence.
Recorded between Kingston, Nashville and Toronto, the 15-track album’s sounds are unique due to Gramps’s use of the Jamaican banjo on the Mento tracks and Nashville guitars. Dancehall megastar Shaggy, his friend for more than 25 years appears on the track titled Float Ya Boat, while his father Denroy Morgan appears on the album on a track called Secret to Life, of which Gramps is highly proud.
“My father is on the album on a song called Secret to Life. That is why this nomination warm mi heart because this is his first nomination. So I am excited about it…,” Gramps, whose given name is Roy Morgan, said.
When asked how he felt about the Grammys being postponed, Gramps said he agreed with the Recording Academy’s decision.
“I feel it is the right thing to do. I want to get it outta di way still you know. It’s like the first day a school, but just to be safe you have to just do…,” he said.
Of his recent move to the music city of Nashville, Gramps said that he loved the fact that the city fundamental focus was on music, with “no hype, six pack and Ferraris”.
Gramps is no stranger to Grammy awards. Along with four of his siblings, he formed the award-winning Morgan Heritage band back in 1994, where he played the keyboard and served as a vocalist. The band released 12 albums over the years, including Strictly Roots —their 2016 Grammy Award Winning Best Reggae Album.
They were also nominated for their 2017 album Avrakedabra.