5 Jamaican Artists Who Have Won A Grammy Award Outside Of The Reggae Category
Jamaica is renowned for its Reggae music, but several artists from the island have also made achievements in other genres, earning Grammy Awards beyond the ‘Best Reggae Album’ category.
Here’s a look at those artists who have made their mark at the Recording Academy in non-Reggae categories.
Bounty Killer – ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal’ (2003)
Dancehall heavyweight Bounty Killer‘s gritty, deep vocals contrasted with American rock band No Doubt’s upbeat and energetic sound in their hit collab Hey Baby, which earned them their first Grammy Award for ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal’ in 2003. Although Sly & Robbie, the legendary Jamaican production duo, co-produced the track, this particular Grammy is awarded only to the song’s performing artists.
Featured on No Doubt’s Rock Steady album (2001), Hey Baby became a commercial hit, reaching No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and later becoming certified Gold in the US (500,000 units). However, in an interview last year, Bounty revealed that he had to threaten legal action when he didn’t initially receive his proper share of the royalties.
In 2003, Bounty was also nominated for ‘Best Reggae Album’ with Ghetto Dictionary: The Mystery, but he lost to veteran producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Jamaican E.T.
Lady Saw – ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal’ (2004)
Former Queen of Dancehall Lady Saw achieved Grammy success in 2004 with her feature on No Doubt’s Underneath It All, which won the award for ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.’ It was the second track produced by Sly & Robbie on No Doubt’s Rock Steady album.
The song reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 18 on the UK Singles chart, and is currently certified Platinum in the US (1,000,000 units).
Saw, now known as Minister Marion Hall, revealed in a 2021 interview that she misplaced the award at a friend’s house. When she later contacted the person to retrieve it, she was told it was no longer there. Hall explained that she wasn’t overly concerned about the loss. “If I was Lady Saw, I would be at war with them,” she said, acknowledging how her past self might have reacted. However, since transitioning to her Christian faith, she took a more peaceful approach, saying, “OK, keep it.”
Damian Marley – ‘Best Urban/Alternative Performance’ (2006)
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, the youngest son of Bob Marley, has built a dynamic career by blending Reggae with Hip-hop and other genres. In 2006, he made history by winning multiple Grammys for his 2005 album Welcome to Jamrock, including Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the title track. This achievement makes Damian the only artist to win both Reggae and non-Reggae Grammy categories in a single year.
Produced by his brother Stephen Marley, Welcome to Jamrock delivers hard-hitting lyrics addressing social inequality and street life in Jamaica. The song reached No. 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart, and it has since been certified Gold in the UK for selling over 400,000 units.
Damian also holds Grammy Awards for ‘Best Reggae Album’ for his albums Halfway Tree (2002) and Stony Hill (2018) and for executive producing Kabaka Pyramid’s The Kalling (2023).
Ziggy Marley – ‘Best Musical Album for Children’ (2010)
While Marley’s eldest son has won multiple awards in the Reggae category, including for albums like Love Is My Religion and Fly Rasta, Ziggy Marley expanded his repertoire by winning the Grammy for ‘Best Musical Album for Children’ in 2010 with Family Time (2009).
The album—which featured collaborations with Ziggy’s daughter Judah, Rita Marley, Cedella Marley, Jack Johnson, Toots Hibbert, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon—was full of light-hearted, family-friendly tunes, showcasing Ziggy’s versatility as a musician and his ability to connect with a younger audience.
In 2020, he released a follow-up album titled More Family Time.
BEAM – ‘Best Dance/Electronic Recording’ (2024)
Earlier this year, BEAM, the son of Dancehall artist Papa San, won the Grammy Award for ‘Best Dance/Electronic Recording’ Grammy for his contributions to Skrillex’s Rumble , a song featuring Fred again.. and Flowdan. BEAM’s uncredited vocals on the song were sampled from his feature on Skrillex’s earlier track Selecta. The Jamaican-American, whose real name is Tyshane Thompson, is also credited as a co-writer and co-producer on Rumble.
In the ‘Best Dance/Electronic Recording’ category, unlike some others, all contributing artists, producers, and mixers are recognized, allowing BEAM to share the Grammy for the song.
BEAM was previously nominated for his contributions to Beyoncé’s Renaissance (2023), Kanye West’s Donda (2022), and Justin Bieber’s Justice (2022), all of which were nominated for ‘Album of the Year.’