Afro-Caribbean
Marcia Griffiths received a Lifetime Achievement Award Honor and Cedella Marley received a Legacy Award at the 2024 Caribbean Music Awards, which were presented on Thursday (Aug. 29) at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, N.Y. Dancehall artist Spice and comedian Majah Hype co-hosted the show, which streamed live on YouTube.
“I’m truly blessed to continue the legacy that my family built,” Marley said in accepting the award. “I’m filled with gratitude and honor to be acknowledged for my work. I want to express my sincere thanks to the committee members and the beautiful people of our Caribbean. Your support and inspiration drive my passion and motivate me to do things I was once told ‘you can’t do that.’”
Marley dedicated the award to her mother, Rita Marley, who she described as her “shero.” “[She is] a woman of extraordinary strength, compassion, wisdom and love. It is her unwavering dedication and selflessness that have led to this moment. I am both proud and humbled to have her as my mother. As I pay tribute to the Marley legacy tonight, I celebrate the woman who has laid the foundation. One love.”
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Reggae legend Bob Marley was Cedella Marley’s father. Skip Marley is her son. Cedella Marley won three Grammy Awards as a member of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.
Shaggy paid tribute to Griffiths, who is celebrating 60 years in music. Griffiths is a former member of the I-Threes, which supported Bob Marley with backing vocals. She was a Grammy nominee three years ago for best reggae album for One World. Closing out the show, Tosh Alexander, Aiesha, Alaine and Nadine Sutherland performed in tribute to Griffiths.
The night’s most nominated artist, Dexta Daps, won performer of the year (dancehall). The Jamaican dancehall and reggae performer also performed a medley of songs, including “Shabba Madda Pot” and “Call Me If.”
Other winners in competitive categories included Buju Banton, Romeo Santos, Shaggy & Kes and Burna Boy & Byron Messia.
Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor, who has produced recordings by such varied artists as Sean Paul, Drake, John Legend, Vybz Kartel, John Legend, Shenseea and Jada Kingdom, received the producer award honor.
The Caribbean Music Awards recognizes artists, producers, and industry professionals who have significantly contributed to the Caribbean music landscape. This year’s nominations list included more than 40 categories spanning a diverse range of genres, including reggae, Soca and dancehall.
The awards are presented by the Caribbean Elite Group, which also produces Caribbean Elite Magazine – a print and digital publication which highlights Caribbean entertainers, artists, producers, promoters, cuisine, travel, fashion and entrepreneurs.
Here’s a complete list of winners in both competitive and honorary categories.
Competitive Categories
2023 Impact Award (Dancehall): 450
2023 Impact Award (Reggae): Mortimer
2023 Impact Award (Soca): Pumpa
Album of the Year (Reggae) Buju Banton, Born for Greatness
Album of the Year (Dancehall) Masicka, Generation of Kings
Artist of the Year (Bouyon): Mr. Ridge
Artist of the Year (French Caribbean): Kalash
Artist of the Year (Latin Caribbean): Romeo Santos
Artist of the Year Female (Dancehall): Shenseea
Artist of the Year Female (Reggae): Lila Iké
Artist of the Year Female (Soca): Patrice Roberts
Artist of the Year Male (Dancehall): Valiant
Artist of the Year Male (Reggae): Romain Virgo
Artist of the Year Male (Soca): Skinny Fabulous
Best New Artist (Dancehall): Rajah Wild
Best New Artist (Reggae): Ras-II
Best New Artist (Soca): Yung Bredda
Collaboration of the Year – Soca: Nailah Blackman & Skinny Fabulous, “Come Home”
Collaboration of the Year – Reggae: Shaggy & Kes, “Mood”
Collaboration of the Year – (Dancehall): Burna Boy & Byron Messia, Talibans II
Cruise Event of the Year: Uber Soca
Entertainer of the Year: Lee So Crazy
International DJ of the Year: DJ Puffy
Konpa Band of the Year: Zafem
Music Event of the Year: Stink & Dutty
People’s Choice (Powered by Spotify’s Frequency): Asa Bantan
Performer of the Year (Dancehall): Dexta Daps
Performer of the Year (Soca): Mr Killa
Song of the Year (Dancehall): Byron Messia, “Talibans”
Song of the Year (Soca): Bunji Garlin, “Hard Fete”
Video of the Year (Dancehall): Tee Jay, “Drift”
Video of the Year (Soca): Nailah Blackman & Skinny Fabulous, “Come Home”
Honorary Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award Honor: Marcia Griffiths
Elite Icon Award: Alison Hinds
Legacy Award: Cedella Marley
Artist of the Decade: Spice
Konpa Award Honor: Tabou Combo
Producer Award Honor: Di Genius
Chutney Award Honor: Ravi B
Gospel Award Honor: Sherwin Gardner
Calypso Award Honor: Mighty Sparrow
Love Renaissance (LVRN) has invested in Jerk X Jollof, an event series dedicated to celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture, Billboard can exclusively announce Thursday (June 6).
LVRN’s investment comes more than a year after the Atlanta-based label and management company itself received an investment from Matt Pincus‘ MUSIC, valuing LVRN at more than $100 million. LVRN’s Jerk X Jollof investment is part of its commitment to developing the Afro-Caribbean entertainment space.
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“We at LVRN are excited to expand our reach within the Afro-Caribbean community with the investment in Jerk X Jollof,” said Tunde Balogun, CEO/co-founder of LVRN, in a statement to Billboard. “This is yet another impactful way to further the culture and unify like-minded people from the diaspora through the transformative power of music and entertainment.”
Last year, for the unveiling of Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats parties guide, Jerk X Jollof founder Brendan Asante told Billboard that the Jerk X Jollof series initially started in 2014 as “an idea in college. Some friends of mine and I just threw a sweaty dance party. Someone brought some jerk chicken, someone brought some jollof rice, and it translated.” Asante and the other founders officially brought the party series to Detroit, Mich., in 2016, and since then, Jerk X Jollof has expanded to cities around the world including Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Berlin, Johannesburg and Accra, Ghana. Uncle Waffles, Skepta, Sarz, Spinall, DJ Tunez and more have all performed at the popular party, while previous all-star attendees include Ayra Starr, Davido, Brent Faiyaz and Chris Brown.
“It was an obvious decision to partner with LVRN in order to broaden the Jerk X Jollof brand,” said Asante in a statement. “The alignment of our vision for the enhancement of Afro-Caribbean culture was immediately evident, and we eagerly anticipate the future of this joint venture.”
LVRN and Jerk X Jollof first collaborated on a party during New York Fashion Week in 2022, an event that was also a partnership with Afropunk. “That one was so wild because Brent Faiyaz [pulled] up to the party. [We brought] him, Kawhi Leonard, Joe Freshgoods through the side door. This s— is so comical because I never thought in a million years that I would be dealing with these dope people that are coming to the party,” Asante previously told Billboard. “From that moment, thinking about when it was a sweaty dance party in a college basement, I think that’s one of my favorite memories. Ari Lennox came through, and I was chopping it up with her before she left. I was talking about how she came to Ghana and how she enjoyed it. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, you should come back.’ Those type of moments happening under the roof of us doing something just gave me a glimpse into what the future could hold for it.”
Last month in Atlanta, LVRN and Jerk X Jollof partnered again on a Memorial Day function that was hosted by local music festival brand Milk + Cookies. Another notable achievement in the partnership is the creation of the Jerk X Jollof Stage at Promiseland Australia, which will take place at Doug Jennings Park in Gold Coast Oct 4-6 following the scheduled Jerk X Jollof parties in Melbourne on Sept. 27 and Sydney on Sept. 29. The Jerk X Jollof and LVRN teams worked with the festival to curate an amapiano stage that would showcase a diverse lineup of the genre’s leading talent including Uncle Waffles, Major League Djz, Focalistic and Tyler ICU, along with Jerk X Jollof mainstay hosts/DJs Jae Murphy, Blakito and V-Live — all booked by Jerk X Jollof.
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