The 2026 Reggae Grammy and the Artists — and Voices
The 2026 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album has sparked widespread discussion — not because reggae fans reject roots music, but because many feel the award failed to reflect the genre’s true artistic and cultural moment.
This year’s winner, Keznamdi (BLXXD & FYAH), delivered a competent, spiritually rooted album aligned with traditional reggae aesthetics. Yet the decision to award him over the other nominees highlighted a growing disconnect between institutional recognition and the lived reality of the reggae community.
When “Safe” Isn’t the Same as “Significant”
The reggae Grammy has long leaned toward albums that are safe, roots-forward, and free of controversy. Historically, even debated wins carried a clear narrative — legacy, innovation, or undeniable cultural weight.
This year’s decision felt different.
It did not feel like preservation, evolution, or recognition of a defining moment. Instead, it felt like avoidance — a choice that sidestepped stronger, more urgent artistic statements in favor of the lowest-risk option.
A Field of Stronger, More Relevant Work
What makes this outcome particularly difficult to reconcile is the strength of the remaining nominees — all of whom delivered albums that felt more impactful, more current, and more connected to where reggae actually lives today.
Lila Iké (Treasure Self Love) offered a deeply cohesive and emotionally intelligent body of work. Built over years of touring and artistic growth, the album reflected originality, humility, and a truly unique voice.
Mortimer (From Within) delivered an introspective, soulful, and emotionally resonant album defined by vulnerability and artistic risk.
Jesse Royal (No Place Like Home) presented a thoughtful and culturally grounded project rooted in identity and place.
Vybz Kartel (Heart & Soul) stood as the year’s most culturally consequential release — reflective, restrained, and historically significant regardless of controversy.
Each of these albums carried a clear narrative. Each represented growth, contribution, and connection to the current reggae landscape.
The Ongoing Erasure of Women in Reggae
Any honest conversation about this year’s decision must also acknowledge a deeper, long-standing issue: women in reggae rarely receive the credit, acknowledgment, or institutional recognition their contributions merit.
Female artists in reggae are often:
praised but not crowned
invited but not centered
celebrated verbally while overlooked structurally
Their work must be exceptional merely to be considered — and even then, recognition is far from guaranteed.
Lila Iké’s career makes this disparity impossible to ignore. She has spent years touring internationally, building her audience organically, refining her sound, and earning respect through discipline and consistency. Her voice is unmistakable, her artistry original, and her presence grounded in humility rather than spectacle.
A Grammy win for Lila Iké would not have felt symbolic or political. It would have felt accurate — a recognition of sustained contribution, originality, and leadership in a genre that too often sidelines its women.
A Category Judged Out of Time
It’s also worth noting that From Within was released in September 2024, placing it at the very beginning of the Grammy eligibility window for the 2026 awards. Its inclusion is technically correct — but culturally revealing.
By the time voting occurred, the album was nearly a year old. Its release cycle had passed, yet it still felt more artistically compelling and relevant than the eventual winner.
That detail underscores a structural flaw in the system: reggae — a live, touring-driven, community-rooted genre — is frequently judged out of sync with its real-time cultural movement.
The Core Issue Isn’t One Artist — It’s the Pattern
This is not about discrediting Keznamdi’s sincerity or effort.
It’s about acknowledging that every other nominee brought greater urgency, originality, or cultural resonance — and that the Grammy failed to reflect that reality.
It’s also about recognizing that when women consistently do the work but are denied the reward, the problem is no longer subjective taste. It is institutional.
A Missed Opportunity
By overlooking all four of these artists — particularly Lila Iké, whose career exemplifies long-term dedication, originality, humility, and quiet leadership — the Recording Academy missed an opportunity to:
recognize sustained artistic growth
address persistent gender imbalance
and affirm reggae as a living, evolving form
Instead, the award went to a project that inspired little conversation and left much of the community asking the same question:
Who is the reggae Grammy really for?
In 2026, the most deserving artists didn’t need a symbolic gesture or a “safe” win.
They had already earned the honor. Congratulations! Blessings and Love.