Marcia Griffiths, Alison Hinds, Cedella Marley top 2024 Caribbean Music Awards

The Caribbean Elite Group, organizer of the Caribbean Music Awards, at Kings Theatre, on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, on Monday unveiled the night’s highest honors for the 2024 Caribbean Music Awards, with Marcia Griffiths, Alison Hinds and Cedella Marley among the top honorees.

“These honors are given based on a rigorous selection process that considers the artists’ impact on the Caribbean music scene, their profound cultural contributions and their overall career achievements,” said the Caribbean Elite Group, stating that women have taken all three top honors this year at the Awards Ceremony slated for Aug. 29.

The Caribbean Elite Group said the esteemed Marcia Griffiths will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Alison Hinds will be honored with the Elite Icon Award, and Cedella Marley will receive the Legacy Award.

“The recognition of women in this year’s awards underscores the importance of their contributions to our culture and heritage,” the Caribbean Elite Group said. “Their voices are vital to the vibrancy of Caribbean music.”

It said the legendary Marica Griffiths has a decade-spanning career that continues to flourish to new heights.

The Caribbean Elite Group said Griffiths is recognized for her critically acclaimed songs “I Shall Sing” and “All My Life”; holds the record for highest-selling single by a female reggae singer of all time, with her rendition of “Electric Boogie”; and is widely known as a vocalist for the I-Threes collective, who supported Bob Marley with backing vocals.

Alison Hinds, known as the “Queen of Soca” for her impact on the genre, has become synonymous with Caribbean culture for her breakout hit singles “Fuluma” and “Roll It Gyal”, the Caribbean Music Awards said.

It said Hinds’s musical contributions have since become embedded within the DNA of Caribbean carnivals worldwide.

The Caribbean Elite Group said three-time GRAMMY Award winner and philanthropist Cedella Marley “continues to persevere and enrich the heritage of Caribbean culture through music and social responsibility to fashion, arts and beyond.”

“The prestigious honors to each of the world-renowned, highly acclaimed artists will recognize the robust achievements of each artist unequivocally, with more honors set to be announced within the coming weeks,” the Caribbean Elite Group said.

It said since its inception last year, it said the Caribbean Music Awards has been “a platform to celebrate the rich musical heritage of the Caribbean and honor the artists who have contributed to its evolution.”

For the inaugural 2023 event last year, the Caribbean Music Awards said Buju Banton received the first honors of the night with a Humanitarian Award, “which highlighted the invaluable efforts of his philanthropic foundation, the ‘Buju Banton Foundation.’”

At time, the Caribbean Music Awards said Kes delivered a “heart-warming speech” honoring Trinidadian artist David Rudder with an Elite Calypso Music Award honor.

The Caribbean Music Awards also said Carel Pedre saluted and honored the late Mikaben with a Kompa Music Award honor; and Morgan Heritage welcomed a special tribute to Beres Hammond, which included performances by Dexta Daps, Kranium, Toni-Ann Singh and Romain Virgo.

Hammond was officially honored with the Elite Icon Award by the president of V.P. Records, Chris Chin, the Caribbean Music Awards said.

Additionally, it said DJ Stephen and Doug E. Fresh welcomed an honor to Machel Montano with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Caribbean Music Awards said Dexta Daps leads the 2024 nominations with eight outstanding nods.

It said the celebration of the nominees will peak at a star-studded event on Thursday, Aug. 29, at Kings Theatre, “where music enthusiasts and industry insiders alike will come together to honor the extraordinary talents and tracks that have graced this prestigious list.”