Oldest Reggae awards return stateside to laud NY trailblazer

Julian Marley recently added another miniature, golden, gramophone to the family treasure, trove his brothers garnered since 1985 when the Grammy Awards designated a category dedicated to reggae music.

The 48-year-old, UK-born son of Robert Nesta Marley won the 2024 Reggae Album category by beating Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Colie Buddz, and Burning Spear with a collaboration with Greek-native Alexa Antaeus titled “Colors of Royal.”

It was his third nominated album and first win at the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences event in Los Angeles, California.

However, in 2010, Marley’s “Awake” won Best Album of the Year at the International Reggae and World Music awards.

Jamaican Midwestern resident Ephraim Martin conceived that music honors in parody of the Grammy honors and is now reveling in his precedence setting tribute to the three-time, Grammy- nominated artist/son of the king of reggae.

According to the Chicago-based Jamerican it was the death of Bob Marley that sparked the initiative he first named the International Reggae Music Awards which was renamed International Reggae & World Music Awards.

Recently, Martin announced the 41st annual will be held at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Throughout the decades Martin first staged presentations in his own state of Illinois and afterwards took the honors to New York City, New Orleans. Florida. Trinidad & Tobago and to the birth island of Marley’s music, Jamaica.

As a matter of fact, last year the gala spectacle rewarded a constellation of producers, artists, writers, to rival any singular salute to the genre.

Last week he announced that this year’s salute will return to the Sunshine State and one of its principal aim will be a March 22 presentation to Clinton Lindsay. He will be handed the trail blazer award.

Now based in Florida, Lindsay honed a reputation when he initiated the New York Reggae Awards in the 1990s. His alluring tribute to achievers of the genre provided an annual treat to fans who were delighted with performances from the likes of Tiger, Little Vicious and a myriad of vintage and dancehall reggae talents.

In tribute to his daughter Tamika he later changed the moniker to the Tamika Awards.

Recipients of the prize compared their honor to the Grammy Awards some saying it was “better” than the multi-cultural, global event sponsored by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Some believed because The Tamikas represented decisions voted by fans of the Caribbean music, their honor seemed more authentic and meaningful.

Throughout a decade Lindsay showcased his awards from The Beacon Theater, the Hammerstein Ballroom and even The Theater at Madison Square Garden (formerly The Felt Forum, a venue adjoining Madison Square Gardens).

Eventually, rival shows competed with a Caribbean Music Awards from the Apollo Theater, a Florida-based Reggae Music Awards, and other franchised competitors to satiate the appetites of predominant Jamaican music lovers.

Although entertaining, reggae ventures of that ilk proved an expensive and probably ambitious attempt at promoting reggae which probably contributed to forced Lindsay to abandoned his brain-child.

In time Lindsay turned his ambition to promoting reggae on radio.

But that too seemed a dead-end when radio station WNWK-FM where he brokered time, switched from Caribbean to Latin music format.

It is that persevering spirit that Martin will reward in Fort Lauderdale on March 22 during his stateside return to Florida.

Catch You On The Inside!