Jamaican artists must
go back to basics
Music insider Chris Schlarb believes Jamaican reggae artists should take the cue from their American counterparts, by returning to a method that put the music on the map internationally.
He spoke 24 hours after SOJA became the first American act to win the Best Reggae Album category at the Grammy Awards, held in Las Vegas on April 3. Their album, "Beauty in The Silence" beat "Live N Livin by Sean Paul, "Positive Vibration" by Gramps Morgan, "10" by Spice, "Royal" from Jesse Royal and "Pamoja" by Etana for their historic win.
"First and foremost, this should be a wake-up call to Jamaican reggae acts that there is a formula to success in the genre that must include touring and merchandising with physical products. Reggae has traditionally been a touring genre, and if artists are going to gain attention for their music beyond the core, they need to tour," said Schlarb.
The Virginia-based SOJA are one of many American reggae bands that have emerged in the past 20 years. Like their compatriots Stick Figure, The Green and Rebelution, they have made their reputations touring the United States.
Touring was a hallmark of reggae acts like The Wailers and Burning Spear in the 1970s, but even before Covid-19 the presence of Jamaican artists had declined considerably.
American bands have consistently outsold Jamaican performers in the past 10 years. But Schlarb, who is head of DubShot Records, does not think that should count when it comes to deciding music's biggest award.
"Capitalistic success does not and should not be the equivalent to cultural relevance and quality of music. There are awards shows for that like Billboard Music Awards that are solely based on performance stats. The Grammys should hold to a higher standard and are supposed to be a reflection of how musical peers evaluate the success and impact of an entire album within the genre of reggae in the United States of America for that year," he said. "The simple fact is that this team had more of their people voting for them, similar to what major labels do with their acts when they are eligible."
Schlarb has worked with several record labels including VP Records, the world's largest distributor of reggae.
Written By Howard Campbell