Online viewers have lashed out at the Grammys, following Ziggy Marley’s win in the category Best Reggae Album at the recent 59th Grammy Awards show. Viewers claim the annual event is biased towards the Marley family.
Ziggy who was winning his eight Grammy award shrugged off competition from Devin Di Dakta and JL, Raging Fyah, Rebelution, J Boog and SOJA.
The artiste was seemingly grateful for the award and used his acceptance speech to encourage artistes to make better music.
“My love and respect to the Grammys. Thank you to my family, my wife, Tuff Gong worldwide and all the other musicians before us who came and sacrificed so that I can be here and reggae can be here on stage at the Grammys. Music is a powerful tool and music can change the world. We must use that power wisely and use it now and spread a message through music that will benefit human kind,” he said.
However some reggae fans were not having it, they seemingly looked passed his positive message and proceeded to express their grouse with the Grammy Academy under Ziggy Marley’s Instagram photo.
“A Marley is nominated a Marley wins the Grammy. That's how it works,” one viewer posted.
While another wrote “I find this strange… how do they all ways win, among all the top reggae artist male and female that work hard. Some of them still can't get not even nominated… the Marleys win that award every year... the Grammy isn't a fair even if you ask me”.
Some viewers even suggested that the Grammy voters were casting votes blindly.
“They won because they are bob Marley sons. I'm pretty sure those people at the Grammy doesn't listen to their entire album. So soon as they heard bob kids being nominated they already won,” one viewer said.
Another even went as far as to suggest their own set of potential nominees.
“The amount a talent dash weh inna Jamaica , would love to see someone else man. Christopher Martin, Tarus Riley, Alaine, Tanya Stephens, Spice, Toian, Kartel, Alkaline and even Popcaan . Just someone else yow,” one seemingly frustrated viewer wrote.
One viewer also suggested that nominees abandon the show if a Marley is in the category since the result is almost already decided.
Though the majority of the comments chastised the Marley’s, there were a few fans who tried to be objective in the matter.
“The problem with us Jamaicans is that we don't realise that Reggae has grown so much bigger than Jamaica and we are not producing what the world wants. Look at the top ten Reggae acts, by album sales. None of them come from Jamaica. Wake up and smell the coffee people. Most of our artistes have sold out to try and sound foreign and the world doesn't want that. It's not the Marley fault that they still do Reggae music that the world wants,” one viewer said before being attacked by those who opposed his view.
The fact that Bob Marley’s grandson Skip Marley was also booked to perform at the show further rubbed some viewers negatively, as they assumed some sort of Marley privilege was at work.
Speaking on the issue record producer/DJ Lux said that Jamaicans are hypocrites.
“We nah support reggae then we act upset when foreigners tek it and do what they want to do. Lets buy our albums, lets support our artistes, lets play more reggae. That is the only way we will be qualified to say what goes or what doesn’t,” he said.