Food, Culture and Lifestyle

Koffee, Shabba Ranks and other Reggae Grammy winners

2020
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Mikayla Simpson – better known as Koffee – has made history by becoming the youngest, as well as the first woman, to win a Grammy for Best Reggae Album. The 19-year-old won the award for her Rapture EP, released last year.

The newly-minted Grammy winner has come a long way from humble beginnings in Spanish Town on the outskirts of Kingston – the island’s capital, to performing to sold-out crowds around the world, and her music being included in the playlists of the Obamas, Kylie Jenner, and Jay-Z.

Rapture – which includes the smash hit single “Toast” – was released in March 2019 to rave reviews. Since then, the unassuming star has been touring non-stop, performing to sold-out crowds in Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. Koffee’s historic Grammy win appears to be a turning point for international recognition of new reggae artistes.

Here’s a list of the Reggae Grammy winners since 1985:

  1. 1985 – Black Uhuru for Anthem
  2. 1986 –Jimmy Cliff for Cliff Hanger
  3. 1987 –Steel Pulse for Babylon the Bandit
  4. 1988 –Peter Tosh for No Nuclear War
  5. 1989 –Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers for Conscious Party
  6. 1990 –Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers for One Bright Day
  7. 1991 – Bunny Wailer for Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley
  8. 1992 – Shabba Ranks for As Raw As Ever
  9. 1993 – Shabba Ranks for X-tra Naked
  10. 1994 – Inner Circle for Bad Boys
  11. 1995 – Bunny Wailer for Crucial! Roots Classics
  12. 1996 – Shaggy for Boombastic
  13. 1997 – Bunny Wailer for Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley’s 50th Anniversary
  14. 1998 – Ziggy Marley and the Melody Markers for Fallen Is Babylon
  15. 1999 – Sly and Robbie for Friends
  16. 2000 – Burning Spear for Calling Rastafari
  17. 2001 – Beenie Man for Art and Life
  18. 2002 – Damian Marley for Halfway Tree
  19. 2003 – Lee “Scratch” Perry for Jamaican E.T.
  20. 2004 – Sean Paul for Dutty Rock
  21. 2005 – Toots & the Maytals for True Love
  22. 2006 – Damian Marley for Welcome to Jamrock
  23. 2007 – Ziggy Marley for Love is My Religion
  24. 2008 – Stephen Marley for Mind Control
  25. 2009 – Burning Spear for Jah Is Real
  26. 2010 – Stephen Marley for Mind Control – Acoustic
  27. 2011 – Buju Banton for Before the Dawn
  28. 2012 – Stephen Marley for Revelation Pt. 1 – The Root of Life
  29. 2013 – Jimmy Cliff for Rebirth
  30. 2014 – Ziggy Marley for In Concert
  31. 2015 – Ziggy Marley for Fly Rasta
  32. 2016 – Morgan Heritage for Strictly Roots
  33. 2017 – Ziggy Marley for Ziggy Marley
  34. 2018 – Damian Marley for Stony Hill
  35. 2019 – Sting & Shaggy for 44/876
  36. 2020 – Koffee for Rapture