Keznamdi Wins 2026 Reggae Grammy As Caribbean Artists Turn Spotlight on Immigration

By NAN ET EDITOR

News Americas, New York, NY, Mon. Feb. 2, 2026: Independent Jamaican artist Keznamdi captured the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album on Sunday night, edging out genre heavyweights, including Vybz Kartel, in a victory that underscored both reggae’s evolving sound and the growing influence of independent Caribbean artists on the global stage.

Jamaican musician Keznamdi accepts the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for “BLXXD & FYAH” on stage during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 1, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images)

Keznamdi claimed the honor for BLXXD & FYAH, released independently in August 2025, marking his first Grammy win and his first nomination. The album triumphed over Kartel’s Heart & Soul, Lila Iké’s Treasure Self Love, Jesse Royal’s No Place Like Home, and Mortimer’s From Within.

Keznamdi (Second from left) accepts the Best Reggae Album award for “BLXXD & FYAH” at the 2026 Grammy Awards Pre-Show (Premiere Ceremony) held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The announcement was made during the Grammy Premiere Ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1.

“Reggae music has always been a music weh defend truths and rights, African liberation, and Black man redemption,” Keznamdi said while accepting the award. “We a represent Jamaican culture — dancehall and reggae.”

A Roots-Deep Reggae Journey

Born into music, Keznamdi is the son of Errol and Kerida, lead vocalists of the international reggae band Chakula. He grew up touring globally and recording in a home studio in the St. Andrew hills of Jamaica, where the band produced ten albums.

He recorded his first song at age five and began performing publicly during his mother’s album release tours for her children’s project Save the World, which became a viral hit in Jamaican primary schools. His musical development continued through studies at St. Mary’s College in Northern California, followed by formative years living in Tanzania and completing high school in Ethiopia.

BLXXD & FYAH features collaborations with Kelissa, Mavado, and Masicka, blending roots consciousness with contemporary global production.

A Defining Caribbean Night at the Grammys

Keznamdi’s breakthrough came on a night that proved unusually resonant for Caribbean and diaspora artists across genres — not only in wins, but in message.

Puerto Rico star, Bad Bunny accepts the Best Música Urbana Album onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Puerto Rico–born global superstar Bad Bunny made Grammy history by becoming the first Latin artist to win Album of the Year with a Spanish-language album. During his acceptance speech, Bad Bunny openly criticized aggressive U.S. immigration enforcement.

“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he told the audience, referencing recent civilian deaths amid heightened enforcement actions. He later added, “We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are human beings.”

Bad Bunny also won Best Global Music Performance and Best Música Urbana Album, further cementing his dominance on the night.

Cuban-born icon Gloria Estefan won Best Tropical Latin Album for Raíces and used her moment in the press room to call for a return to democratic principles and humanity in immigration policy.

“These values are the reason people want to be here,” Estefan said. “I hope our government listens to our plea for humanity.”

Caribbean Britain and the Windrush Legacy

Caribbean heritage star, Olivia Dean attends the 68th GRAMMY Awards on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

British singer Olivia Dean, who has Jamaican-Guyanese roots, was named Best New Artist for Nice To Each Other. In her speech, Dean invoked her family’s immigrant history, noting that her grandmother was part of the Windrush generation.

“I’m here as the granddaughter of an immigrant,” she said. “I’m a product of bravery. We’re nothing without each other.”

“ICE OUT” Becomes A Cultural Marker

Beyond speeches, visible protest marked the ceremony. Several artists wore pins reading “ICE OUT,” including Kehlani, Billie Eilish, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and jazz vocalist Samara Joy.

The coordinated symbolism reflected a broader moment of cultural dissent — driven largely by artists whose identities are shaped by migration, diaspora, and cross-border histories.

More Than An Awards Night

While Keznamdi’s Grammy win marked a personal and professional milestone – and a victory for independent reggae – the night itself signaled something larger. Caribbean artists were not only recognized for their musical excellence; they used one of the world’s biggest cultural platforms to assert their humanity, history, and right to speak.

In a genre born from resistance and survival, Keznamdi’s words echoed long after the trophy was raised — on a night when Caribbean voices didn’t just win, they defined the moment.

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