Caribbean And Latin Artists Win At 59th Grammy’s

Reggae singer Ziggy Marley and his kids at the 59th Grammy’s. He won his sixth Grammy for Reggae Album of the Year. (Twitter image)

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, LOS ANGELES, CA, Mon. Feb. 13, 2017: The 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards took over the Staples Center in LA last night and among the winners were four Caribbean-born artists and two Latin American artists.

Jamaican-born Ziggy Marley beat out three other fellow Jamaicans and three Americans to win another Reggae Grammy. It was Ziggy’s 6th Grammy win.

“A likkle piece of the thank you today #grammys,” he tweeted Sunday. “Give thanks to the @RecordingAcad for the honor, my family, and all the artists keeping #reggae alive and well. LOVE.”

See Ziggy Marley’s Acceptance Speech At The 59th Grammy’s

Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés won Best Latin Jazz Album for ‘Tribute To Irakere: Live In Marciac’ while Puerto Rican singer Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar won for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album for ‘iLevitable.’

The late Puerto Rican singer Jose Lugo & the Guasabara Combo won the Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Album with ‘Donde Estan?.’

Mexican pop duo  Jesse & Joy won Best Latin Pop Album for ‘Un Besito Mas’ while Mexican-born singer Vicente Fernández won Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) for ‘Un Azteca En El Azteca, Vol. 1 (En Vivo). ‘

Barbados superstar Rihanna, who had been nominated for eight Grammys, failed to win any last night.

Meanwhile, dancehall and reggae also made it on to the main stage of the Grammy’s last night.

Bob Marley’s grandson, Skip Marley, brought the reggae to Kathy’s Perry’s performance of ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ while there was no denying the dancehall infused rhythms of Ed Sheeran’s performance of   “Shape of You.” “Shape of You” is a pop and dancehall song with “tropical house effects and strummy acoustics.

Haitian American singer Jason Derulo helped introduce Chance The Rapper who performed at the Grammys while tribute was paid to Haitian American founder of top Hip hop website, WorldStarHipHop, Lee “Q” O’Denat.

The Grammy 2017 also included a tribute to The Bee Gees and a number of performers and presenters took clear jabs at Donald Trump, including A Tribe Called Quest featuring Jamaican American rapper Busta Rhymes.