Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
D'Angel (right) with the duo Brick and Lace.

Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

It's not quite at the stage of the Grammys, but for Jamaican performers, the local music awards have been blossoming quite well.

Oneil of the trio Voicemail says "Personally, me definitely applaud it for more than one reason. For example, when we were at the Barbados Music Awards we, Beenie Man and Sizzla performed ... and just the whole set-up of the place, a murder. It's just like the Grammy. So, even if we never make it to the Grammys, wi come close to it. But when they listed the artistes in their reggae category, I never recognised any of the names. No Jamaicans were nominated and a lot of world-class persons, magazine and so on came to cover it. So me always a sey, why we in Jamaica can't have our own thing? Because we have some of the biggest artistes all over," Oneil contended.

"So when mi si Youth View Awards come, wi applaud it. Richie B had his EME awards, Irie FM had their music awards and Reggae Academy Awards coming up, an wi fi have all six more fi come bout. Because I think that this can help to build the artistes even more. For example, when somebody guh on the Internet and click on the group Voicemail, dem can si that this group won Best Group for 2007 and so on, and on the international scene, people will look at us differently," he said.

Voicemail won Best Duo or Group for the Irie FM Music Awards, and they were also nominated for Best Group at the Youth View Awards and EMEs.

Pleased

Deejay Delly Ranx says although he is yet to be nominated for any of the local music awards, he is pleased to see them flourishing.

"Mi love what a gwaan an' yuh can si sey dem a deal wid di music good yah now. 'Cause even abroad when dem keep reggae awards is like yuh cyan feel good, 'cause is like a odda people a represent reggae music fi we and Jamaica is where it all originated. Suh mi glad an' mi feel good bout it," Delly said.

According to Delly, artistes, producers, musicians and others in the music fraternity will now be forced to improve, "because collecting a reward is great, an' it a guh mek everybody step up dem game even more, and therefore, the quality of the music will get better".

Another artiste, D'Angel, who was nominated for at least nine awards for the various local music awards says, "It's a great feeling (to have these local music awards), because it's happening here in Jamaica where reggae music started. So to have these award ceremonies here it just goes to show that our music, which is dancehall, is growing and is showcasing our local talents. And definitely, I would love to see it happen annually."

D'Angel's impressive list included "three in Youth View, in which I walked away with Fashion Icon; EME Awards, I was nominated for two awards there, unfortunately, I didn't win any there. But I still feel like a winner, because to be nominated was an honour for me. Then there was the Irie FM Awards. I was nominated in two categories and I won Best Dressed and the Reggae Academy, where I was nominated for video of the year."

Busy Signal, said "Dat good still, 'cause a nuff sell-out an buy-out gwaan, but wi just want di people dem keep it real, 'cause a whole heap a hard work di artiste dem put in. An at di end a di day, money nuh betta dan talent."

The next major local awards that artistes and other members of the local music industry will be looking forward to is the Reggae Academy Awards, which will take place today at the National Indoor Sports Centre.