Protoje wants the Recording Academy’s attention, but he’s also making it clear he doesn’t need its approval.
In a new Instagram post, the Jamaican artist put his album The Art Of Acceptance forward for Best Reggae Album and his Damian Marley collaboration “At We Feet” for Best Global Music Performance.
The way he framed it is what stands out. Even though nothing can compare to the real world impact that this album has achieved, nor can awards quantify it’s importance,” he wrote, before landing on the familiar industry phrase: “for your consideration.
That’s a pretty honest look at how artists feel about awards season. Campaigning for a Grammy is standard practice, but Protoje is openly saying the trophy isn’t the measure of the work. He’s playing the game while making clear he isn’t defining himself by its outcome.
The post closes on a note of gratitude rather than a sales pitch. “Thanks for all the love on these works,” he wrote. “Bless up all singers and the players of instruments.”
Protoje already knows this road well. His 2019 album A Matter of Time earned him his first Best Reggae Album nomination, and 2020’s In Search of Lost Time put him back in the category the following year.
Neither run ended in a win, which gives his comments about awards and real-world impact a bit more weight.
The “At We Feet” submission is a different kind of shot. Best Global Music Performance is still a fairly young category, added for the 2023 ceremony, and it pits reggae artists against acts from across the global music landscape.
Pairing with Damian Marley is no small factor there, given that Jr. Gong has collected multiple Grammys over his career, including Best Reggae Album wins for Halfway Tree, Welcome To Jamrock and Stony Hill.
There are two ways to read the post. One is that it’s a smart, humble campaign move from an artist who has been close to the prize twice and wants to keep his name in voters’ minds.
The other is that it reflects a broader ambivalence in reggae circles about how much a Grammy category should matter to a genre whose influence has always run far beyond the Academy’s walls.
Protoje seems to hold both thoughts at once. He’s asking voters to look at the record and the single, while telling fans the album’s real legacy is already being written outside the awards cycle.
Whether the Academy agrees will become clear when nominations are announced, and his fans will be watching for both titles.
