Vybz Kartel’s name keeps surfacing in GRAMMY chatter, and that alone says a lot about how much has changed since he walked out of prison in 2024.
With only a week to go before the 2027 nominations drop, he sits in a fan wish list that mixes reggae royalty with dancehall’s newer wave.
According to IRIE FM, the names coming up most in conversations among practitioners, enthusiasts and everyday listeners are Ziggy Marley, Vybz Kartel, Runkus, Masicka and Buju Banton.
It’s a lineup that stretches across generations, from established GRAMMY winners to artistes still chasing their first nod.
The nominees for the 69th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be announced on Monday, November 16, 2026. Until then, the speculation is fair game, and Jamaica’s music community is clearly treating it that way.
Ziggy Marley is the safest bet in a lot of people’s minds, and history backs that up. He has collected multiple GRAMMYs over his career, many of them in the Best Reggae Album category, so any project from him tends to draw Recording Academy attention almost by default.
Buju Banton brings similar credibility. He took home Best Reggae Album in 2011 for “Before the Dawn,” and fans have long argued that his catalogue deserves more recognition than one trophy suggests.
The more interesting conversation is happening around the dancehall side of the list. Vybz Kartel spent over a decade behind bars before the Privy Council quashed his murder conviction, and his return has been one of the biggest stories in Jamaican music since.
Seeing his name in GRAMMY predictions shows how quickly fans want the industry to catch up with his comeback.
Masicka and Runkus represent another angle entirely. Masicka has built a reputation as one of dancehall’s sharpest lyricists, while Runkus, the son of veteran deejay Delly Ranks, has carved out his own lane with a sound that blends roots reggae and modern production.
A nomination for either would signal the Academy is paying attention to the current generation, not just the familiar names.
That tension is at the heart of the debate. Some fans believe the reggae category tends to reward artistes the voters already know, while others point out that strong releases from newer acts have to break through a crowded field first.
And the field is crowded this cycle. IRIE FM notes that Chronixx, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Protoje, Queen Ifrica, Ginger and Delly Ranks also released projects during the eligibility period, among others.
Several of those acts already have GRAMMY history. Shaggy won Best Reggae Album for “Boombastic” and again years later alongside Sting on “44/876,” while Beenie Man claimed the award for “Art and Life.” Their presence makes picking five nominees even harder to predict.
Delly Ranks appearing on the eligibility list alongside his son Runkus adds a family storyline that fans would love to see play out on nomination day.
For now, everyone is counting down to November 16 to find out which names actually make the cut.
