Caribbean Genres Celebrated at First-Ever Caribbean Music Awards

The inaugural staging of the Caribbean Music Awards honored all forms and genres of Caribbean music, including dancehall, reggae, soca, and zouk. The event was hosted by Grammy Award winner Wyclef Jean and held at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday 31 August 2023. In addition to the presentation of awards, the celebration featured performances by Wayne Wonder, Alison Hinds, Jada Kingdom, Dexta Daps, Kranium, Nailah Blackman, Ding Dong, Rupee, Baby Cham, Toni-Ann Singh, Romain Virgo, Angela Hunte and Stone Love, as well as appearances by Doug E. Fresh, Skeng, MYA, Spice, Morgan Heritage, Konshens, Karlie Redd and Michael Rainey Jr. The awards program was streamed through Tempo Networks/YouTube and Instagram via @CaribbeanEliteMagazine.

Award Winners

Recording artist Nicki Minaj, who is originally from Trinidad and Tobago, won the award for Collaboration of the Year in the dancehall/reggae category for the track “Likkle Miss,” which features Skeng on Minaj’s “Queen Radio: Volume 1.” The album entered Billboard’s 200 list at Number 10 in August 2022. Jamaica’s Beres Hammond received an Elite Icon Award and Male Artist of the Year in the reggae category. A Lifetime Achievement Award and the award for Soca Male Artist of the Year was presented to Machel Montano. Kabaka Pyramid, Ding Dong, and Patrice Roberts were other double award winners. Legendary reggae recording artist Buju Banton received a Humanitarian Award for his philanthropy and work with his foundation, the Buju Banton Foundation.

Full List of Winners

Dancehall

EP of the Year: Alkaline, The Ripple EFFX

Impact Award: Chronic Law

Album of the Year: Masicka, “438”

Female Artist of the Year: Spice

Male Artist of the Year: Ding Dong

Best New Artist: Valiant

Performer of the Year: Dexta Daps

Reggae

Impact Award: Kabaka Pyramid

Male Artist of the Year: Beres Hammond

Collaboration of the Year: Skeng & Nicki Minaj, “Likkle Miss”

Video of the Year: Popcaan & Toni-Anne Singh, “Next to Me”

Best New Artist: Samora

Album of the Year: Kabaka Pyramid, “The Kalling”

Soca

Impact Award: Viking Ding Dong

Performer of the Year: Mr. Killa

Male artist of the Year: Machel Montano

Female Artist of the Year: Patrice Roberts

Collaboration of the Year: GBM Nutron & DJ Spider, “Down Dey”

Video of the Year: Patrice Roberts, “Mind My Business”

Best New Artist: Tempa

People’s Choice Award: Kes

Artist of the Decade: Vybz Kartel

Kompa Band of the Year: Klass

Dance Song of the Year: Ding Dong, “BOUNCE”

Lifetime Achievement Award: Machel Montano

Elite Icon Award: Beres Hammond

Humanitarian Award: Buju Banton / The Buju Banton Foundation

Photo – Nick Ford

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