Grammy Certificate Ceremony Returns for Historic 40-Year Reggae Milestone

Grammy certificate ceremony 2025 set for September 13 at Audi showroom in Kingston, honouring many of reggae and dancehall’s contributors on the 40th anniversary of the inaugural Grammy award for best reggae album

Saxophonist Dean Fraser collecting his 9 Grammy-winning certificates at the 2024 staging (Photo: Tejano Taylor)

The second staging of the Grammy Certificate Ceremony is set for September 13, 2025, at the Audi Showroom in Kingston, Jamaica, as announced by Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd on Tuesday.

The event will honour the producers, engineers, musicians, and vocalists whose vital contributions to Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated albums have often gone unrecognized.

This year’s ceremony arrives at a historic moment for reggae and dancehall, marking the 40th anniversary of the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1985, a milestone that cemented reggae’s legitimacy on the global music stage. It also celebrates the 40-year legacy of legendary producers Steely & Clevie, whose groundbreaking work helped define the modern dancehall sound and laid the foundation for reggaeton and other international genres.

Govana also received his Grammy-winning certificate last year (Photo: Tejano Taylor)

“Behind every iconic reggae and dancehall Grammy win is a team of creative geniuses whose names the world rarely hears,” said Kennedy Mensah, CEO of Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd. “This ceremony ensures those who built the sound of generations are finally seen and celebrated.”

This year’s staging is a special collaboration with two influential forces in the music industry, The Royalty Network Inc. and Steely & Clevie Productions. The Royalty Network, one of the United States’ leading music publishers, has long supported Caribbean creators, while Steely & Clevie, whose legacy is being honoured, helped shape Jamaican and global music for 40 years.

“For more than 30 years, we've had the honour of standing shoulder to shoulder with the reggae community, championing the artists, producers, and songwriters whose rhythms have become the heartbeat of the genre. We’re proud and honoured to join our old friends at Back 2 Da Future to help finally shine a light on the genius of so many reggae creators who have entrusted us with their work. This overdue recognition is not just about awards and nominations, it’s a celebration of legacy, culture, and the soul of reggae," Explained Frank Liwall, President, The Royalty Network Inc.

Legendary producer Lloyd "King Jammy" James during the 2024 staging (Photo: Tejano Taylor)

Over 250 key figures from Jamaica’s music fraternity including producers, arrangers, engineers, musicians, artists, and industry leaders, are expected to attend. Honourees include legendary contributors such as iconic duo Steely & Clevie, Dean Fraser, Romain Virgo, Tony Rebel, Chevelle Franklyn, Ansel Collins, Lloyd ‘Gitsy’ Willis, Robert Livingston, and renowned group T.O.K.—music professionals whose artistry has shaped reggae’s sound over the past four decades.

In 2024, the inaugural Grammy Certificate Ceremony drew global attention as Aidonia, Dean Fraser, Chevelle Franklyn, and other distinguished artists received long-overdue certificates for their work on some of reggae and dancehall’s most defining albums.

Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd. is a London-based independent music publishing and rights administration company, managing over 30,000 copyrights for more than 200 songwriters, composers, and producers worldwide. With a strong focus on Caribbean genres like reggae and dancehall, the company is dedicated to ensuring creators across generations receive proper recognition and royalties for their global contributions.