KipRich eyes first Grammy nod

Dancehall-reggae star KipRich is high on optimism as he eyes his first-ever Grammy consideration. The deejay, alongside producer Adrian 'Donsome' Hanson, has officially entered the race as the first round of voting for the 2026 Grammy Awards got under way last Friday.

Voting closes October 15, and will decide nominees across 96 categories. For KipRich, this submission represents uncharted territory as he sets his sight on nomination in the categories of Best Reggae Album and Best Global Music Performance.

The entertainer, who has spent years building his name in dancehall, said just being in the conversation is rewarding.

"It would be my first time getting this, and it would mean so much to me fi know seh I've been in this game for a while," KipRich said.

"Suh it would just be fair enough for me to reap some of these accolades now for my years of working, sleepless nights in the studios and performing and spreading reggae/dancehall music all over di world," KipRich added.

Hanson, who is also a Grammy member, said he's "confident" of the chances for KipRich's solo submission with his Donsome Records-produced single No More Crime. He explained that the song will also be the artiste's contributed single to the extended play compilation, Gruesome Act Riddim, also produced by Hanson, which is submitted for the Best Reggae Album category.

"That song's a word play in people brain so by the title itself, a person might click on it and give it a chance because most [Recording Academy] members when voting, dem mainly work off a familiar names or song titles, or if you're a good music lover, you'd dig deeper and guh listen di song. Suh mi confident ahead of the votes," Hanson said.

The New York-based, Clarendon-born producer, opined that the world could do more with some of these positively influential sounds coming out of the 'home of reggae'.

"In our reggae space, conscious music nuh really get dat highlight, and for Kippo to step into a story about crimes and the killing weh a gwaan inna Jamaica in the single, and we could achieve a nomination, it could show that it's not just a Jamaican ting and the world can relate and wi need a better world, a crime-free world. Kippo touch a topic that's relatable across di globe suh for me it would mean a lot and it's a joy to see dat. It inna patois, the message is a global ting, suh to see it going worldwide wid a Grammy, it would be a blessing," added Hanson, who has previously worked on albums with Grammy-winner Mykal Rose and reggae legend Marcia Griffiths.

The Gruesome Act Riddim compilation EP consists of six tracks and was released in March. It features songs from other reggae/dancehall acts such as Anthony B, Turbulence, Mykal Rose, KipRich and Tommy B Sal. It marks Hanson's second anti-crime project, with his first being Crime Stop Riddim released in 2009.

KipRich said if the nod came his way, he intended to embrace it fully while staying grounded.

"It's a win-weh mi wudda celebrate greatly because Grammy is a big ting and a huge achievement weh propel yuh career after yuh get it, a just yuh affi know how fi work it after getting it. Act like the top-level artiste you're now recognised as but still remaining humble - it would definitely be a good feeling," he added.