Jimi D excited for inclusion on Grammy provisional list

While growing up in Portmore, St Catherine, Jimi D had always been surrounded by music. His uncle Don Carlos is an original member of Grammy-winning reggae group Black Uhuru, and he had family members who were versatile singers. Often, several entertainers would visit his home where he learnt a lot from conversing with them.

After moving to the United States more than 10 years ago, Jimi D continued his musical pursuits. On August 21, the reggae singer released his latest album The History of Creation: The Past, The Present and The Future, a 17-track roots reggae opus, which speaks about how the corruption and injustice of history keep repeating today. The album is among 119 entries included on this year's Grammy provisional list for the Best Reggae Album category.

The singer is quite excited about this. To see an independent reggae album that I put so much of myself into appear on the Recording Academy’s official first-round ballot for Best Reggae Album is a meaningful milestone,” Jimi D told Observer Online on Thursday. “Coming from Jamaica, reggae has always been more than entertainment to me.

It’s a vehicle for consciousness, truth, history, and uplifting people. I’m not taking anything for granted. Being on the ballot is not a nomination, and I understand that distinction, but it tells me that the work has reached a level where it can be considered alongside other albums in the genre.

Regardless of the outcome, I’m proud that I stayed true to my vision and completed this project,” he said. Jimi D, whose real name is Christopher Chambers, highlighted the work that went into creating the album. “This album required a tremendous amount of work, dedication, research, creativity, and sacrifice.

I wanted to create more than just a collection of reggae songs. I wanted to tell a story about humanity—where we came from, where we are today, and where we may be heading. “From writing and arranging the songs to recording vocals, working on instrumentation, mixing, and mastering, I was deeply involved in the creative process.