Twenty-seven artistes, musicians and producers were honoured with certificates for their work at the 2025 Grammy Certificates Ceremony hosted by the London-based Back 2 Da Future Music Limited and attended by a strong turnout of music industry and corporate figures, last Saturday, at ATL Showroom in Kingston.
Initiated in 2024, the event has grown substantially. Heading the list of recipients were Steely and Clevie, the musicians/producers who redefined dancehall music in the 1980s and 1990s with their digital beats. They were presented with gold discs for producing Dawn Penn’s hit single You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No), which was released in 1994, and Sean Paul and Sasha’s I’m Still in Love With You, which came out in 2002.
Steely (real name Wycliffe Johnson) died in 2009. His family, represented by son Shea and daughter Shanice, received certificates for him playing keyboards on and producing songs for Grammy-winning albums by Sean Paul (Dutty Rock), Beenie Man (Art & Life), Bunny Wailer (Crucial! Roots Classics), and Shabba Ranks’ X-tra Naked and As Raw As Ever.
Clevie was also honoured for playing drums and producing songs for the Sean Paul, Beenie Man, Bunny Wailer and Shabba Ranks albums. He was presented with certificates for playing on Grammy-nominated albums by Buju Banton (Upside Down and Friends For Life), Barrington Levy (Acousticalevy), Jimmy Cliff (Black Magic and Breakout), Wayne Wonder (No Holding Back), Beenie Man (The Doctor), Yellowman (Freedom of Speech) and Judy Mowatt (Working Wonders).
Guitarist/keyboardist Paul “Wrongmove” Crosdale of The Firehouse Crew was presented with three certificates for playing on the Grammy-winning As Raw As Ever and X-tra Naked by Shabba Ranks and Beenie Man’s Art & Life.
Saxophonist Dean Fraser received certificates for playing on four Grammy-nominated albums: Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers’ Play The Game Right, People of The World and Resistance by Burning Spear and Working Wonders by Judy Mowatt.
The Grammy certificates are sanctioned by the Recording Academy, organisers of the annual Grammy Awards. Other awardees included vocal quartet TOK, drummer Squiddly Cole, keyboardist Dennis Fearon, singers Romain Virgo, Chevelle Franklyn, Heather Cummings, producers Christopher Birch, Computer Paul and Lloyd Kevin “John John” James.
Last year, Back 2 Da Future Music Limited staged events in South Florida, Kingston, and London.
