{"id":908051,"date":"2026-05-24T14:12:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/24\/keznamdi-speaks-on-reggae-hip-hop-and-his-journey-to-the-grammys\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T14:12:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:12:09","slug":"keznamdi-speaks-on-reggae-hip-hop-and-his-journey-to-the-grammys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/24\/keznamdi-speaks-on-reggae-hip-hop-and-his-journey-to-the-grammys\/","title":{"rendered":"Keznamdi Speaks On Reggae, Hip-Hop, And His Journey To The\u00a0Grammys"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Music <\/p>\n<div id=\"post-1235160433\">\n<header>\n<p>The Kingston, Jamaica native&#8217;s music speaks to his life journey, while prioritizing messages over melody and rhyme schemes<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure>\n<div>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/keznamdi.jpg?w=910&#038;h=511&#038;crop=1\" alt=\"music keznamdi\"   height width decoding=\"async\"><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\tLong before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/t\/keznamdi\/\" id=\"auto-tag_keznamdi\" data-tag=\"keznamdi\">Keznamdi<\/a> collected his Grammy award as the 2026 winner for Best Reggae Album, the musically gifted Jamaican youth was a fiend for hip-hop. \u201cI started out rapping,\u201d says Kez, who was raised by Rastafarian parents who performed on the Kingston reggae scene as Chakula and Goldilocks.<\/p>\n<p>At the age of 13, Kez took his first plane ride, moved with his family to Tanzania, where he lived for three years, followed by a four-year stay in Ethiopia. \u201cIn my high school, I was in a little crew called DZone,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI was the young one in the group, but they were all seniors. They were freestyling a lot, and it was amazing to me.\u201d While his older sister Kelissa followed more in the family tradition of revolutionary roots reggae, his approach to music was different. \u201cIt was more like a sport,\u201d he tells <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/t\/boomshots\/\" id=\"auto-tag_boomshots\" data-tag=\"boomshots\">Boomshots<\/a>\u2019 Reshma B. \u201cIt was who can get the baddest verse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(Speaking of bad verses, yesterday the legendary hip-hop trio The Lox celebrated 420 by dropping bars over a remix of Keznamdi\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=D0xpCqGyV8I\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Bun Di Ganja<\/a>,\u201d a blazing collab with Mavado.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Keznamdi Talks BLXXD &#038; FYAH, Masicka Collab, &#038; Industry Full of Vampires \u2022 Part 1 of 3\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ij2QCebA1jw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\n\tEventually, Keznamdi\u2019s father put a guitar in his hand, taught him some chords, and told him, \u201cIf you really want to take this music thing serious, you have to learn an instrument.\u201d It was a moment that changed his life. On his Grammy-winning 2025 album <a href=\"https:\/\/music.apple.com\/us\/album\/blxxd-fyah\/1827699312\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><em>BLXXD &#038; FYAH<\/em><\/a>\u2014which he cooked up for almost five years\u2014he placed more emphasis on music and message, writing songs that could change his listeners\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tNext month, Masicka will be performing those songs live for the first time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DWR0LoGAawS\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">in Los Angeles and New York City<\/a>\u2014and of course in his beloved island, Jamaica. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge honor to represent Jamaica and reggae music on the global stage with this Grammy recognition,\u201d he said of the upcoming shows. \u201cNew York and L.A. were the first cities where I ever sold out shows, so it felt right to start there with two intimate nights before rolling out the full tour. Jamaica is home, though, so we\u2019re putting together a special homecoming concert down a Yard to celebrate with the people who raised, supported, and carried me into the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\tIn his exclusive Boomshots interview, Kezmandi speaks on the testimonies he\u2019s received from listeners who say that his songs have helped them reconnect with their children or even helped them deal with suicidal thoughts. He also dives into how big collaborations with dancehall legends Masicka, Mavado, and his elder sister Kelissa came together. Throughout the new album, Kez talks about his unique life journey, prioritizing message over melody and rhyme schemes on songs like \u201cSerious Times\u201d and \u201cColonial Bondage,\u201d which highlight the fact that most of Jamaica\u2019s beautiful beaches are \u201call for the tourists.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Keznamdi \"Every Man &#038; Woman Is a King &#038; Queen,\" Part 2 of 3 Hip Hop Roots, Mavado Collab &#038; Chronixx\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E-7_rY_KXAY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\n\tJust before releasing <em>BLXXD &#038; FYAH<\/em>, Keznamdi felt the sudden urge to return to his hip-hop roots and drop a freestyle. \u201cThere was just something in me,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI don\u2019t know why the fire was burnin\u2019.\u201d His team wondered what made him so persistent. \u201cConquer the evil, me ah de voice of the people,\u201d the tall skinny dreadlocks youth spit over a classic Busta Rhymes riddim. \u201cMusic ah de choice of the vehicle.\u201d He voiced it on a Monday, shot some visuals on Tuesday, and stayed up all night editing the clip himself.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tShouting out Kwame Nkrumah, Bounty Killer, and Dr. Sebi, Keznamdi\u2019s \u201cHOLLYWXXD Freestyle\u201d had the internet goin\u2019 nuts. \u201cThat was the first time I went \u2018viral\u2019 if you wan\u2019 use that word,\u201d he says. His <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DNd1jh4Snld\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">spur-of-the-moment video<\/a> got love from Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, The Game, Queen Latifah, and, as he puts it, \u201cthe whole of Jamaica.\u201d It was the perfect buzz-builder for the strongest album of his career, paving the way for the official lead single \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fDq_GU8ZVp4\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Forever Grateful<\/a>,\u201d which features another rising star, Masicka, whom Kez considers \u201cone of the most prolific and most important artists of our generation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\tAlthough his freestyle stated that \u201cit\u2019s not about the Grammy and who is cooler,\u201d when the Best Reggae Album nominations were announced last November, Keznamdi was surprised to find himself in the running alongside veteran artists like Vybz Kartel. He was even more shocked when his album won at the February 1 awards ceremony. \u201cIt was very far-fetched for me,\u201d he says, pointing out that his album was released on his own independent label. He hadn\u2019t even prepared a speech, but the words came to him as he walked to the podium: \u201cReggae music has always been a music weh defend truths and rights and African liberation,\u201d he said, holding the golden trophy. \u201cRastafari!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Keznamdi \"Time\" Live Acoustic Boomshots Session\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/y54NkFTAY_o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/\" title=\"Vibe\"><br \/>\n\t\t<svg style=\"height:auto;width:100%\" viewBox=\"0 0 217.262 57.924\"><defs \/><path d=\"M41.241 57.925H7.216L0 .134h22.011l4.6 38.593L39.321.134h23.864ZM67.189.067h23.964v57.791H67.189ZM134.648 40.18c0 6.09-1.655 7.911-5.4 7.911h-4.3V31.907h4.3c3.939 0 5.4 2.019 5.4 8.275m20.223 1.092c0-10.459-5.1-12.214-11.949-13.67 6.918-1.39 11.949-3.31 11.949-13.306 0-12.379-11.585-14.3-21.216-14.3h-32.636v57.923h32.636c10.029 0 21.216-2.317 21.216-16.649M134.648 16.88c0 5.859-1.721 7.414-5.4 7.414h-4.3V9.83h4.3c3.674 0 5.4 1.82 5.4 7.05M217.262 31.974V15.06C217.262 2.681 202.235 0 189.426 0c-12.875 0-27.77 2.648-27.77 15.06v26.215c0 14.332 14.233 16.649 27.77 16.649 13.471 0 27.836-2.284 27.836-16.649V35.28h-21.514v5.263c0 6.09-1.324 7.547-5.1 7.547-3.873 0-5.163-1.456-5.163-7.547V31.97Zm-31.775-15.457c0-5.23 1.589-6.686 5.163-6.686s5.1 1.456 5.1 6.686v7.514h-10.263Z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cloud.email.vibe.com\/signup\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n\tSubscribe<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<nav data-dropdown>\n<h4 id>Read More About<\/h4>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/features\/editorial\/keznamdi-reggae-hip-hop-music-journey-1235160433\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Music The Kingston, Jamaica native&#8217;s music speaks to his life journey, while prioritizing messages over melody and rhyme schemes Long before Keznamdi collected his Grammy award as the 2026 winner for Best Reggae Album, the musically gifted Jamaican youth was a fiend for hip-hop. \u201cI started out rapping,\u201d says Kez, who was raised by Rastafarian [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":908052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[131522],"class_list":{"0":"post-908051","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business-news","8":"tag-podcast-music"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/908051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=908051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/908051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/908052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=908051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=908051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=908051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}