Keznamdi Wins Best Reggae Album at 68th GRAMMYs for BLXXD and FYAH

Keznamdi took home the GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album at the 68th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony, a milestone win that puts his independently released BLXXD & FYAH in the international spotlight. The award, announced at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and presented by Dee Dee Bridgewater, confirms Keznamdi’s first GRAMMY win and first nomination on the Recording Academy records.

BLXXD & FYAH, a 13-track album released August 22, 2025, was issued via Keznamdi Music Group and through independent channels. The record blends roots reggae with modern influences and carries themes of struggle, resilience, and transformation. Three tracks feature guest artists Kelissa, Mavado and Masicka, linking family and scene, Kelissa McDonald is both a featured artist and Keznamdi’s sister.

The category was a distinctly Jamaican field that included Lila Iké (Treasure Self Love), Jesse Royal (No Place Like Home), Mortimer (From Within), and Vybz Kartel. Listings differ on Vybz Kartel’s nominated album title, with one listing First Week Out and another listing Heart and Soul. That discrepancy will be worth resolving through the official nominees list, but it does not change the headline: Keznamdi won.

Onstage acceptance brought both gratitude and a charge to the roots. Keznamdi thanked collaborators and family, and he tied the win to reggae’s wider purpose when he said, "Reggae music has always been a music weh defend truths and rights, and African liberation and black man redemption." He added, "We a represent Jamaican culture and Dancehall and Reggae" and expressed thanks to his mother and father and his team. One original report cuts off mid-sentence with "and noted the". An Instagram excerpt celebrating the win reads, "He beat out top nominees".

Keznamdi McDonald’s background is steeped in reggae lineage. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, he is the son of Errol and Kerida McDonald, who led the reggae group Chakula. His family connections extend into the wider scene: his eldest sister Kamila McDonald is a well known Jamaican media personality, and sister Kelissa McDonald is an established singer married to Chronixx.

For the reggae community the practical value is immediate. An independently released album winning a GRAMMY reinforces the viability of artist-run imprints and signals stronger international attention for Jamaican roots and dancehall artists. Keznamdi’s win will likely drive streams, booking interest, and collaborative opportunities for Kelissa, Mavado and Masicka, and it amplifies a Jamaican narrative at the Grammys that producers, selectors and promoters can leverage in the coming months.

Expect BLXXD & FYAH to climb playlists and for Keznamdi to see a surge in festival offers and press; the next steps are clear for the artist and community, build on this victory, push the record into wider rotation, and let the riddims carry the message further.