Which artist won the first Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1985?

Black Uhuru won the first Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1985. The Jamaican group received the inaugural award for its album Anthem, marking reggae’s formal recognition in a dedicated Grammy category.

Black Uhuru formed in Kingston and became one of the leading roots-reggae groups of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The group’s name means “Black Freedom” in Swahili. Anthem included politically conscious songs and was produced by Sly and Robbie, two major figures in Jamaican music.

The award was presented at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985. It is sometimes confused with earlier Grammy recognition for reggae-influenced recordings, but Best Reggae Album was the first dedicated category for the genre. The category has since included albums by artists such as Burning Spear, Ziggy Marley and Damian Marley.