Kranium Dumps Award, Organizers Cite Human Error

Dancehall artist Kranium discarded his Caribbean Music Awards (CMA) trophy, stating organizers wrongly took his 'R&B Dancehall Artiste of the Year' award and gave it to Dexta Daps. The CMA organizers later issued an apology, acknowledging a "human error" led to the mix-up. This incident has sparked significant discussion within the music community regarding award integrity and artist recognition.

Award Controversy Emerges After Ceremony

The Caribbean Music Awards, held on August 28 in New York and broadcast on BET on September 12, aimed to celebrate Caribbean music and culture. However, for Kranium, the event became a source of major frustration. He described the situation as the "biggest disrespect" of his career.

On Tuesday, Kranium expressed his feelings on Instagram. He posted a caption criticizing the awards. Following this, he shared an Instagram Story video. The video showed him throwing the award into a garbage bin. He captioned this clip with a direct message to the awards organization, indicating he was done with the discussion.

Manager Describes Unprecedented Situation

Pierre Bost, Kranium's manager since 2013, released a statement to DancehallMag. He expressed his shock at the events. "I had never seen anything like this before," Bost stated. He highlighted Kranium's involvement in the awards show.

According to Bost, Kranium attended the ceremony to perform his song 'Higher Life.' He was also nominated in five categories, making him one of the most nominated artists that year. Bost confirmed that Kranium received the 'Caribbean R&B Artist of the Year' award on stage. He collected it in front of industry professionals and a full venue in Brooklyn.

"Kranium delivered a great performance as usual and won Caribbean R&B Artist of the Year. He collected his award on stage in front of all the industry people present in the packed Brooklyn venue."

Post-Ceremony Communication

Bost explained that days after the August 28 ceremony, the CMA team contacted both Kranium and Dexta Daps. They informed them that the award had been given to the wrong person. The organizers reportedly asked Kranium to return his trophy. They offered him an award in a 'non-existent' category, 'Best Caribbean R&B Song of the Year,' for which he had not been nominated.

Bost rejected the idea that it was a simple mistake. He noted that BET had already contacted them to license Kranium's track for TV rights. "We obviously didn't agree to this stupid and disrespectful option," Bost added. He claimed that as a result, the CMA team removed Kranium's performance entirely from the BET television broadcast. They then gave the award to Dexta Daps.

CMA Issues Official Apology and Explanation

On September 16, the Caribbean Music Awards released an official statement via Instagram. They apologized for what they called an "unfortunate human error." This error occurred during the August 28 taping of the show. The organizers provided details about the 'Caribbean R&B Artist of the Year' category.

They explained that this category was new this year. It was created to recognize singers whose music might not fit strictly into traditional Caribbean genres. The organizers stated they had debated for weeks whether to base the award on the artist's overall work or on the impact of a single song during the voting period.

Voting Process and Discrepancy

The CMA statement detailed the fan voting results. When focusing solely on the artist, Dexta Daps was the clear winner. He received 40.8% of the votes. Kranium, in contrast, received 12.6% of the votes. The organizers admitted that if they had focused on individual songs, Kranium's 'Higher Life' could have led based on streaming numbers.

However, no specific songs were listed for public voting in this category. Therefore, they decided to keep the award focused on the artist. They planned to introduce a 'Caribbean R&B Song of the Year' category in the following year. The core issue, they stated, was that "outdated documentation was mistakenly used in creating the winner cards." This led to the incorrect announcement during the live show.

Resolutions and Communication with Kranium's Team

The CMA organizers said they informed all talent teams about the situation. They took responsibility and shared proposed resolutions before the show aired. After an internal review, they decided to correct the 'Caribbean R&B Artist of the Year' winner. This was done to "maintain the ethics on which the show was founded." They also proposed introducing the 'Caribbean R&B Song of the Year' category.

The CMA also mentioned their documented communication with Kranium's management. According to their timeline, on September 2, Kranium's team requested that his likeness and performance be removed from the show. They also declined the proposed category award. On September 4, Kranium's team further requested that no mention of the error be included in the updated winner's press release.

The organizers concluded their statement by expressing regret. "We deeply regret all that has transpired and we are implementing new safeguards to prevent future issues," the CMA stated. They affirmed their commitment to supporting Caribbean music. This incident highlights the complexities involved in live award productions and the importance of clear communication.

• September 2: Kranium's team requested removal from the show and declined new award.
• September 4: Kranium's team requested no mention of error in press release.

The Caribbean Music Awards has pledged to review its internal processes. They aim to prevent similar issues in the future. This situation underscores the need for precision in award ceremonies, especially when dealing with live broadcasts and artist recognition.