Reggae and World Music Awards to honour Rita Marley and Ben Crump

The upcoming International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), on March 22 at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in South Florida, will recognize the outstanding contributions of two prominent figures: Rita Marley, the esteemed matriarch of the renowned Marley family, and Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump.

Rita Marley

Dr. Ephraim Martin, the founder of IRAWMA, recently announced their well-deserved accolades.

Rita Marley, a musical icon with roots in Cuba and a career that blossomed in Kingston, Jamaica during the 1960s, will be honored with Martin’s International IRAWMA Philanthropist award. This recognition reflects her enduring commitment to social causes, particularly through the Rita Marley Foundation, which focuses on alleviating poverty, hunger, and providing education in Ghana and Jamaica.

Marley’s musical and entrepreneurial prowess has garnered her several IRAWMA Awards since the event’s inception in 1982. In 2019, she received a Reggae 50 Award for her five decades of invaluable contributions to reggae and Jamaican music.

Ben Crump

Ben Crump, an African-American attorney hailing from Florida, will be presented with the Freedom Fighter Award by Martin’s International’s Black Heroes Matter Coalition. Crump gained national prominence in 2012 as the lawyer for Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black youth whose controversial death sparked widespread attention. Since then, Crump has been a prominent advocate for justice in racially-charged incidents, including the high-profile cases of George Floyd, Michael Brown, and Breonna Taylor.

Shelvin L.M. Hall, a director of Martin’s International, emphasized Crump’s significant role as the voice for families affected by police violence and his success in winning multimillion-dollar settlements in police brutality cases.

IRAWMA, initially staged by Dr. Ephraim Martin in Chicago in 1982, will feature over 40 categories of awards this year. Teejay, recognized for the 2023 hit single “Drift,” leads the contenders with an impressive seven nominations. The event promises to be a celebration of excellence in reggae and world music, honoring individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the industry and social justice.