Join Club

Arlington band wins Grammy award

SOJA at the 2022 Grammys (via @sojagram/Instagram)

A band that formed at Yorktown High School in Arlington is now a Grammy winner.

SOJA, also known as Soldiers of Jah Army, won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for their 2021 release Beauty in the Silence, following two prior nominations in the same category. The awards aired last night on CBS.

The band has received international acclaim while maintaining its Arlington roots. SOJA performed on the Tonight Show in 2012; it also performed one of the last shows at Whitlow’s in Clarendon last summer.

Not everybody was happy with a reggae band from Arlington winning out over notable Jamaican nominees like Spice and Sean Paul.

“The win marks the first time an all-white Reggae band has won the award and the third time a non-Jamaican person or group has won in the Reggae category’s 37 year history. During the acceptance speech, SOJA paid tribute to Jamaica, the homeland of Reggae,” reported BET. “However, the announcement did not appear to sit well with music fans who took to their social media platforms to air out their frustration.”

Smh,” tweeted Jamaican dancehall artist Beenie Man, one of several who were not nominated but expressed disappointment at fellow Jamaicans not winning the Grammy.

SOJA, meanwhile, thanked fans via social media “for all your years of support” yesterday, prior to winning. After winning, frontman Jacob Hemphill expressed more gratitude.

“We wanna thank all our influences when we were growing up. Starting our reggae band was kind of our dream and the only thing we wanted to do. And then one day people started coming to the shows,” Hemphill said, as quoted by BET. “To the founding fathers of reggae music into the island of Jamaica, you inspired us all. Give thanks. One love.”

Photo via @sojagram/Instagram

Recent Stories

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier today…

Last year, an attempt to broaden the Arlington police auditor’s access to police records quietly fizzled before reaching the public for discussion.

George Mason University’s new Fuse at Mason Square in Arlington, is poised to become a 345,000-square-foot collaborative and digital innovation space in the heart of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor. “As Mason expands in…

These tree care companies serve Arlington County and received Washington Consumers’ Checkbook’s top rating for quality (as reported by their customers in Checkbook’s surveys).

Award-winning drag queen Tara Hoot is bringing her Family Fun Story Time Brunch to Arlington at Freddie’s Beach Bar! Saturday April 6 at noon! Join Tara for songs, stories, puppets, bubbles and joy! It’s not just stories, it’s a SHOW that’s perfect for kids and kids at heart–fun for everyone! Plus a tasty brunch at Freddie’s! Click the link and make your reservations now! ❤️ 🫧 🌈

Submit your own Announcement here.

The Summer 2024 STEAM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Arts/Math) Fellowship application is now open! Apply by April 15 to be considered!

The STEAM Workforce Development Teacher Fellowship provides Arlington Public Schools (APS) high school, middle school, and elementary school teachers with opportunities to learn about workplace needs in STEAM-related fields and for them to use the experience to enhance student learning to match workplace expectations in a selected industry. STEAM Fellows participate in a three-week summer fellowship, receiving a $4,000 stipend upon completion.

Applicants planning to pursue a fellowship in the arts must demonstrate how they will build connections between the arts and science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

Click the button to learn more, share, apply, and see the variety of fellowships completed in previous years.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Free Right-Sizing Workshop – How to Get Rid of Your…

Cody Chance and Dick Nathan of Long & Foster are hosting a free workshop at our office on Cherry Hill Rd. (formerly Lee Highway) on the topic of “down-sizing” Thursday, March 28 from 5:30-7:30. We have created a workbook with

Portofino Italian Wine Dinner, April 6, 6:30pm

Four course Italian dinner, paired with 2 wines each. The wines will be served “blind” and notes on each wine will be discussed. The event is coordinated with Elite Wine Importers and The Portofino Restaurant. The dinner is on Saturday,

×

Subscribe to our mailing list