Kranium Discards Caribbean Music Award After Controversy Over Winner Mix-Up

NEW YORK — Dancehall star Kranium has publicly denounced the Caribbean Music Awards (CMA), tossing his trophy into the trash after claiming organizers stripped him of the R&B Dancehall Artiste of the Year honor and reassigned it to fellow artist Dexta Daps.

The CMA, staged on August 28 in Brooklyn and broadcast on BET on September 12, was promoted as a celebration of Caribbean music and culture. Instead, Kranium says the incident became the “biggest disrespect” of his career.

In an Instagram post, the artist blasted organizers, writing: “Caribbean Music Award y’all are one set a p_____s and users!!!” He followed up with a video of himself dumping the trophy in the garbage, captioning: “Garbage is on Tuesdays… a it this me done with the conversation.”

Kranium’s longtime manager, Pierre Bost, expressed outrage, saying he had “never seen anything like this before.” According to Bost, Kranium—who was nominated in five categories and delivered a live performance of Higher Life—accepted the award on stage before the CMA team later claimed an error had been made.

Bost alleged that organizers asked Kranium to return the trophy in exchange for recognition in a new category, Best Caribbean R&B Song of the Year, which did not exist at the time. “We obviously didn’t agree to this stupid and disrespectful option,” Bost said, adding that Kranium was subsequently removed from BET’s broadcast and the award was reassigned to Dexta Daps.

On September 16, the CMA issued a statement calling the mix-up a “human error” and offering a public apology. Organizers explained that outdated documents were used in preparing winner cards, leading to the wrong announcement on stage.

They further clarified that fan voting determined the outcome of the Caribbean R&B Artist of the Year category, with Dexta Daps receiving 40.8% of the vote compared to Kranium’s 12.6%. While Kranium’s single Higher Life showed strong streaming numbers, the category was based on overall artistry rather than a single track. The CMA said it plans to introduce a Caribbean R&B Song of the Year category next year.

The organizers added that Kranium’s team requested his performance and likeness be removed from the BET broadcast, and asked that the award error not be mentioned in press releases. “We understood Kranium’s disappointment and respected his team’s decision, honoring all of their requests,” the statement said.

Despite their apology, the fallout has left many in the industry questioning the credibility of the awards. Kranium, for his part, has made it clear that the relationship is over: “Me done with the conversation,” he declared.