This year’s ceremony marked a more spectacular return than ever, featuring a grand award presentation that will air on Friday, September 12, at 8:00 pm ET/PT on BET. The event also showcased a larger-than-life red carpet, supported by street closures on Flatbush Avenue, that has since captivated social media. One of the night’s standouts was Romain Virgo being named Male Reggae Artist of the Year, marking his second-straight win in the category.

Responding to his win on social media the artiste (realromainvirgo) posted: “To God be the glory! There’s no better feeling like getting to celebrate Caribbean culture and being around my people. It was even more beautiful winning the REGGAE ARTISTE OF THE YEAR AWARD once again! Thanks to everyone who voted, I’m forever grateful! The journey continues…” He was also nominated for Reggae Album of the Year with The Gentle Man, and for both Reggae Collaboration of the Year and Reggae Song of the Year with his Masicka-featuring track Been There Before.

A special highlight of the evening was the US début of Tottenham-born DJ AG, known for transforming the streets of London and other UK cities into vibrant musical venues. He brought his culturally rich open-format DJ sets to Brooklyn in celebration of the awards, with a special activation powered by Amazon Music. DJ AG, a TikTok sensation who was featured in the Jamaica Observer in late July for his work in the music scene, expressed his excitement about the occasion, stating: “It’s my first time streaming on a red carpet, so to make that début at the Caribbean Music Awards was truly special. Caribbean music has shaped so much of my identity, and to champion it on a stage this big is an incredible honour. I was excited to bring a touch of London energy to the streets of New York and truly grateful to the awards for inviting me to be part of this moment and to celebrate a culture that continues to inspire the world.” (Jamaica Observer)