The 54th annual NAACP Image Awards’ Best International Song category was won on Monday night by Nigerian artist Tems’ rendition of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry.”
In more than 80 categories, the awards honor the accomplishments and talents of people of color.
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Shenseea, a dancehall artist from Jamaica, was further recognized in the Outstanding International Song category. She appears on Fireboy DML and Chris Brown’s Diana collaboration.
Bad to Me by Wizkid, Last Last by Burna Boy, and Stand Strong by Davido featuring the Sunday Service Choir were the other songs nominated in this category.
Bajan-born pop star and business mogul Rihanna took home the award for Best Music Video/Visual Album for her song Raise Me Up from the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Over the entire week leading up to the live ceremony on February 25, the NAACP Image Awards streamed presentations to announce winners in a number of non-televised categories. The Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California will serve as the broadcast location for BET.
After being debuted in July of last year, No Woman No Cry quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard Global Digital Song Sales list. It reached its peak at position seven on the US Afrobeats Songs Chart and position fifty on the US Digital Song Sales list Billboard.
No Woman No Cry caused a stir in 1996 throughout Europe before Tems’ takeover. The Fugees’ rendition of the fourth song from their multi-platinum-selling album, The Score, featuring Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill on lead vocals, became a tremendous hit.
It was produced by Jean and Hill and reached the top 10 in New Zealand, Switzerland, Iceland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and the seven Nordic countries. It moved up the UK Singles chart to number two.
The Fugees’ cut received certifications for gold in New Zealand and silver in the UK (200,000 units each) (5,000 copies).
Chris Blackwell, Steve Smith, and Bob Marley all contributed to the production of Marley’s rendition, which was recorded at Harry J Studio in Kingston.
The song was first included in Bob Marley’s 1974 album Natty Dread. A live version from the 1975 album Live! was subsequently released as a single and appeared on a number of compilation albums, including the greatest hits collection Legend.
No Woman, No Cry’s live rendition came in at number 37 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the greatest songs ever.
In 1975, it reached its peak at position 22 on the UK singles chart and position 23 on the Netherlands Top 40. It reached number eight on the UK Singles chart and number 30 in New Zealand after being re-released in 1981, just months after Bob Marley’s passing in May of that year.
No Woman, No Cry Live has received platinum and gold certifications in the UK and Brazil, respectively.
