ATLANTA – Well-known in dancehall-reggae circles for conjuring innovative beats, Adrian “Donsome” Hanson has never limited himself as a music producer. The Atlanta-based Jamaican’s creativity has earned him consideration in four categories at next year’s Grammy Awards.
He has two calls in the Best Reggae Album preliminary slot. Those are for the Gruesome Act Riddim compilation, which features several artists. Also, Dem Can’t Stop my Joy (Rastafari on The Rise), a collaboration with AI-generated band, Forever Rootz is included.
The latter has been a personal project for Hanson since 2023. That year, artists, musicians, and producers started using music software to create songs in different styles. While famous artists like Sting and Elton John have called AI-produced music fake, rappers like Kanye West have embraced it.
Hanson also has an open mind.
“I see AI as a tool, not a replacement. For me, it’s about balance — using technology to enhance creativity without losing the human soul that makes music connect on a deeper level,” he said. “AI can speed up certain processes and open new creative doors, but at the end of the day, the heart, vision, and cultural roots of the music still come from the artist.”
AI Music Projects
One of the most successful AI music projects is The Velvet Sundown from the United Kingdom. That ‘quartet’ released two folk-rock albums that drew over 1,000,000 streams on Spotify before fans discovered their music and imagery were virtual.
Hanson is also being considered in the Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album category for Hz Vibrations of Light And Healing. This is a wellness album he recorded using the moniker, Nestful Nights Sounds. 528 Hz The Love And Miracle Frequency, one of its songs, is also considered for Best Alternative Music Performance.
No More Crime, a song he recorded with Kiprich for the Gruesome Act Riddim, rounds off his preliminary nominations for Best Global Music Performance.
The nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards will be announced on November 7. The Grammy Awards are scheduled for February 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
From Clarendon parish in central Jamaica, Hanson has been producing music for almost 20 years. Initially based in New York, he has produced albums and songs by Mykal Rose, Marcia Griffiths, Anthony B and Lutan Fyah.
