RAYE’s “Ice Cream Man.” is the recipient of the Recording Academy’s 2026 Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award. The award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
“Ice Cream Man.” first appeared on RAYE’s 2023 debut album, My 21st Century Blues. RAYE wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music with Michael Tucker (BloodPop) and Mike Sabath. The three musicians also co-produced the track. “Ice Cream Man.” transforms personal trauma into a purpose: amplifying the voices of sexual assault survivors.
“We are honored to present ‘Ice Cream Man.’ with this year’s Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “This song is a powerful reminder of music’s unique ability to raise awareness, inspire change and provide a voice to those too often unheard. Its bravery embodies everything this award stands for, and we look forward to recognizing it along with its songwriters at this year’s Special Merit Awards Ceremony.”
In 2024, Billboard included “Ice Cream Man.” on its editorial list of “The 100 Greatest Songs About the Music Industry: Staff List.” The song ranked No. 35 on that list, with Kyle Denis writing: “Taken from her award-winning debut LP, My 21st Century Blues, ‘Ice Cream Man.’ is Raye’s appropriately chilling musical account of her sexual assault at the hands of an unnamed music producer, who was ‘coming like the ice cream man/ ‘Til I felt his ice-cold hands.’”
RAYE has received four Grammy nominations, including songwriter of the year, non-classical in 2025. BloodPop has received three Grammy nods, including best song written for visual media in 2023 for “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, which he co-wrote with Lady Gaga. (The song was also nominated for an Oscar for best original song.)
RAYE and Sabath also co-wrote and co-produced RAYE’s current hit “Where Is My Husband!,” a song as lighthearted as “Ice Cream Man.” is troubling.
The Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award is a CEO’s Merit Award that was established by the Recording Academy’s national trustees in 2022 to honor songwriters of message-driven music that speaks to the social issues of our time. Recipients are selected annually by a committee.
“Ice Cream Man.” is the fourth recipient of this award; the third since it was named in honor of Belafonte, a calypso singer, actor and civil rights activist who died in 2023 at age 96.
The first three recipients were:
- 2023: “Baraye” – Shervin Hajipour
- 2024: “Refugee” – K’naan, Gerald Eaton & Steve McEwan
- 2025: “Deliver” – written by Iman Jordan (performer), Roy Gartrell, Tam Jones, and Ariel Loh
At this year’s Special Merit Awards ceremony, six lifetime achievement awards, three trustees awards (for non-performers) and one technical Grammy Award will also be presented. Cher, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon and the late Whitney Houston and Fela Kuti will receive lifetime achievement awards; Bernie Taupin, Sylvia Rhone and the late Eddie Palmieri will receive trustees awards; and John Chowning will receive a technical Grammy Award.
