Saturday, August 19th is the date for the inaugural Hanover 300 Food & Music Festival, which will be held at Bioprist Knowledge Park in Lucea, Hanover (across from the Hanover Police HQ). It will feature international and local chefs coupled with live musical entertainment.
Top-tier recording artists Bounty Killer and Tessanne Chin will headline the show with support from Raph-I, KRISIS, Prince J and Nature Silk. Gates open at 8am and the show will start at 10am.
Every once in a while an artist comes along with such raw talent that his or her path to success seems almost assured. Such is the case with eighteen-year-old Ghanaian sing-jay Donskii. The half Jamaican (Ghanaian mother, Jamaican father) was introduced to the world outside of Ghana only a few weeks ago, when Wonder 4 Music – the imprint to which he is signed – shared his first official single, Sweet Africa. The track received great reviews and left selectors asking for a follow up. In late July, they got it!
On July 24th Wonder 4 Music released Donskii‘s four-track EP, Fully Don. The record is a mix of dancehall and Afro-rhythms, and is flawless in both style and delivery. Most importantly, it gives listeners further insight into the thinking of the emerging lyricist, and draws attention to his level of commitment to the creative process.
Fully Don bridges the gap between Afro-dancehall and dancehall music from Jamaica, and it is being presented by a man that is quite capable of doing just that. The EP is available on Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Tidal and all other streaming platforms.
Singer, songwriter, producer and performer Richie Stephens is in high spirits following the release of his now widely praised Street Gospel Riddim. The six-track compilation went live on streaming platforms a few days ago – Friday, July 28th – and was accompanied by some stunning visuals.
All the artists on the EP: Da Flame, Beenie Man, Kevin Downswell, Bounty Killer, Nitty Kutchie, Buju Banton, Kukudoo, Sanchez, Busy Signal, and of course Richie Stephens, are present in the aforementioned clip. And because every track on the Street Gospel Riddim is a collaboration, accordingly, each set of artists appear together on their respective song.
The Street Gospel Riddim is a dancehall-gospel compilation, composed by Stephens, with a mix of both secular and gospel performers. Arguably, the most noticeable thing about this project is the unexpected combinations that are featured.
The 2023 TD Jerk Fest is set for Friday, August 11th through Sunday, August 13th at Centennial Park in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. It’s a three-day event that will be filled with various food choices – with an emphasis on jerk food – live music, and overall good vibes.
Musical entertainment will be provided by Johnny Gill on the 11th, with Luciano, Destra and Cham (formerly known as Baby Cham) on the 12th and 13th. Get additional information via jerkfestival-dot-ca.
Funfest, the unique festival inspired by families for families, will take place on Emancipation Day – August 1st – at Hope Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. Running time is 10am to 7pm sharp.
Attendees will be treated to some world class entertainment: magicians, contortionists, firebreathers, mascot parade, and of course lots of music. Ryan Dixon will host, DJ Chinny will be on the turntables, and Agent Sasco, Johnmark Wiggan, Ngozi Twins, Zion and The Prodigies Band will perform live.
Veteran dancehall artist Spragga Benz – who is regarded as one of the baddest deejays from the 90s – is promising an electrifying performance at 90s Joyride. The event will be held on Saturday, August 26th at Pier One, on the waterfront in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Benz will be supported by Mix Master Marvin, DJ Theron, Bass Odyssey and Supa Twitch (from Miami). Early bird tickets are currently going for $3,000 JMD, and they can be purchased from caribtix-dot-com.
Confine Riddim is the latest rhythm-driven project from Pandemic Records & Entertainment LLC. It’s a mellow dancehall juggling with eight tracks, each shared individually as a stand alone single, as opposed to being a part of an EP or compilation.
Although they’re usually working with some of Jamaica’s biggest music stars: Little Hero, Chronic Law, Sizzla, and Capleton – to name a few – the team at Pandemic opted to feature only emerging talents on the Confine Riddim. To that end, they tapped: Frass Khalifa, Jah Lama, Jahn’ll, Mr Banging, iBlack Lion, Shac, Shayy Soprano, Vehnom and Xip Boss.
Each performer delivered mightily on their respective song, leading selectors who’ve gotten the tracks to give the overall project an elevated rating. What’s more, the artists covered various topics in their lyrics, making Confine Riddim attractive to a wide audience.
Four of the eight songs have already gotten visuals: Shac – Heart of Mine; Xip Boss – Money Mentality; Jah Lama – Pouring Rain; and Vehnom – Thank You. The videos can be viewed on the artists respective YouTube channels or via Pandemic Records‘ YouTube.
MARIA JACKSON 27 MAGAZINE 