International recording artist Etana, in collaboration with producer Kemar McGregor, also known as the Billboard King, has just shared a new single called “Kiss of Judas.”
The conscious dancehall tune, along with its captivating official video, was released on all music platforms on June 3rd. If you have not yet seen the visual, click here or on the image above to check it out. Remember to like, comment, and share!
The second staging of the Black River Film Festival will take place on June 27th and 28th, 2025, at Cloggy’s On The Beach in Black River, St. Elizabeth. This festival was established with the vision of nurturing emerging filmmakers and sparking creativity in the heart of rural Jamaica. The 2025 lineup of speakers and panelists will feature producers from Netflix series, international co-producers, film distributors, and film attorneys.
Because everything is better with music, there will be a live band performance at the end of Day 1, and an after-party at 10 PM on Day 2. It is important to note that the organizers have announced that recording artists Bugle and Duane Stephenson will be at this year’s Black River Film Festival. Get additional information here.
The upcoming Jerk Food & Music Festival happening on Sunday, June 29th, at The Beehive in Los Angeles, California, will be presented in two parts: lots of jerk food (12pm-4pm), followed by the best in live music (5pm-10pm).
The latter, the live show, will see performances by dancehall heavyweights Baby Cham and Barrington Levy, with support from the SGV Vibes Band as well as Firgo Digital. The concert will be preceded by four hours dedicated to family, food, and fun. There will be lots of games for the kids, including a playground powered by SCOOPS. Click here for tickets.
JC Lodge‘s latest contribution to the music industry is “Beautiful Life,” a slow, groovy reggae tune that was produced by the legendary dub mixer, sound system owner, and record producer King Jammy. “Beautiful Life” was officially released on the 30th of May, 2025.
Although this is a brand-new track, several selectors are already predicting that it will be in heavy rotation this summer. JC Lodge performed this tune beautifully—pun intended. “Beautiful Life” is melodic, soothing, and enchanting. Click here to download it from your preferred music platform.
One of Britain’s most successful reggae bands, Aswad, is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a major concert on Saturday, June 7th, at Chalk Night Club, 13 Pool Valley (Brighton and Hove), in Brighton, United Kingdom.
The men will be performing all their hits: “Don’t Turn Around,” “Shine,” “Give a Little Love,” “African Children,” “Best of My Love,” and much more. Presented by Horizon Promotions in association with Spaine Music Company, this event will commence at 6:30pm local time and will end at 10pm. Click here for tickets.
Dub’n the Creek, an event that was created to honor reggae and dancehall’s sound-system culture, will take place over a three-day period—June 13, 14, and 15, 2025—at Bigfoot Flat Campground in Willow Creek, California. The running hours for each day are as follows: Friday 4pm-12am, Saturday 12pm-12am, and Sunday 12pm-6pm.
Among the performers is Johnny Osbourne, a reggae veteran whose career dates back to the late 1970s, a time when sound systems were one of the main sources used to expose emerging artists.
Basscraft Sound, Dub Siren Hi-Fi and Noble Tobal Sound are just some of the sound systems on the program. For the full lineup, visit the event’s official website at dubnthecreek.com.
As one of North America’s longest-running live music festivals of its kind, the 2025 Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival promises to be one of the most thrilling yet. Now in its 26th year, the five-day event, which will run from Wednesday, June 18, to Sunday, June 22, will feature several musical genres: ska, reggae, punk, and hip-hop.
Victoria’s Inner Harbour, one of the locations that will host the festivities, will once again turn into a full-blown festival playground. The other two venues that will be used are the Victoria Curling Club and The Wicket Hall.
Among this year’s performers are Turbulence, Sister Nancy, The Pharcyde, Mad Professor, Waahli, Hezron, and Tank Gyal, and that is just to name a few. For additional information, visit victoriaskafest.ca.
MARIA JACKSON 27 MAGAZINE 