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.
Manchester recording artist Ragga Lox, who’s been living in the United States since the late 80s, has just delivered his long awaited thirteen-track studio album. Released on Sunday, July 23rd, the LP is called Climbing, and it features collaborations with Revelashan and Rob Symeon.
The inspiration for the record came from the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Ragga Lox. As a matter of fact, the lead single – Spliff & Beer – was penned after he lost some close friends and family members to the virus. Once the first track was shared – in January 2022 – and based on the positive feedback it got, Lox immediately began working on the full album with the hopes of releasing it last summer. However, after several delays and setbacks, he and his team opted to push it forward to now.
Climbing has a perfect mix of reggae (Reach For The Stars, They Shall Never, Reggae Island, Mama Said & Families); dancehall (Spliff & Beer, Tough Times & Touch); and even world music fused with hip-hop (Climbing, Reggae Memory Lane, Try & Royalty). All songs were done with the highest standards. The songwriting and vocal performances are flawless, and the overall production quality is beyond reproach.
That said, the thing that stands out the most on this LP is Ragga Lox‘s story. He brags about his skills as a lyricist while putting those very skills on display. He narrates the tale of losing his father, mother and mentors. His Rastafarian beliefs and way of life are artfully painted throughout this record. In short, Climbing is a five-star album, and if nothing else it shows that Ragga Lox has climbed his way to the top of the musical mountain.
CLICK HERE TO STREAM / DOWNLOAD “CLIMBING”
Veteran dancehall artist Louie Culture will host Memory Lane – a 80s, 90s, and early 2000s dance – at a location to-be-announced in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, August 19th.
The dancehall legend will be supported by Renaissance Disco, Supa Twitch, Navis BomB and DJ Bread. Passes and additional information can be obtained at memorylaneatl-dot-com.
The Jamaica Railway Corporation will be having a roundtrip train excursion on Emancipation Day, August 1, 2023, from the Spanish Town Train Station to the Linstead Train Station departing at 10:00 am.
Tickets are now available at the following locations:
– Jamaica Railway Corporation’s Head Office at 142 Barry Street, Downtown Kingston
– Spanish Town Train Station
– Genus Pharmacy in Portmore
A tour guide will walk guests through the history of different sites on the journey. There will be live entertainment at the stop in Linstead, where dancehall recording artist General Degree will put on a show.
Attendees will also get the opportunity to support the Linstead community as they will have Jamaican treats on sale. There will be secured parking at the Spanish Town Train Station.
Source: Jamaica Government
MARIA JACKSON 27 MAGAZINE 