Kingston, 16 February 2023 – Children of the Icons and Emerging Artistes is more than a Reggae concert but a launching pad and mentorship platform for young artistes. This is how the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, envisioned the concert series she created in 2019. Minister Grange hoped young, aspiring musicians and artistes would benefit by being on the same stage with seasoned performers.

“We have to prepare the next generation,” said Minister Grange. “We have to expose them and help them to follow a path to success like the great pioneers of Jamaican music. And so by promoting Children of the Icons and Emerging Artistes, we are helping them to hone their skills and talent; and we are building confidence in them as future Reggae ambassadors.”

The Children of the Icons and Emerging Artistes concert series heads to Woodstock in Negril this Saturday, February 18. The Reggae Month event will feature Richie Spice as the guest artiste. The seasoned performer feels honoured to be on stage with these young artistes. “It’s a great feeling that I’m a part of this event,” said Richie Spice.

“It’s something very uplifting, very nice towards Reggae music. A lot of young artistes get to shine, show their talent. It’s uplifting. I’m so happy and humbled to be a part of it.”

“It’s a good vibration, knowing that indeed I’ve been doing the music for years and you reach a certain level in life and the younger generation can admire you and take a page out of your book and improve their lives or their careers. It’s a good vibe. It’s a good feeling.”

The show will also feature Teshay Makeda, based in South London, whose granduncle is Steve Golding, a rhythm guitarist who toured with Peter Tosh and had his own group Ossie D and Stevie G; Garnet Alkehm, the son of Roots, Reggae singer Garnet Silk; as well as Ragga Jahmari, the son of producer/ engineer Nigel Burrell.

Also performing will be emerging artistes Monifa, Jahcheff, Prince J, Mr. Universe and Kheela.

Saturday’s show will be the final instalment of the Children of the Icons and Emerging Artistes series for this Reggae Month following last week’s exciting show in Ocho Rios which featured guest artiste, Valiant.

Minister Grange said the concert series falls in line with the initiatives of Jamaica 60.

“I would say that as we celebrate our diamond jubilee, we’re Reigniting a Nation for Greatness and for Children of the Icons and Emerging Artistes we are creating a pathway to greatness as they stand on the shoulders of those who paved the way,” said Minister Grange.

END

Kingston, 6 February 2023 – Emancipation Park in New Kingston will come alive this evening at 7 o’clock with the sweet sounds of Reggae in celebration of the birthday of Jamaica's great musical icon, Bob Marley.

The free Bob Marley birthday concert is a Reggae Month event.

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, is inviting the public to "come out in your colours for this dual celebration of Reggae Month and Bob's birthday and enjoy the natural mystic flowing through the air".

"Through Reggae Month, we are able to achieve several goals: recognise the important role played by the King of Reggae whom we celebrate this evening and also celebrate the contributions of other greats such as the Crown Prince Dennis Brown, also born in February; Jimmy Cliff, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Sly and Robbie, Lee Scratch Perry and so many others,” Minister Grange said.

The Bob Marley birthday concert in Emancipation Park will feature performances by Julian Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Max Romeo, George Nooks, Admiral Tibet, Capleton, Lutan Fyah, Gyptian, Etana, Droop Lion, G Whizz, Dennis Walks, and the Blak Soil Band.

The concert will be broadcast on Reggae Month TV on CVM, PBCJ, the JamVision cable channel, as well as the Facebook pages of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Honourable Olivia Grange.

Bob Marley was born on this date 78 years ago.

END

Kingston, 8 February 2022 – Reggae Month Echoes of Sound System clash blasts off with a not-to-be-missed Preliminary Round from Wednesday, February 9 to Saturday, February 12. 

The action starts at 9:00pm each evening on Reggae Month TV which is streamed on various online platforms, including the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's YouTube and Facebook pages and the Facebook pages of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Minister Olivia Grange. The Series will also air on PBCJ each night at the same time.

Eight Sound Systems square off
Eight sound systems, including Ghetto Star, JamRock, Kush Int’l, King Rhino, Ruff Cutt, Nexxt Level, Yumi Hi-Power and Twin Star eagerly responded to social media and direct call-for-entries to battle for the coveted title of Reggae Month 2022 Champion Sound. The organisers then drew lots to determine the four clashes in the Preliminary Round.

They are as follows:
Nexxt Level vs Yumi Hi-Power
King Rhino vs Ruff Cutt; 
Ghetto Star vs JamRock 
Twin Star vs Kush Int’l

All the selectors are pumped up, super charged and ready to rumble, but at the end of the Preliminary Round, the number will be cut in half and only four sounds will be left standing. These four winning sounds will then move on to the Semi Final round and then the top two sounds will square off for bragging rights, the Reggae Month 2022 Champion Sound title, and prizes.

The winning sound will receive J$200,000; second prize J$100,000 and third prize J$50,000.

The official judging panel comprises Admiral Bailey, Skatta Burrell, Jack Scorpio and Rory (from Stone Love).

Reggae Month activities will engage audiences in the virtual space, with the month-long celebration being held under the theme ‘Come Ketch de Riddim’. Like last year’s celebration, it is expected to draw thousands of patrons to Jamaica from locations as far as Europe and Asia.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, said that the virtual celebration will enable people to “get together and feel alright, even from a distance”, as Jamaica “builds back stronger to a brighter and dynamic future”.

Reggae Month is staged by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in collaboration with production partners the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA) and funding partners including the CHASE Fund, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the Jamaica Tourist Board and J Wray & Nephew.

Download the Reggae Jamaica Mobile App, free of charge from the Google or Apple Store, and get real time information on Reggae Month activities including the links to Reggae Month TV broadcasts.

Wake the town and tell the people… it’s Reggae Month 2022. Come ketch de riddim!

END

Kingston, 27 January 2022 – Reggae Month, now in its 15th year, will launch with a Church Service on Sunday, January 30, 2022 beginning at 10am.

In keeping with the current rules for religious gathering, mainly key Government Officials and Reggae Industry Stakeholders will be in attendance. The Chief congregants will include the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, and the Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett.

The service will be broadcast and streamed live on various platforms. It will feature performances by Alicia Taylor, John Mark Wiggon, and the Go for God Music Ministry.

Reggae Month 2022, which will be an official Jamaica 60 activity, will include a range of events in Jamaica and its Diaspora.

END

Kingston, 12 January 2021 (JIS) - Reggae Month 2021 activities, to be observed in February, have been moved to the virtual space.

The month-long celebration, being held under the theme ‘Come Ketch Di Riddim Virtually’, is expected to draws thousands of patrons globally to Jamaica, from locations as far as Europe and Asia.

Speaking during a virtual launch on Sunday (January 10), Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, said that the virtual celebration will enable people to “get together and feel alright, even from a distance”, as Jamaica “builds back stronger to a brighter and dynamic future”.

“After all, we are a people of a glorious ancestry, a people who have used the experiences of our past to create reggae music, whose rhythms the world recognises and loves,” she added.

Miss Grange said the Month presents an opportunity to further increase the capacity of Jamaica’s technical creatives through virtual workshops in areas such as sound engineering, writing and stage management.

She said that training opportunities and master classes in publishing and copyright for songwriters, musicians and artistes will be a feature of this year’s Reggae Month celebrations.

“We will promote strategic interactions among the world creatives through our online university. In this way, we will expand the dialogue on the needs of the creative sector as we continue to position Reggae among the world’s most vibrant brands,” Minister Grange said.

February was officially declared as Reggae Month on January 9, 2008. This annual observance highlights and celebrates the impact of the musical genre on Jamaica’s social, cultural and economic development.

END

Kingston, 10 January 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has described the new Reggae Month App as a “game changer as the government intensifies efforts to promote Jamaica’s music to the peoples of the world.”

The App, commissioned by the Reggae Month Secretariat, is now available for download on Android and iOs devices. It provides a comprehensive list of activities being held in celebration of Reggae Month 2020 in Jamaica and its Diaspora, among other features.

Minister Grange said:
“The Reggae Month Jamaica App provides a great platform for everyone to get and share information about Reggae Month 2020, which is going to be the best staging yet. The App is very interactive and allows promoters to add their events to the list of Reggae Month activities alongside those events that are being organised by the Government of Jamaica or endorsed by the Reggae Month Secretariat.

As such, I invite all companies, artists and producers to share with us your Reggae Month plans so that they can be included, or to upload the info using the App.

I also invite every hotelier, including small properties, to position Reggae Month activities as a must-see for all our visitors during February 2020.”

To download the App, search the words ‘Reggae Month Jamaica’ in the Google Play or App Store.

Reggae Month celebrations are being led jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with several stakeholders.

END

Kingston, 9 December 2019 – The Minister of the Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, and the Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, have launched Reggae Month 2020 to be celebrated under the theme ‘Come ketch de riddim.’

Since 2008, the month of February has been recognised annually in Jamaica as Reggae Month.

“We deliberately decided to launch before Christmas,” said Minister Grange who declared that Reggae Month 2020 would be “the best ever.”

“We are determined to produce a world-class and exciting package for Reggae Month 2020,” said Minister Grange whose Ministry and its agencies are organising Reggae Month celebrations jointly with the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies.

Minister Bartlett said “we want to invest more in Reggae Month and so the Ministry of Tourism along with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will put serious funding into Reggae Month from next year onwards.”

Reggae Month usually features a series of live entertainment activities across the island for the entire month of February. However for 2020, celebratory activities will be held in the Diaspora, as well.

“We are partnering with Miramar in Florida,” said Minister Grange, adding that “we have worked out a series of activities that we will do in Florida and we will have exchanges during the month of February between Miramar and Kingston.”

The Vice Mayor of Miramar, Alexandra Davis, said the city was looking forward to including Reggae Month celebrations into the Black History Month commemoration.

The Vice Mayor said Miramar was well placed to lead Reggae Month celebrations in the Jamaican Diaspora as several Reggae icons reside in the city “where all five of the elected officials that run the city are of Jamaican descent or were born in Jamaica, so Reggae is very close to our hearts.”

The Reggae Month Secretariat has also forged a strategic partnership with the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association under which hotels will offer special rates on accommodation for Regge Month.

Both Ministers Grange and Bartlett have invited Jamaicans in the Diaspora and the peoples of the world to come to Jamaica during Reggae Month 2020 and enjoy our infectious rhythm.

END

Kingston 5 February 2019 – The Chairman of the Entertainment Advisory Board, Howard McIntosh, is calling for “global support of Reggae Month by Jamaicans at home and abroad.”

McIntosh was speaking after the well-attended Reggae Month Church Service at Fellowship Tabernacle on Sunday.

He said he hoped to see “hundreds of thousands to visit our shores in February next year consistent with our objectives to have 5 million tourists visit our shores annually.”

McIntosh also encouraged the local media to support Reggae Month by playing more Jamaican music during the period. “We need to celebrate our music legacy in as many ways possible,” he said.

The Entertainment Advisory Board was appointed by the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, as part of her programme to establish the appropriate infrastructure on which to construct a viable and vibrant creative economy.

Kingston 23 January 2019 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has welcomed the announcement of the Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, that his Ministry is providing J$25 million towards the further development of the Jamaica Music Museum, also referred to as the Reggae Museum.

The Jamaica Music Museum, which was launched by Minister Grange and brought into operation in 2009, is a division of the Institute of Jamaica — an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

Minister Grange said the support of the Ministry of Tourism will fast track the development of the Jamaica Music Museum which is “now housed in the corridors of the Institute of Jamaica”. 

Minister Grange said:

“The inscription of the Reggae Music of Jamaica to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list makes it even more urgent for us to intensify our work on the Jamaica Music Museum as a major resource in promoting and preserving our music, and this support from Minister Bartlett will go a far way in helping us to establish, in a short period of time, a museum befitting Reggae’s global status.  This is a great example of Ministers, Ministries and Agencies working together for the benefit of the people of Jamaica.  It goes to show that when you put us [Minister Bartlett and I] together, nobody can beat us.”

Minister Bartlett said support for the further development of the Jamaica Music Museum will be provided through the Tourism Enhancement Fund.  He said the sum of J$25 million has been set aside for the further “scoping, design and the development of the concept of a physical museum… then you give us the budget for what is required for the rest of it.”

Minister Bartlett explained that the investment in the Jamaica Music Museum is part of a broader strategy to develop the Reggae product.  The strategy includes investment in the development of trails to sites that are significant in the history of the music and the use of Reggae in a new advertising campaign for the Jamaica Tourist Board.

Ministers Grange and Bartlett were speaking at the launch of Reggae Month 2019 on Sunday.

Reggae Month, celebrated annually in February, is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Ministry of Tourism.