Catherine
Hall Park in Montego Bay, Jamaica was flooded with Reggae music’s hottest talent accompanied by thousands of local and international fans
during the 15th annual Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, July
15th-21st. Sumfest,
Jamaica’s only annual week long music festival dedicated to supporting
and promoting the lands indigenous music, was divided into three nights
of live performances. “Explosion” was strictly for the Dancehall lovers while
“Evolution,” delivered an authentic Culture vibe while pleasing a
diverse crowd with electrifying performances by Hip-Hop legend LL Cool
J and Soca phenomenon Alison Hinds. The final show, “Zenith,” closed
the concert series on a higher level, featuring Roots and Rockers
favorites, Richie Spice and Beres Hammond, alongside the Queen of Hip
Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, who definitely gave Jamaica a show to
remember.Sumfest jumped off Thursday, July 19th with
energy infused performances by Dancehall veterans Bounty Killer, Beenie
Man, Movado, Lady Saw, Vybz Kartel, Elephant Man, Baby Cham, Assassin
and Ninja Man, not to mention a slew of the island’s freshest artistry
(Munga Hounourable and Aidonia) that also pleased the hefty crowd that
night.Clothed
in a crisp green military suit looking nothing less than ready for
battle, Dancehall’s gun talking Warlord, Bounty Killer, strode on stage
taking attendees on a musical journey with classics like “Sufferah,”
“Ghetto Dictionary” and “Mystery” right before advising Ninja Man, who
entertained the patrons earlier in the show, to stay off drugs and to
keep the “Killa’s” name out his mouth.Fireworks
lit the early morning sky, horns blew out of control and a non-violent crowd of more than 21,000 people went crazy when Movado,
stormed on stage full of emotion, crying out new hits like, “Dying,”
“Me and My Dogs,” and ladies x-rated favorite, “Squeeze Breast,”
undoubtedly reaching the climax of the evening. Concert goers sang in
unison to every single Movado song, showing the extra raw deejay nuff
love.The
international Energy God, Elephant Man danced around stage with half
yellow, half red hair while delivering new and old hype up tunes,
pulling members from the audience to participate in his notorious, on
stage, dry sex sessions. Lady Saw bruk’ out to “Hice It Up” and “Sycamore Tree” before going into more heartfelt ballads like “No Less Than a Woman” and “Not World’s Prettiest” from her 2007 release Walk Out.Cute
face ladies man, Assassin, flew through songs from his debut Infiltration with a satisfying stage presence and intriguing lyrical
prowess, while Baby Cham visited a time when he had bashment’s on lock
with hits like “Ghetto Pledge” and “Man & Man.”“Evolution” and “Zenith” brought an easy vibration to Jamaica’s 15th
Annual Sumfest, but it was the opening show, “Explosion” that made
2007’s music festival an exciting part of Reggae music history.
