Miami’s Rick Ross was integral part this year at the Haiti stop of the annual Starfest Multi-Cultural Music Festival, which drew an estimated 500,000 fans.
The star-studded event was founded to enthrall Caribbean and other international music fans with music sets featuring the best artists in the realms of Zouk, Compa, Reggae, Jazz, R&B, and Hip-Hop.
Adding to the music are parties, art exhibits, talents shows, food, and cultural awareness events. Also, Starfest brings an additional educational element by illuminating the issues of the Caribbean community.
According to festival founder and president DJ Louis, Ross received a huge reception for his performance despite being the only big name Hip-Hop act on the bill, which featured international stars such as Black Dada, Shabba Dkakout, Chale Republik, and RockFam.
“This was truly for a great cause which made it even more beautiful, but it also speaks as a global movement that is more than just about the music,” Louis explained to AllHipHop.com in a prepared statement. “Along with Ross, we visited hospitals, several boys and girls group homes, and showed love to the men in duty in Haiti. It is a true blessing for the Starfest team to see the results in motion. Again, it wasn’t just about the great music, thank you to everyone that supports our movement including Rick Ross. I cannot stop thanking God for what just happened: it was not a walk in the park in any way. The work is still not done, but with the help of God, all things are possible. We have 15 more countries still to go.”
Rick Ross’ third LP, Deeper Than Rap, was released in April, and was his third album to debut #1 on Billboard’s Top 200. His latest project was the Triple C’s debut Custom Cars & Cycles, which dropped on October 27.
At press time, Ross is on tap for 3 projects in 2010, including a new solo album (Teflon Don), a collaboration LP with Birdman (H), and Triple C’s sophomore offering (tentatively titled Color, Cut, Clarity).