Welcoming Reggae Month
Reggae Month was officially proclaimed and first staged in 2008, spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture and powered by the Jamaican Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA). The focus of Reggae Montnhy6jm7u is “edutainment,” highlighting Jamaica’s musical history and heritage.
The annual celebration has been a huge success, attracting on average 40,000 attendees each year. The success is made possible by the overwhelming support of media partners and music industry practitioners, in addition to dedicated government and corporate sponsors who share the Reggae Month vision.
The goal of Reggae Month is to attract international acclaim for Jamaica as the Reggae mecca of the world, enhance travel and tourism for the month of February, and provide an educational platform of entertainment for all ages.
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Happy Birthday Dennis Emmanuel Brown (Feb 1st)
We remember and celebrate the anniversary of Dennis Emmanuel Brown’s birthday – February 1st.
Dennis Brown’s charisma and enthusiasm for life and music is heard on every song he recorded and could be seen every time he touched the stage. There is no denying this Reggae giant impacted the hearts of Reggae lovers, radio personalities and fans of music.
Brown’s cover versions of “Never, Never, Never” (Shirley Bassey), “Black Magic Woman” (Fleetwood Mac) and “Little Green Apple” (Roger Miller) earned him attention from mainstream platforms while his core audience cheered on his covers, and originals such as “Money In My Pocket,” “Wild Fire” and the classic “Love & Hate (Here I Come).”
There is no measure grand enough to cover the expanse of Brown’s impact on Reggae and her community. With love and gratitude, we thank the Universe for sharing his energy with us for the time that it did. Happy Birthday Dennis Emmanuel Brown – The Crown Prince of Reggae.
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Happy Birthday Bob Marley (Feb 6th)
Sunday, February 6, would have been the legends 77th birthday, and today we honor the rich musical legacy he has left for the world to enjoy and learn from.
As a singer, songwriter, and musician, Bob is considered as one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, as well as his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley’s contributions to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and made him a global figure in popular culture.
His music, though decades old, still sits in the top 5 on most charts and he is known as a Rastafari icon in part because of his infusion of his spirituality with his music, and too because of the way he lived and treated others.
Born in Nine Mile, Jamaica, Marley began his professional musical career in 1963, after forming the Teenagers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, which after several name changes would become the Wailers. The group released its debut studio album The Wailing Wailers in 1965, which contained the single “One Love.”