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The second annual Reggae Genealogy music festival returns on Sunday, February 2 in South Florida, nodding to Reggae Month celebrations. Produced by Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, this family-friendly showcase is expected to feature a rhythmic anthology of Jamaican music, enhanced by dancers, video commentary from legends, and a narrated storyline.
Three Jamaican music icons will receive Lifetime Achievement awards, similar to last year. The 2025 honourees are Inner Circle, the ‘Bad Boys of Reggae’; Wayne Wonder, renowned for the timeless hit No Letting Go; and Donovan Germain, the legendary producer behind artistes like Buju Banton and Beres Hammond.
In 2024, the awards celebrated an all-female line-up: Miss Pat Chin, co-founder of VP Records; Marcia Griffiths, the Queen of Reggae; and Cedella Marley, entrepreneur, author, and steward of the Marley legacy.
A star-studded line-up
In Act I, the playlist, performed live with the backing of Code Red Band, will journey through timeless hits representing mento, ska, Nyabinghi, rocksteady, lovers rock and reggae. Iconic performers like Ernie Smith, Eric ‘Monty’ Morris, Wayne Armond, Ambelique, Shuga, and more, will deliver standout performances alongside lead singer Bobby Rose and dancers from Carimer Theatre. The charismatic Jamaican Consul General Oliver Mair will narrate.
The highlight of the retrospective part of the show will be a tribute set by Jerry Maytals and the Original Maytals Band, honouring the legacy of Toots and the Maytals.
In Act II, the showcase will explore Jamaican music’s evolution and its influence on genres like dub, pop, reggaeton, and Afrobeats. In this future-focused segment, celebrity DJs: DJ GQ of Y100, Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, and DJ Mekka Don of Tu 94.9 will spin sets featuring surprise performers and bringing fresh, contemporary stylings to this captivating celebration of reggae’s global impact.
English (US) ·