It was a surreal moment when Jamaican American businessman Garfield “Chin” Bourne, founder of Sound Chat Radio and Irish and Chin, descended upon the steps of New York City Hall on a steamy day in mid-August. On the special occasion, the Caribbean media and entertainment stalwart received a citation from New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Presented by Jose Bayona, executive director of the Office of Ethnic and Community Media…
On June 16, amid Caribbean American Heritage Month, the “Reels & Riddim” event brought together members of the Caribbean diaspora at Players Club in Gramercy, New York City for an evening of communal joy and thoughtful discussion. For hours, West Indian voices filled and spilled from the venue, flowing steadily from performances of reggae, calypso and soca music, panel discussions, and short films featured in the event’s programming. The event,…
By: Carter Van Pelt New York City is home to some of the best used record shopping in the world, and because of the longstanding Caribbean communities in the 5 boroughs, reggae, dancehall, and soca records abound. While stalwarts VP Records, Charlie’s, Jah Life, and the African Record Center (the oldest in the Northeast) have been continuously operating for 40-55 years, the relative newcomers that have evolved from e-commerce platforms…
Reggae star Anthony B adds the title of concert promoter to resume with the production of the Black and Proud concert which will be staged on Saturday February 25th, 2023 at the Amazura Concert Hall in Queens, New York. The concert features reggae stalwarts Turbulence, Pressure, Perfect Giddimani and 2023 GRAMMY-Award winner Kabaka Pyramid alongside the headlining artist Anthony B who will all perform with a live band. The concept…
VP: How did you get your start in the business? PP: I started in 1989, as a party promoter and DJ. My bredren Terry Midas and I used to rent the legendary Q-Club in Jamaica, Queens from DJ Roy and BMW Mike. Even though the Q-Club was known primarily as a Reggae spot, my “College Thursdays” theme night brought in a diverse crowd, a mix of Americans, Latinos, Asians, and…
Are you a budding chef? Do you have a great Jerk recipe? Win $500 and cook with a Celebrity Chef in our Culinary Pavilion at the 10th annual Grace Jamaica Jerk Festival New York! Create your best Jerk dish and share. Get details at www.jerkfestivalny.com #gracefoods #jerkfestivalny Good Luck! Stream the New Reggae 2022 Playlist on Spotify