JulyOne is International Reggae Day (IRD) and this year the annual 24-hour global media celebration of the best of Jamaica’s music and culture is being anchored online at ireggaeaday,com and IReggaeDay social media platforms (You Tube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter). IRD has for the past 25 years, highlighted Kingston as the home Jamaican music and sought to showcase the best of Jamaica’s creativity in music, dance, visual art, film, fashion and food while exposing another layer of the Jamaican music legacy and honouring those individuals and institutions who have contributed to the growth and internationalization of Jamaican music.
Jamaica's position as the culturally authentic home of Reggae music, was recently affirmed with the inscription of 'Reggae Music of Jamaica' on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This designation provides an opportunity to highlight Reggae's roots from the backstreets and dance halls of Jamaica, empowered and propelled by Rastafari, to become more than just popular music, but an important social and political global phenomenon.
International Reggae Day 2019 Salutes Reggae Sunsplash and its originators (Tony Johnson | Ronnie Burke | Don Green | John Wakeling | Maxine Walters) as trailblazers, for establishing Reggae’s most important live music platform. Reggae Sunsplash's invaluable role in introducing the world to Reggae music and Jamaica's culture is legendary. Jamaica's best artistes played Reggae Sunsplash to throngs of Jamaicans and visitors who made the trek to Montego Bay annually, creating a summer tourist season for Jamaica which was non-existent before 1978. This year marks 40 years since Bob Marley performed at Reggae Sunsplash, people were sleeping at Miami Airport to get flights to Jamaica and the first time Montego Bay was 100% sold out.
The IRD Salute to Reggae Sunsplash will be reflected in media specials including RJR’s Palav with Gerry McDaniel on June 30th and a series of IRD interviews to be published on ireggaeday.com over the year in honour of the brand. JulyOne broadcast specials, themed playlists and featured interviews will be presented by participating media in a variety of countries including Jamaica, Bahamas, South Africa, Kenya, Brasil and the UK with live shows by Mix Master Jay and others as well as an IRD supplement in The Gleaner UK.
The 24-hour IRD media festival will be complimented on social media by #ThisIsMyReggae posts, Reggae 360X retail specials for fans showing their love for Reggae culture by wearing red gold and green colours on JulyOne. JulyOne is a rallying cry for Reggae fans around the world and for all yogi who are invited to participate in a 1Love meditation which will be led by IRD Yoga Ambassador Universal Empress Nadine McNeil from Bali.
Discount specials will be available from a number of popular Jamaican brands kicking off on June 30th with a special IRD Sunday Brunch at Boone Hall Oasis followed by JulyOne day pop up sales from a variety of brands including Bridget Sandals, Usain Bolt’s Tracks & Records, Jake’s Hotel, Country Farms and Norma’s on Whitehall.
Endorsed events in Kingston complementing the 24-hour media festival include an IRD Forum at UWI “Assessing the State of Reggae Music in Jamaica 50 Years After Its Emergence’ and the Alliance Francaise’s Fete de la Musique concert at 22 Jerk Plus on JulyOne. IRD London, developed in partnership with a UK stakeholders group established in 2017 and chaired by the British Black Music /Black Music Congress, will have a two-day conference at Goldsmith, University of London, tree ceremony in Brent, awards and film screening of Rudeboy – The Story of Trojan Records. Other IRD panels and yoga events will be held in Nairobi, Durban and Bali respectively.
A number of new initiatives will be launched on JulyOne including -
1. Tuff Gong’s new vinyl website
2. Jamaica Music Conference 2020 plans
3. Kingston Creative City of Music logo unveiling - designed by the late great Michael Thompson who also designed the International Reggae Day logo
4. Black Angel Foundation launch supporting music education in Jamaica
The world is invited to wear Reggae colours, play Reggae music, plant a tree for IRD and use #ThisIsMyReggae for posts to join the JulyOne Love movement hosted by Jamaica.
For more information / interviews contact Andrea M. Davis | 876-823-0394 | jamaicaartsholdings@gmail.com