WITH just over a month to go before this year’s staging of Reggae Sumfest, the organizers have named their first headliner in the American rapper Common.
The artist is riding a crest at this time following his Academy Award win for the song Glory, a collaboration with singer John Legend which was featured in the film Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay and starring David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey.
The multifaceted artist, actor and poet, will be a welcomed addition to the show noted executive Director of Summerfest Productions Johnny Gourzong.
“We are elated to have a performer of the magnitude of Common on the Reggae Sumfest stage. He is a versatile artist, and undoubtedly he will add something very special that our audience will be able to appreciate. He has a unique and vibrant style that will excite patrons,” Gourzong said
“Patrons have come to expect only the best at Reggae Sumfest. Common is the first of our announcements on this year’s line up, I would say we are off to a great start,” Gourzong added.
Reggae Sumfest 2015 is set for the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex in Montego Bay from July 12-18, with Common performing on the penultimate night — International Night 1 (July 17).
Common will join a string of international artists who have graced the Sumfest stage. This includes Rihanna, Usher, Lionel Richie, Destiny’s Child, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Kerry Hilson, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz, Miguel, Flo Rida, Toni Braxton, and Jason Derulo.
Common arrived on the hip-hop scene in the early ’90s as Common Sense, a rapper who offered an alternative to the prevailing gangsta fare of his contemporaries. This music infuses old school beats with jazz- and funk-influenced lyrics. He won his first Grammy award in 2003 for Love of My Life with Erykah Badu.
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