Pop star Rihanna and Junior Reid at his album launch at Haus Nightclub in New York City, on November 22.—

 With weeks to go before 2015 ends, the Jamaica Observer reaches out in this tri-weekly slot to entertainment personalities for their views on what the year meant to them.MUCH of the past three years has seen Junior Reid working on his first album in over a decade. Titled Junior Reid: The Living Legend, it was finally released in August.

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The singer launched the set at Haus Nightclub in New York City on November 22. Barbadian pop star Rihanna stopped by to show some love.For Reid, who has recorded hit songs with pop acts like Alicia Keys, The Game, and M I M S, it was a pleasant surprise.

“Mi was jus’ happy fi si har… It show sey people appreciate mi works an’ love reggae,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Reid, 52, held similar events for Living Legend in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dubai.

The latter was held just before his November 7 performance at the inaugural Dubai Reggae Festival. It was Reid’s first appearance in the Middle East.

“It was a great vibes…Wi did ’bout six songs from the album, wi do One Blood an’ Foreign Mind. The people crazy fi the music,” said Reid.

Living Legend is Reid’s first studio album in 12 years. It includes songs like Same Boat, Love You Back, Murda (with rapper Lil Wayne) and a cover of Bob Marley’s Guiltiness.

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Reid’s career started in the late 1970s as a protege of roots singer Hugh Mundell. He said 2015 was highly satisfying.

“Every year good fi mi yuh nuh. Living Legend do a lot fi mi…mi go places I neva been before.”

On Saturday, Junior Reid performs alongside Mary J Blige, Rick Ross, Sean Paul, Lil Wayne and Fetty Wap on the Busta Rhymes And Friends show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

— By Howard Campbell

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