Promoters of Africa Meets Reggae and World Music International Festival (AMR) expect continued growth for its third staging on November 26.
The event, which is dominated by artistes from host country Nigeria, takes place at the National Stadium in Lagos, that country’s previous capital.
The line-up includes Nigerian singers Majek Fashek and Victor Essiet and his Mandators band, artists who helped put African reggae on the map. Essiet is founder and promoter of Africa Meets Reggae.
“The expectations for this year are to show the growth of the festival and the resurgence of reggae by the young up-and-coming artistes, as well as the veterans like myself and Majek Fashek that paved the way for the music,” Essiet told the Jamaica Observer.
King Wadada and Small Doctor, emerging Nigerian artists, are also scheduled to perform. So too is Belizean singer Eljai.
Essiet is hoping for an audience of 20,000 this year. The 2015 Africa Meets Reggae saw an increase of 5,000 fans from the inaugural event in 2014 which attracted over 10,000.
He stressed the importance of having current acts on the show to attract a younger crowd.
“The fans are lovers of both traditional reggae and the new, modern sounds of the younger artists. There is something for everyone while keeping with the overall vision and message of the festival and its music,” Essiet said.
Essiet and Fashek came to prominence during the 1980’s when there was strong interest in traditional sounds (known as world beat) and reggae from Africa.
Many artists from the continent, including Fashek and Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour, were signed to international record labels.
— By Howard Campbell
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