IRD Press release #4

International Reggae Day was celebrated across the Globe according to Billboard.biz

"International Reggae Day Celebrated Across the Globe" as parties, concerts and tree plantings were hosted from Jamaica to Brasil, New York City to South Afrika.

IRD 2011 wrapped on Sunday July 3 as Raging Fyah sent Far Away vibes from Wickie Wackie to South Africa where several radio stations joined together to plant revolutionary trees in Soweto.

In South Afrika, Reggae producers and presenters of several radio programmes endorsed IRD 2011 and extended the 24 hour celebration to a weekend to also honour the Afrikan Reggae messengers as well. They planted revolutionary trees inna Soweto, Orlando West on the 3rd of July 2011 in the morning and later organised with the reggae media community with conscious roots reggae tunes and promote local reggae artistes based inna Soweto and surrounding ghettos.

In Jamaica celebrations kicked off with the 'Saluting Reggae Vanguards' symposium at UWI Mona on Thursday June 30th featuring speakers Mutabaruka, Ibo Cooper, Evah Gordon, Dr. Carolyn Cooper and Dr. Michael Cooper with accoustic tributes by Jah 9, Raging Fyah, Proteje, Uprising Band, Sherieta Lewis, Passion Minott and Itency Mau Mau. Jamaican celebrations continued on July 1st at Bridget Sandals as shoppers wearing their Reggae colours opened the summer sale with VIP discounts on their purchases for IRD. July 1 parties around the island included:

• Plug n Play @ Wyndham with Wayne Marshall
• Conscious Reggae Party launch @ Bob Marley Museum featuring Uprising Band
  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Sumfest-promoters-under-fire-from-Muta-and-Cordel-Green_9129611
• Iration Ites Vinyl Party IRD Edition @ Tuff Gong
• Red Bones Live featuring
• Jake's Hotel

IRD 2011 produced a one hour TV special called ROOTS.ROCK.REGGAE. featuring Reggae Ambassador Luciano and some of the brightest of Jamaica's Generation Next talent including Raging Fyah, Jah 9, Jesse Royal and Chantelle Ernandez. The special premiered on July 1st on media partner TVJ and can be viewed on the newly designed ireggaeday.com website. The IRD spotlight special was complimented by a CD compilation issued to IRD media for July 1 which featured new releases from these artistes as well as Sizzla, Tarrus Riley, TOK, Leba and Sherieta Lewis.

In New York City, Spur Tree Lounge hosted a VIP reception on July 1st to celebrate IRD while Also on July 1 Steel Pulse headlined a Reggae celebration in New York's Prospect Park while other Reggae Ambassadors announced the day on stages around the world. NY media partner Coalition to Preserve Reggae (CPR) hosted an IRD endorsed June 28th forum to explore the impact of Reggae on urban music in America. The CPRLive monthly Real Talk Roundtable examined international perspectives on reggae music with Phil Benn (Trinidad), founder and president of Music Research Lab, radio host Dee Barbee (USA), Kool Herc, (JA/USA) "The Father of Hip Hop" and DJ Hard Hitting Harry (Haiti).

The Bambas Dois project launched on July 1st in Sao Paulo, Brasil with a media party attended by the some of Brasil's most important Reggae artistes and musicians as well as MTV Brasil and other media to celebrate IRD and spotlight the two singles from Sizzla and Jesse Royal featuring Karina Buhr of Brasil, being released from the album. The project is a creative collaboration between Brasilian musicians and Jamaican artistes including Sizzla, Kymani Marley, I-Wayne, Queen Ifrika, Tony Rebel, U-Roy and others.