Masicka announces Dexta Daps, Shaneil Muir and I-Wayne for inaugural Portmore festival
Key Points(5)
- Dancehall star Masicka will bring several of Jamaica's leading entertainers to his hometown of Portmore for the inaugural Forever 1NE Music Festival on Dec.
- The lineup includes dancehall artistes Dexta Daps and Shaneil Muir, alongside reggae singer I-Wayne, who will join Masicka for the event.
- The performers were announced during the festival's official media launch in Portmore on Monday evening.
- The festival marks a homecoming for Masicka, who said performing in the community where he grew up carries special significance.
- The event comes shortly after the artiste celebrates his 33rd birthday and releases the deluxe edition of his album Forever Reign .
Dancehall star Masicka will bring several of Jamaica's leading entertainers to his hometown of Portmore for the inaugural Forever 1NE Music Festival on Dec. 19 at Caymanas Park.
The lineup includes dancehall artistes Dexta Daps and Shaneil Muir, alongside reggae singer I-Wayne, who will join Masicka for the event. The performers were announced during the festival's official media launch in Portmore on Monday evening.
The festival marks a homecoming for Masicka, who said performing in the community where he grew up carries special significance.
The event comes shortly after the artist celebrates his 33rd birthday and releases the deluxe edition of his album Forever Reign.
Entertainment and Culture Minister Olivia Grange welcomed the initiative, commending Masicka and his team for creating a platform that could generate opportunities beyond the artiste's own performances and recordings.
Speaking at the media launch, Grange described the festival as an important contribution to the continued development of Jamaica's music industry.
"This project from Masicka, who is one of the most dynamic forces on the dancehall scene, is worthy of commendation. It is my pleasure to join you all here for this pivotal moment. First, a big congratulations to Masicka and his team on this important endeavour," she said.
Grange noted that artists could support the industry's growth by creating opportunities for other performers and industry professionals, rather than focusing exclusively on their individual careers.
"There are many ways that artists can help pave the way for the future. One such way is to look beyond their own performances and recordings, and take the initiative to create opportunities that can benefit the wider music industry. This is precisely what Masicka and his team have done with their undertaking of the Forever 1NE Music Festival," she said.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and St. Catherine East Central Member of Parliament Alando Terrelonge also welcomed Masicka's return to Portmore, describing the festival as a source of pride for the community.
"For years Portmore has been the incubator for Jamaica's rawest, most undeniable talent. It is the community that shaped Masicka's career, and to see him return to Portmore as an international headliner, commanding his own festival for the first time in his hometown, it fills every single Portmore resident with pride," Terrelonge said.
He added: "The truth is that we always say home is where the heart is, but tonight, home is where music is, and Masicka, I want to say welcome home."
Grange also reflected on the evolution of Jamaican music, noting that each generation of performers has contributed to reggae and dancehall's international reach.
"Masicka represents a generation that has found its own voice, built its own following and is making its presence felt internationally," she said.
The minister encouraged the artist to continue creating opportunities for fellow Jamaicans while maintaining his connection to the community that supported his career.
The Forever 1NE Music Festival represents a new venture for Masicka, whose latest undertaking will bring established performers from different generations of Jamaican music to Portmore for the December event.
