Masicka brings it home with Forever 1NE

Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange is out to support Masicka at the launch of his upcoming Forever 1NE concert held at D’Ferrano Restaurant & Lounge Rooftop on Monday night. (Photo: Karl Mclarty) Portmore, his birthplace and the community that helped shape his journey, will take centre stage in a defining moment for Masicka when he brings his Forever 1NE music festival to Caymanas Park on December 19. For the dancehall star, the occasion represents more than the staging of a major concert; it is an opportunity to give back to the place he calls home, while demonstrating the possibilities that open up when Jamaican artistes take ownership of their success and create opportunities on their own terms. “This a mi place, Portmore; yah so mi birth, so dis a history,” Masicka declared at Monday night’s official media launch at D’Ferrano Restaurant & Lounge Rooftop, where sponsors, government officials, music industry stakeholders, and fans gathered to celebrate the undertaking. The entertainer, who has spent more than a decade establishing himself as one of dancehall’s leading voices, was visibly at home as he addressed the gathering, expressing gratitude to the team working behind the scenes to bring the festival to fruition. “Big up mi team, because this wouldn’t possible without dem; dem work hard. It’s a great feeling to host this in the community weh mi come from. With everything weh mi achieve inna mi career, me feel like a di right place to give back to,” he said. It is a sentiment that resonates beyond the festivities planned for December. Portmore has long been said to be a breeding ground for Jamaican musical talent, and Masicka’s return as an internationally recognised act, now leading his own festival, is a moment of considerable significance for the municipality. Nicholas Mahfood (left) shakes hands with Josef Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Entertainment, as (from second left) CEO of Main Event Entertainment Group and chairman of Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment (SVREL) Solomon Sharpe, Solomon Sharpe; Gary Peart, executive chairmana of Supreme Ventures, operators of Caymanas Park; and minister of state in the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce Delano Seiveright enjoy the moment at Monday night’s launch of Forever 1NE — set for December 19. (Photo: Karl Mclarty) Minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Member of Parliament for St Catherine East Central Alando Terrelonge captured that pride in his address, welcoming the entertainer back to the community that helped shape his career. “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,” Terrelonge said. “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 praised Masicka as a master lyricist and storyteller whose career reflects patience, dedication. and growth. He also highlighted the potential benefits of the festival for the surrounding community, including increased commercial activity, job creation, and greater tourism visibility. For him, December 19 represents an opportunity to celebrate not only Masicka’s achievements, but also the ability of Jamaican artistes to headline major productions at home. “It’s celebrating a homecoming and proving that when possible, our own Jamaican musicians can headline their own concerts,” he said. Masicka (left) hangs out with Nicholas Mahfood. (Photo: Karl Mclarty) Dominic Bell, communications manager at J Wray & Nephew, which is partnering with the festival through Magnum Tonic Wine, pointed to the work behind Masicka’s success and the significance of the moment for the genre. “Magnum’s Forever 1NE music festival will provide the manifestation of over 15 years of hard work from Masicka, garnering local and international acclaim,” Bell said. “As a lover of dancehall, this is exactly what the culture needs right now.” Minister of Culture and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange, in welcoming the Forever 1NE initiative, commended Masicka for his discipline and for remaining focused on his music. “I want to congratulate him for the example that he has been setting, the focus on the music. Him not ‘chatty chatty’ and run up him mouth and get himself into problems, him focus on him music, and that is what I admire so much about him,” Grange said. She added that artistes have an important role to play in creating opportunities for the wider music industry, noting that Masicka and his team were taking that responsibility seriously through the festival. “Music is entertainment, but it’s also a business,” she said, encouraging fans to support the artiste while reminding him of the responsibility that comes with their continued backing. Dubbing Portmore an incubator for Jamaica’s rawest, most undeniable talent, minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Member of Parliament for East Central Alando Terrelonge said the proposed 15th parish is ready to welcome music lovers from across the world on December 19. (Photo: Karl Mclarty) Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce Delano Seiveright said the festival could help reinforce the municipality’s importance beyond its reputation as a residential community. “Masicka is a game-changer and he is showing us what game-changing looks like,” Seiveright said. “Portmore is important to us. Over 200,000 people live in Portmore. It’s not just a residential community, it’s a place for business, a place for retail, and it’s going to become a place again for major events.” Caymanas Park, the festival venue, is central to that ambition. Gary Peart, of Supreme Ventures, operators of Caymanas Park, said the property was poised to broaden its identity beyond horse racing and establish itself as a major entertainment destination. “Everybody sees Caymanas as horse racing, the reality is that it’s going to be the biggest entertainment place in Jamaica,” Peart said, inviting patrons to witness a different side of the venue when Forever 1NE takes place. Chief executive officer of Main Event Entertainment Group Solomon Sharpe, himself a Portmore native, said considerable work was already under way to deliver a production worthy of the occasion. Sheldon Whyte (left), brand manager, Magnum Tonic Wine, and Masicka (Photo: Karl Mclarty) “We really want to put on a good production. Masicka is the biggest, baddest thing around town, and at Main Event we will try our best to keep up with him,” Sharpe said. He disclosed that the team had already conducted six or seven site visits and reworked the venue layout several times, with an extensive range of production elements being considered. The scale of the preparations is matched by a line-up designed to bring together some of dancehall and reggae’s distinctive voices. Joining Masicka on December 19 will be Dexta Daps, Shaneil Muir, and I Wayne, with additional surprise guests expected to make appearances. And while the night’s full musical offering remains under wraps, those at Monday’s launch received a brief preview of what Masicka has in store. His performance was short but powerful, offering a taste of the commanding stage presence that has helped propel him to the forefront of the genre. Masicka promised that the December staging would be anything but ordinary. “December 19 nah go normal. Me and mi musical bredda dem ago create a pandemonium,” he declared.