Julian, Skip Marley, Luciano To Headline Jamaican Day Reggae Event In Paris During Olympics, Says Grange

Julian Marley, his nephew Skip, and Luciano are to headline a Jamaican Day mega-reggae event staged by the Government of Jamaica on August 9 in Nanterre, Paris, France.

According to Entertainment and Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange, the events, which coincide with the staging of the Olympic games, which run from Friday, July 26, to Sunday, August 11, are being staged in a bid to foster cultural diplomacy and to ‘take Paris by storm’.

Grange made the announcement during her presentation in the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representaives on Tuesday, where she also revealed that gospel singer Kevin Downswell, will also perform at another event two days later.

“So we will use the opportunity of Paris 24 to engage in cultural diplomacy. We will be partnering with the city of Nanterre to stage Jamaica Day on Friday August 9, which will culminate with a mega Reggae event – a reggae concert featuring Julian Marley, Skip Marley and Luciano,” Grange said.

“And then on August 11 we will partner with the CRC Church in Paris to stage Jamaica praise featuring Kevin Downswell. So we’re hitting Paris by storm,” she added.

The Minister also said that during the period, the twinning of Nanterre and Spanish Town, the former capital of Jamaica and the birthplace of artists such as Chronixx, Koffee, Papa San, Lady G, Govana, and D’ Angel, will be finalized.

“The Mayor of Nanterre and the Mayor of Spanish Town [who] will be going to Paris, will sign a partnership agreement which will see the start of a mutually beneficial partnership between the people of Nanterre and Spanish Town,” she explained.

More than 1,000 Jamaicans are reportedly living in France. Nanterre itself, is home to the Paris La Défense Arena which is one of the Olympic stadiums for Paris 2024 and, will be hosting the swimming events and the Water-Polo finals of the 2024 Olympic Games.

According to Olympics.com, Nanterre has a population of nearly 100,000 residents, “as many workers, and 50,000 students”.

Nanterre is also described as a city of solidarity, a cosmopolitan city, and a sporting city, with high-quality infrastructure, more than 11,000 licensees and practitioners, a professional basketball club permanently established in the French first division and twice winner of a European Cup.

As for France, in December last year, during the launch of Rebel Salute, French Ambassador Olivier Guyonvarch had declared that his homeland is the No. 2 Reggae country on the planet.

Sixteen Reggae music festivals have been announced for various cities in France between June and August this year.

Among them are the four-day La Nuit de l’Erdre in Nort-Sur-Erdre, which features Sean Paul; the Sun Ska Festival which features The Wailers and Buring Spear, which runs from August 2 to 4; the Nomade Music Festival which features Julian Marley in Anglefort and the No Logo Festival in Fraisans, which features Kabaka Pyramid and runs from August 9 to 11.