DJ Radcliffe and Marco Brown Takeover Carnival in Jamaica

by Howard Campbell

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Stalwarts of South Florida’s party scene, Marco Brown and DJ Radcliffe take the Sunshine State’s vibe here on April 26 for 4D, a soca show at Hope Gardens.

The event takes place after the Easter season when Carnival in Jamaica is at its peak. It also features Kingston-based sound system veterans, DJ Omar C and DJ Bobby Wong.

“Soca fans can expect an electric vibe and great music featuring some throwbacks from the early days of soca all the way to the newest hits that will keep the crowd moving,” DJ Radcliffe promised.

Although 4D will be making its Jamaican debut, DJ Radcliffe and Brown are no stranger to their country’s Carnival season. They agree that there is not much difference between festivities there and South Florida.

“They share the same Caribbean energy, when it comes to costumes, parties and concerts. The one thing I will say is the Jamaican Carnival seems more rooted in its connection to the island’s unique culture,” DJ Radcliffe noted.

There is a strong South Florida presence in Jamaica at Carnival, which traditionally runs from April 23-29 with a series of parties, mainly in Kingston and Ocho Rios.

The season culminates with a colorful Road March in Kingston, with the streets lined by revelers and fans.

Brown has been involved in Jamaica Carnival since the event took off during the 1980s. He is from Clarendon parish while DJ Radcliffe is from Manchester parish both in southern Jamaica. Brown has staged several major events in South Florida for the past 40 years.

Carnival in Jamaica was once limited to small groups of middle-class Jamaicans and persons from the Eastern Caribbean, some of whom worked or studied at the University of the West Indies.

Bandleader Byron Lee, known as leader of the Dragonaires band, changed that in the early 1980s with the launch of Jamaica Carnival which helped expose soca to Jamaicans whose preference was reggae and dancehall music.

Since Lee’s death in November, 2008 at age 73, Jamaica Carnival has declined significantly but its former rivals still attract hundreds of fans to their events.