MIAMI – It’s proven that hip-hop originated from rap, which was spawned from dub, which is the stepchild of reggae, whose current offspring is dancehall. It’s also a fact that no other music event in North America showcases reggae and hip-hop like BEST OF THE BEST. The international music festival, billed as the “Best Caribbean Show in North America,” will be fusing Caribbean and mainstream urban flavors on Sunday, May 24th at Bicentennial Park in Miami, Florida.
Reggae and its offshoot hip-hop have seen no bigger stage than BEST OF THE BEST, presented by Miami-based premier promotions company, JBJ Entertainment. With a lineup that includes Rick Ross, who currently has the #1 hip-hop album this week on Billboard (Deeper Than Rap), and the top dancehall, reggae and soca acts from the Caribbean, BEST OF THE BEST is definitely delivering its promise of bringing you the top artists in this ultimate showdown of these genres.
“Hip-hop lovers love reggae and reggae lovers love hip-hop,” states DJ Khaled, president of Def Jam South and a featured artist on this year’s bill. “It’s the best of the best – the best of both worlds. The energy of both genres is just amazing.”
Rick Ross also appreciates the reggae genre, so much so that he has signed a Jamaican dancehall artist called Magazeen to his Mayback Music Group. Magazeen is also featured on his new album, on the reggae-tinged “Yatch Club,” and on BEST OF THE BEST alongside Ross.
“When it comes to reggae, I’m a huge fan of it and I’m very selective of the artists that I choose to get caught up with,” discloses Ross. “My first encounter with reggae was Bob Marley so I try to stay in that realm with artists like Capleton, Sizzla and Mavado, and that’s exactly what BEST OF THE BEST is. When I first heard the lineup, I was going to come and jump out and surprise everyone but we made it official.”
Dancehall star Elephant Man is the only Caribbean artist signed to a major hip-hop label. Inking a deal with Bad Boy, his latest album is a potpourri of dancehall and hip-hop, the same formula for BEST OF THE BEST. “I love hip-hop because it reminds me of reggae,” reveals Elephant Man. “The beats and the flow we use in reggae dancehall are the same beats and flow they use in hip-hop. The baseline patterns and grooves are the same, so I love it just like I love dancehall – same way, no difference.”
In addition to Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and Elephant Man, the show will be hosted by T-Pain and features a star-studded bill that includes Jeezy, Beenie Man, Mavado, Bounty Killer, Serani, Wayne Wonder, Capleton, Destra, Tony Matterhorn, Spice, Kip Rich, Flippa Mafia, Christopher Martin, Cocoa Tea, Ras Penco, Ce’Cile and The Stones.
VIBE, TEMPO, TRACE, ALLHIPHOP.com, 24hourhiphop.com and Outaroad.com have been added as media partners for the show, which takes place at Bicentennial Park, located at 1075 Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. Park gates open at 1:00 pm and show time is set for 1:30pm sharp. The 10-hour event does not end there. Everyone is invited to the official Best of the Best After Party, at Bongos Nightclub (located behind the American Airlines Arena), immediately following the show.
