Rising Reggae Star, Meleku and Trinidadian Soca Sensation Orlando Octave Added to “Life Of A Ghetto Youth” Tour Lineup
Fort Lauderdale – International Reggae artist Sizzla Kalonji, alongside Reggae stars Marlon Asher Pressure Busspipe and Ras Shiloh brought high energy, positive vibes and the message of peace, love and unity to Florida, with the launch of the “Life Of A Ghetto Youth” tour.
The eight-city tour, presented by Vas Productions, kicked off in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Saturday, June 10 at Central Broward Stadium before continuing to St. Petersburg, FL at Jannus Live on Sunday, June 11. Fans and fellow artists including Spragga Benz from Jamaica and Vaughn Benjamin from the U.S. Virgin Islands were out in full force to show their support for this movement of Caribbean unity, through conscious Reggae music.
The Life Of A Ghetto Youth mission is simple, its purpose is to elevate conscious Reggae in a way that’s never been done before. The artists shared anecdotes of their experiences with ‘life in the ghetto’ though freestyle sets during their spirited and uplifting performances.
Following the successful reception of the groundbreaking U.S. tour in Florida, the movement is growing by two. Sizzla’s son and rising Reggae star, Meleku and Trinidadian Soca sensation Orlando Octave have also been added to the tour’s North Carolina and Georgia legs, representing the next generation of Conscious, Caribbean music.
“To have the likes of Marlon Asher, Orlando Octave, Pressure BussPipe, Ras Shiloh, Sizzla and the young Meleku, all on one stage is something magnificent. Reggae music is the music you want your kids to grow up listening to. It is the foundation. For older generations Sizzla was the magnet. We gravitated to Conscious Reggae under his order. The younger generations need conscious music as well. Hopefully Meleku can be one of the flag bearers for the next generation of Reggae music ,” said Vychalle Singh of VAS Productions.
The “Life Of A Ghetto Youth” tour is so much more than a series of concerts. It is about promoting and elevating peace and unity as a direct response to ongoing crime in communities throughout the Caribbean and around the world. It’s also an opportunity to combine community outreach and music by using the success of the Sizzla Youth Foundation as the blueprint.
Since 2010, the Sizzla Youth Foundation has turned around a neighborhood in Jamaica once plagued by poverty and crime. 2016 marked the first year there was not a single murder in the August Town neighborhood. The community credits Sizzla’s continued and undeterred efforts as a major factor.
The “Life of a Ghetto Youth” tour aims to repeat that success on a much larger scale. Through targeted appearances and performances in cities along the tour, the artists will use the music that was birthed in the ghettos of the Caribbean to inspire conscious change.
The tour is a precursor to the “Life Of A Ghetto Youth” album. The project, produced by VAS Productions, features an 18-track collection of brand new Reggae hits including “Ghetto Story,” “Rough Love,” “Mary Jane” and “Home Away” performed by the talented group of artists who will represent the best of the Caribbean’s Reggae industry and will carry on the spirit of community activism, peace and unity. The “Life Of A Ghetto Youth” album is now available for pre-order on iTunes. The official album release is set for July 7th.
Vas Productions partnered with Ganja Farmer Official, the apparel and lifestyle brand by Reggae artist Marlon Asher and inspired by his hit song “Ganja Farmer,” to create exclusive “Life Of A Ghetto Youth” tour T-Shirts, 100 percent organic hemp soaps and other branded products.
As the multi-city promotional tour continues to roll out, Reggae fans can expect blazing sets from all the tour headliners as they perform their catalogue of chart-topping hits to thrill audiences from the East Coast to the West Coast.
