Junior Reid rolls out One Blood Family Fest

Veteran reggae artiste, Junior Reid, believes in family. That’s why family is the central theme of One Blood Family Fest, which will be held on June 3, while also celebrating his 60th birthday at Plantation Cove in St Ann.

“This is a day-and-night affair, and it’s going to be a great event. I am trying to bring back the family in music, we need those bonds, that’s not how we used to live, and I love the youths, we have to show them the right way, the live band is the thing, family is the thing. All the people on the show are like my family, they are my blood, my One Blood family, and this event is showing that we stand for the same thing, and that love is still there in the business,” Junior Reid said.

Fred Locks, Cedric Myton (of The Congos), Winston McAnuff, Sister Carol, Sizzla, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley, Jahmiel, I Wayne, Turbulence, Warrior King, Kiddus-I, Big Youth, Louie Culture, Chezidek and man of the moment, Junior Reid, are all scheduled to perform.

“We need more festivals like this in Jamaica,” Reid said, “When you go Brazil, go to Europe, you have many festivals especially during the summer and these events help to keep reggae music alive.”

Reid is going all out in the promotion of this festival. It was officially launched at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston last Tuesday, with Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, as guest speaker. Her message was one of unity, even as she emphasised the importance of the business side of the music business.

One of the seminal hit-makers in reggae music, Reid joined Black Uhuru in 1986, replacing Mykal Roze and he scored two major hits with the group, Great Train Robbery and Fit You Haffe Fit, before going solo again two years later.

He is perhaps best known for the 1990 hit song with a distinctive hook, One Blood. It has been used by the Wu Tang Clan (One Blood Under W) and The Game for his smash 2006 hit It’s Okay. The One Blood is a cry for unity among warring factions throughout the world and is a rallying cry for ghetto youths in Jamaica.