Sting 2016’s New Format to Include Tribute to Dancehall Event
Christmas in Jamaica, is synonymous with cake, sorrel, Grand Market night and Sting! For 33 years this event has been the most anticipated in the Dancehall space across the Globe. Sting represnets the hottest fashion, the latest dances, the controversial clashes, the “bussing” of artistes like Buju Banton; global superstars like Busta Ryhmes, Notorious BIG and Wyclef performed there on Jamaica visits. Ninja Man’s lyrical brawls, the Bounty vs Beenie Man and the Kartel Movado verbal war, the welcome home of Super Cat, all these are historical moments not only in the history of Dancehall but of the island of Jamaica.
Some thought that such history would be interupted this year but the opponents and fighters of Dancehall can’t celebrate just yet because Supreme Promotions promoters of Sting have teamed up with House of Dancehall, the hottest venue in Kingston right now, to put together probably the biggest celebratory Dance in the history of Jamaica on Boxing Day Tuesday December 27th, for Sting 33: A Tribute to Dancehall.
It is well known that this has been one of the toughest years for Dancehall. With two of its greatest still behind bars, the music was banned in Croydon, England, influential persons in Barbados and even Jamaica started initiatives to ban and get rid of the genre. Spice came under attack for performing her regular routine in front of politicians and dignitaries and the nations’ telephone directory was frowned upon because it had a picture of a dancehall scene on the cover.
However, like the Jamaican people, Dancehall is strong and resilient, and one of the great icons of Dancehall, Sting, despite being frowned up on by the sponsors and the powers that be who are determined to kill the one night “ghetto people” and Dancehall fans look forward to, has managed to Re invent itself into One World Sting where the brand will be taken across the world, with the Event on the 27th being used to show the world that Dancehall with its clashes and controversies, is here to stay.
House of Dancehall’s CEO, Michael Dawson, did not mince words when he explained why his Company got involved : “This is a celebration of our music, not the corporations’ music, the music that we, mainly poor people pickney in Jamaica love and enjoy and grow up with. But it is used, abused and discarded by Corporate Jamaica and they think they could take our biggest night away by taking away their financial support. I am sick and tired of people beating down Dancehall, so on December 27th we are going to celebrate it and celebrate it big with one of its biggest icons Sting….and we are celebrating everything about it…the fashion designers, the food, the drinks, the dancing, the sexy ladies but most of all, we are going to celebrate the music.”
This format of Sting will be held at 6 Cargill Avenue at the Whirlwind Entertainment Complex, there will be a stage for live performances by upcoming and past Sting performers, guest selectors and sounds systems that have played at Sting over the years, dancers, cabanas, ultra VIP room for high end patrons with Lobster tail and shrimp, and a whole lot more. “We are going to show the BIG MAN in Jamaica that the little man don’t need his money, we can support our own thing if we unite and defend our music and culture.
