Masicka thrills Streetz Festival
Joins Afrobeats artistes on Tequila Ever After Tour this month
Published:Monday | September 4, 2023 | 12:06 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Closing out a super eventful summer was the successful Streetz Festival held last Saturday night at the National Stadium Car Park, which had as its main drawing card, dancehall artiste Masicka, performing in Kingston for the first time in nearly five years.
Literally on the cusp of back-to-school and one week after the mega Chris Brown concert at the National Stadium, dancehall fans showed massive support for Masicka, with throngs securing their space at the event from quite early and stayed in place until the Genahsyde deejay took to the stage at 2:17 on Sunday morning.
With the energy of the experienced Ruff Kut band propelling him, Masicka’s entrance created a fanfare in every sense of the word. There was no long talking — that was the domain of some of the selectors who preceded him — as Masicka reeled off hits from his debut album, 438, and pulled for the many singles which his fans knew word-for-word. The Dem a go Dead artiste, who recently mended fences with Aidonia in a move that is being hailed by both fans and critics alike, however, took time out to remind whoever was listening that “mi a gangsta inna real life ... real shotta bwoy in the streets ... no bwoy cyann mek me lef’”. Torches and vuvuzuelas in the hands of fans competed to show approval, as phone busily captured every moment as Masicka “gwaan wid himself” onstage, much like he did, to much plaudits, at Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay in July.
Masicka even called up some of his friends, including Jashii, Lila Ike, Tarrus Riley, Malie Don and the Unruly Boss, Popcaan, who interestingly, was attired in a pair of black pants with a red strip running down the side, similar to that worn by the lawmen.
Masicka, who left the car park buzzing, won the Album of the Year for 438 at the Caribbean Music Awards on August 31, another indication that he is earning his place as “the leader of the next generation of dancehall stars”. He is curently fininshing up his latest album project which is set to be released soon.
Masicka is also in preparation mode for a tour with Afrobeats artistes Adekunle Gold and Nonso Amadi on their Tequila Ever After tour, which starts this month in Dallas, Texas, with Masicka joining September 27 at MGM National Harbor, Washington, DC. Other stops include Kings Theatre – Brooklyn, NY, on September 29; Orpheum Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts on September 30; MTELUS, Montreal, Quebec, October 1; Rebel, Toronto, Ontario, October 3; House of Blues Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, October 6; and The Wiltern, Los Angeles, California on October 14.
The organisers promise that the Tequila Ever After Tour promises will be “a thrilling musical experience as these three talented artistes bring their unique sounds and energy to stages across North America .... [and] an unprecedented musical experience for fans”.
Masicka expressed his excitement about the tour, stating, “I am thrilled to be joining Adekunle Gold and Nonso Amadi on the Tequila Ever After Tour. It’s a remarkable opportunity to connect with fans from different backgrounds and share my music on an international stage. I can’t wait to bring the dancehall energy and give fans an unforgettable experience.”
Masicka, who has has earned an international buzz and widespread acclaim with upwards of 100 million streams independently, according to his handlers, made headlines in February when he signed to the New York-based recording label Def Jam. Tunji Balogun, chairman and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, said at the time that “Def Jam has always been the home for great artistes across the wide spectrum of black music, and Masicka is very much emblematic of that vision”.
His first track under the new deal was a collab with Jashii titled Pieces.
With hits like Top Form, They Don’t Know and Tyrant, Masicka has solidified his place as one of the top dancehall artistes in the industry.
Born Javaun Fearon in 1993, Masicka released his first solo tracks at age 18. His musical style embraces the roots of dancehall and the current trap production. His 2021 studio debut, 438, landed at the second spot of the Billboard Reggae Albums chart a week after its release.