Bogdanovich: No fluff at Reggae Sumfest this year

YG Marley, who achieved stardom with his reggae hit Praise Jah in the Moonlight, a track that samples Bob Marley’s hit Crisis, will descend on Jamaica’s Second City for his Reggae Sumfest début on Friday, July 19. To determine whether YG was worthy of a Sumfest call, in April, Sumfest head honcho Joe Bogdanovich flew 2,000-plus miles to Indio, California, to attend Coachella to see the young Marley perform live.

“Reggae Sumfest will feel the energy of YG Marley and his positive and youthful stance, living in two cultures ... reggae and hip hop,” Bogdanovich told The Gleaner recently.

Bogdanovich is confident that he made the right decision to book YG, the son of Rohan Marley and pop icon Lauryn Hill.

“He [YG] has a big opportunity to make a big difference with the new generation at Reggae Sumfest 2024. It will be an out-of-this-world experience when he hits the stage,” he declared.

Forty-five years ago, YG’s grandfather, Bob Marley created tremors at Jarret Park in Montego Bay at Reggae Sunsplash. He was mobbed by fans at what was his last performance on Jamaican soil. The Reggae King, backed by the Wailers band, enthralled fans with hits Jamming, Get Up, Stand Up, and No Woman No Cry. Bob was joined on stage by sons Ziggy and Stephen for the show closer, Exodus.

Besides YG, other performers set to perform at Sumfest this year include Babyface, Beres Hammond, Capleton, Dexta Daps, Teejay, Aidonia, Valiant, Jada Kingdom, 450, Kraff, Malie Donn, Turbulence, Pablo YG, Munga Honorable, Nigy Boy, Marcy Chin, Kaka Highflames, and Jquan, among others.

“The line-up is excellent,” Bogdanovich boasts, “and the production will knock ya out.”

Asked about what it takes to put together the festival, Bogdanovic said: “Staging Reggae Sumfest is never easy. This year, more than any time before, we are focused on reducing the number of artistes and getting better performances from each of them. No fluff, just inspired, confident delivery. But it’s not easy to get the right combination of artists that will excel, so we are putting in the work.”

The Sumfest head honcho has booked Babyface, the first non-reggae act since 2016. Other important changes include strategically placed Sumfest billboards in New York’s Times Square and the iconic Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto.

“It’s exciting to reinvent yourself and experience something new,” he shared. “We will have something for everyone that elevates.”