Reggae Sumfest CEO Josef “Joe” Bogdanovich on Sunday, April 13, confirmed iconic Dancehall King Vybz Kartel for Reggae Sumfest 2025.
Bogdanovich flew in from Kingston, Jamaica final weekend to observe Kartel ship back-to-back sold-out performances, on Friday and Saturday, on the 19,000-seat Barclays Middle, downtown Brooklyn.
Whereas in Brooklyn, the Downsound Leisure boss additionally took time to talk with Caribbean Life concerning the upcoming thirty fourth version of Reggae Sumfest, scheduled for Jul. 13–19, 2025, on the Catherine Corridor Leisure Advanced in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“The countdown is now on,” he stated, promising “an unforgettable showcase of Jamaican music” and including that Vybz Kartel will headline the 2025 staging of the pageant.
“He (Kartel) might be on stage for about an hour, and it is going to be a good set,” Bogdanovich stated. “He does issues in a different way each time. Hopefully, it’ll be a distinct set checklist—which I imagine it is going to be.
“He’s not an AI man; he’s an actual man,” he added. “The sky continues to be the restrict for him.”
Becoming a member of Kartel on the star-studded lineup on Friday night time, Bogdanovich disclosed might be Masicka, Tommy Lee Sparta, Govana, Skeng, D’Yani, Laden, Shaneil Muir, and Jah Fabio, whereas Saturday will function Sizzla Kalonji, Tarrus Riley, Protoje, Shenseea, Lala Ike, Fantan Mojah, I-Wayne, Strain and Bugle.
When talking concerning the excessive manufacturing requirements for Reggae Sumfest, Bogdanovich stated, “I believe our monitor file speaks for itself. We’ve finished quite a lot of reveals, particularly with Reggae Sumfest being 34 years previous.
“We’ve actually raised the extent of Sumfest as a world pageant,” he added. “We intention to compete with one of the best on this planet whereas lifting reggae and dancehall music to the extent of world respect it deserves.
“We do issues on time. We do the manufacturing proper. We get the communication with the artist proper to know that you must elevate your sport and be extra accountable,” he continued.
Bogdanovich praised Kartel’s “uncooked and emotional” efficiency Friday night time, telling Caribbean Life it was a robust showcase of the artist’s development and expertise.
“It was an important celebration…It was him [Kartel] in a uncooked form of manner,” he stated. “He was emotional. He gave it to them in a manner that was pure.
“He loved himself, and I believed he gave an excellent efficiency,” Bogdanovich added. “He was emotional and gave it to them in a manner that was pure. I believed it was properly finished.”
Bogdanovich continued to bathe reward on Kartel’s historic efficiency – 20 years after he final visited New York.
“He’s simply a type of gifted entertainers who is correct up there with one of the best on this planet, so far as I’m involved,” he stated. “He’s pondering loads in a different way than he used to—he’s gracious, grateful, and it’s good to see that kind of openness that he by no means had earlier than.
“He’s rising, making the proper choices, and creating in a really good manner,” Bogdanovich added.
