Library of Congress, Miami Bakery, NAACP, and Fat Joe Make This #ReggaeFriday, Plus Much More

Volume 1, Issue 24 || Visit ReggaeFriday.Life || Curated playlist on YouTube Music || Also follow #ReggaeFriday on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy Tuesday on the #ReggaeFriday. It's been a hectic last two weeks at work hence the delay in posting this update. But now, it's time to slip away and get those Caribbean vibes going on for the rest of the week. Let's get started beginning with Puerto Rican bakery items.

Nicky Jam Opens Latin Bakery at Bayside Marketplace (Miami) 

Nicky Jam is getting into the carb business. The reggaeton singer (real name: Nick Rivera Caminero) announced the opening of his La Industria Bakery on Instagram a few days ago.

Apparently, you can order all the pancakes you want at this place, located at Bayside Marketplace. The menu will also include favorites from Venezuela, as well as Puerto Rico, where the Massachusetts- born singer, 40, grew up.

The brunch spot already has its own Instagram page, with 50K plus followers. Mouth watering pictures include Nutella French toast and an arepa stuffed with shredded chicken and gouda cheese called the “Blondie.”

The Number of Caribbean Islands Offering Remote-work Visas Expands

Dominica and Montserrat are the latest destinations to offer opportunities for digital nomads to power up their laptops in a tropical setting.

Remote-work programs have sprung up across the Caribbean, as islands look to entice long-term visitors who contribute to the hospitality economy. The programs require visitors to stay in certified, approved properties -- hotels, resorts, villas and Airbnbs. Many are beachfront, and some properties offer discounts for long stays.

The chance to relocate and work remotely was first launched by Barbados with its Welcome Stamp program in July and was followed by Bermuda's One Year Work program in August, which allowed non-Bermudians to relocate their home and office to the 21-square-mile island for research study or remote work. Others islands followed: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Although the border in the Cayman Islands has not yet reopened for leisure visitors, the destination launched its remote work Global Citizen Concierge Program last October. The program includes a nonrefundable, annual fee of $1,465 for up to two people with an additional $500 yearly per dependent. It recently added a $250 incentive for travel advisors for each successful referral. The destination has netted more than $170,000 in application fees since it began the program, according to the Cayman Compass. As of mid-March, 129 applications had been received and of that number, 73 applications covering 178 people have been approved.

The newest entry is Dominica with its extended-stay visa program dubbed Work in Nature (WIN), which offers remote workers, digital nomads, academics, families and those on sabbaticals to work remotely for up to 18 months on the island.

Dominica has high-speed internet, modern health-care facilities, educational options for families and opportunities to join for volunteer programs. Online applications are $100. Responses are provided within seven days and confirmed applicants have a three-month grace period to relocate to the island. Visa fees are $800 for individuals and $1,200 for families.

Americans Are Most Looking Forward to a Caribbean Vacation as Vaccines Ramp

With the rise of vaccination forecasted to bring travelling back to normalcy, Americans are eager to take a much-needed vacation. According to a finance website survey, 57 percent of consumers have a trip planned for 2021, with 16 percent saying they booked the trip right after hearing that the COVID-19 vaccine rollout had begun. Moreover, recent data from travel search site Kayak showed that Caribbean destinations are the most searched international destinations out of US airports.

In response to the uptick, American Airlines is planning to fly all its planes in May. The company is working to increase flight frequencies and cities across its network, including a rapid expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean.

If you know me then you know my enthusiasm for Belize. The small Central American country the size of Massachusetts and populated by about 400 thousand residents is a part of multiple Caribbean trade groups including The Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA). They have multiple direct flights from major U.S. cities including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, and New York. From New York, United Airlines has direct flights Saturday and Sunday mornings out of Newark. June through September they will add a a flight on Friday morning.

Puerto Rico Imposes $100 Mask Fines, Heightens Police Efforts As It Grapples with Aggressive Tourists

The current executive order in Puerto Rico, enacted on Feb. 8, says masks must be worn at all times, including outdoors. The island's curfew also runs from midnight to 5 a.m., and businesses are allowed to stay open until 11 p.m. However, over the past few weeks, local officials say that the situation has gotten better due to a heightened police presence. 

Low-cost flights, cold weather in the U.S. and boredom due to COVID-19 lockdowns have enticed many travelers from the U.S. to visit the island territory during its peak season for travel, which runs from mid-December to mid-March.

Brown Tide of Sargassum Threatens Caribbean Tourist Beaches

A decade after the first sargassum blooms were spotted in the South Atlantic, these massive brown mats of macro-algae represent one of the largest ecological threats to the Caribbean, a mega-diverse region whose tens of millions of inhabitants heavily depend on tourism and natural resources.

Now 2021 looks like it will be particularly bad, scientists predict. The floating sargassum bloom has shown accelerated growth since December, according to satellite monitoring reports carried out by the University of South Florida and NASA.

“The crisis is coming again for the Caribbean coasts,” warns Alejandro Bravo Quesada, specialist in marine oceanography and the director of Ocean Solutions Mexico. Meanwhile, the suspected causes of this sargassum surge - including deforestation and increased fertilizer use in the Amazon region, along with climate change - are continuing unabated.

The latest reports show the amount of sargassum in the sea went from 3.2 million tons in December to 4.6 million tons in February - four times more than reported in February 2020. The monitoring reports indicate this is comparable to the record amounts seen in 2018 and 2019, when the brown sargassum tide transformed the Caribbean coasts of turquoise waters and white sands.

Currently, there are several proposals to harvest and process the sargassum in the Caribbean, a measure that would solve part of the problem by transforming the algae into a resource with commercial value, according to promoters.

One of the most advanced projects is from the company Dianco Mexico, which plans to start operations in Cancun in mid-April to transform sargassum into biofertilizer. Another planned product of the company is cellulose. Other proposals suggest the algae can be used in the livestock feed industry, in the cosmetic industry or to generate biofuel.

But to Adán Caballero, the research available to date on the algae of the New Sargasso Sea is not enough to establish its potential use, because the contaminants it contains could represent a risk to public health.

Fat Joe Credits Elephant Man’s Dancehall Dance Moves For Inspiring Hit Song ‘Lean Back’

Bronx, New York rapper Fat Joe says if it weren’t for the Dancehall and Reggae movement back in the mid-2000s, he wouldn’t have created his hit single "Lean Back" that has had fans around the world leaning back for the last 17 years.

The track was one of Joe’s biggest releases under the Hip Hop group Terror Squad, which included himself, Remy Ma, DJ Khaled, the late Big Pun plus others. After its release in the summer of 2004, "Lean Back" topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts, grabbing major buzz in the media and massive airplay on the club scene.

Now almost two decades later, Fat Joe admits that the hook, which motion dancers to simply ‘lean’ or slowly throwback a shoulder to the beat was inspired by Jamaican dance moves like the Rockaway and Signal The Plane. The hook even says, “My n-ggas don’t dance, they just pull up their pants and do the Rockaway and lean back lean back…”

If you'd like to learn these moves for your next TikTok video, then learn how by clicking HERE or the image below:

In speaking with Dancehall sensation Sean Paul on his Instagram show TFJS, Joe said, “I made lean back because of the Reggae movement. So when I come up with the hook, all that Signal The Plane and Rockaway everybody was doing all that and I said man I need a hook like the Reggae guys.”

Moved by the admission, Paul said he loved it when other artists like Joe are influenced by the genre and go on to release songs that turn into huge hits. “Respect bro! So off a dat inspiration, off ah what people doing in Reggae and Dancehall you create a classic Hip Hop joint man,” he said. “That feeling …you can’t explain that to nobody.”

Koffee Wins NAACP Image Award For Hit Song “Lockdown”

Jamaican recording star Koffee, 21, received an award honoring her hit single “Lockdown” at the 52nd annual National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) image awards ceremony. Koffee’s recording was named “Outstanding International Song” by the organization, beating out her Jamaican musical collaborator Buju Banton, whose song “Blessed” was also nominated in this category. Koffee and Banton received a double nomination in the Outstanding International Song category for their collaboration “Pressure.” Koffee’s “Lockdown” was also chosen ahead of the African afro-beats artists Davido and Tiwa Savage, who were also nominated in the category.

“Lockdown,” which was produced by Dane Ray, explores the hopes and dreams of people who are forced to alter their previously laid-back ways of living to accommodate the changes in society brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The video of the song was released on July 12, 2020, in the middle of the pandemic featuring Popcaan, Dane Ray, and other members of the Unruly group and quickly reached millions of YouTube views within days of its debut.

The NAACP image awards are designed to honor people of color for their achievements in music, television, film, and literature. The organization also recognizes people of color who promote social justice via their creative endeavors.

Jamaica was also represented at the NAACP image awards by Skip Marley, the grandson of reggae icon Bob Marley and son of Cedella Marley in the category of “Outstanding New Artist.” The American singer Doja Cat was the winner in this category.

J Balvin Plans NEóN Experience At Resorts World Las Vegas

Reggaeton megastar J Balvin is setting up shop in Las Vegas from Sept. 16-19 with his NEóN Experience hotel takeover at Resorts World Las Vegas on the Strip. He is inviting Karol G, Tainy, Jhay Cortez, Rauw Alejandro, Sky Rompiendo, and Alex Sensation. Balvin will also be performing. 

Many of the events at the new resort will take place at the entertainment venues Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub. The schedule, already available, has Karol G headlining the welcoming night on Sept. 16, J Balvin headlining on Sept. 17, and Rauw Alejandro and Jhay Cortez on Sept. 18. Tickets to the event are available now.

J Balvin has become a torchbearer for the reggaeton genre, becoming the first artist to earn 13 Latin Grammy nominations in a year. The achievement was particularly significant as many felt the entire genre of Reggaeton and urban music had been snubbed the year before. 

Library of Congress Tunes In To ‘The Harder They Come’ Soundtrack

The soundtrack for seminal Jamaican film, The Harder They Come, has been added to the prestigious Library of Congress National Recording Registry, making it only the second reggae album to be so recognized. In 2007, Burnin’, the sixth studio album by iconic reggae band, The Wailers, was also awarded that distinction.

The announcement was made yesterday morning (Mar. 24) by Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. The Harder They Come – the album – is one of 25 recordings named audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time, based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.

Much praise has been heaped on reggae icon Jimmy Cliff by the library. “In the case of reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who starred in the first Jamaican-produced feature film, The Harder They Come in 1972, the movie soundtrack featuring six songs recorded by Cliff has been credited with taking reggae worldwide while also presenting other reggae stars to a global audience,” a press release from Hayden stated.

Those joining Jimmy in the Library of Congress' selection this year is Nas' debut album Illmatic and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 as well as sports announcer (and former New York Yankees baseball player) Phil Rizzuto's play-by-play of Roger Maris' 61st home run (on 10/1/1961).

#ReggaeFriday Weekend Soundtrack

This week I cover only one album release from Karol G and two teasers from H.E.R and Jimmy Cliff.

Karol G | KG0516

Intense reggaeton rhythms synthesize with calm pop vocals in the newest album by reggaeton’s current queen Karol G. On March 25, the Colombian singer released “KG0516,” a title that commemorates the day her parents first signed her stage name into existence: the genesis of Karol G.

Born Carolina Giraldo Navarro in Medellín, Colombia in 1991, she has since risen meteorically to fame as Karol G. As one of the most successful female musicians ever in the reggaeton genre, her newest album embraces this status and dispels some of the stereotypes that often surround women in the music industry and a genre as male-dominated as reggaeton. 

The 16-track LP features a range of reggaeton icons as well as emerging ones. Look for ex-boyfriend Anuel AA, Ivy Queen, J Balvin, Wisin & Yandel, Nicky Jam, Ozuna, Camilo, and Zion to make an appearance on tracks "Location," "Odisea" "Contigo voy a Muerte," and "Leyendas" that never disappoint. Also, nice to see that hip hop artists Ludacris ("Beautiful Boy") and Nicki Minaj ("Tusa") show up. Watch "Location" featuring her ex Anuel AA and Ozuna by clicking HERE or image below:

“KG0516” begins with a pop-reggaeton fusion in “Déjalos Que Miren,” a love ballad presumably directed at her ex-fiancée Anuel AA, another famous Reggaeton musician. From there, the album quickly evolves into one characterized by female empowerment, which seemingly reflects Karol G’s own journey to the top of the music world.

In time for the release of her new album, KG0516 , Karol G told Los Angeles Times, “For years, I heard that women do not do reggaeton,” she says. “Reggaeton and urban music belong to men, but as a woman, you belong to men.”

The reggaetonera recalled how in the early 2000s, during early talks with her now-label, an executive had tried to steer her away from the genre, citing that one of the only other women in reggaeton, Puerto Rican MC Ivy Queen, was both “reggaeton’s most visible and its most despised woman” largely due to her feminist verses.

“Women are on a whole other level now,” she adds. “We are well prepared to lead. We’ve earned it, and we will fight for it.”

(Stay Tuned!) H.E.R. Reveals Upcoming EP Is ‘Gonna Feature A Lot Of Reggae Artists’

American R&B singer H.E.R. has revealed that she has an EP incoming this year that will feature several Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall artists.

H.E.R., whose real name is Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, 23, joins other international stars confirmed to be making Reggae and Dancehall-inspired projects this year including Rihanna, Tory Lanez, and Doja Cat.

The multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning singer is also working on a song with DJ Khaled that’ll appear on his upcoming album, Khaled Khaled. Both of them are currently in Jamaica, where H.E.R. is said to be working on both projects, with at least one music video shoot for Khaled’s song. 

In an Instagram video a few days ago, Khaled greeted H.E.R. on arrival, and hinted that her vocals on both projects “sounds amazing.”

“Me and DJ Khaled have a song together that I’m really excited for people to hear, and he wanted to shoot the video here,” H.E.R. told the Jamaican Observer. “My EP that I’ll be releasing is gonna feature a lot of reggae artistes. It’s gonna be dope.”

The singer’s silky-smooth duet, Slow Down with Skip Marley, Bob Marley’s grandson, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Adult R&B Songs chart last year. “I felt like Slow Down was one song that made me even want to dive into reggae even deeper,” she said, indicating that the megahit was the inspiration for the EP.

Following the success of Slow Down, H.E.R. released her first solo reggae offering, "Do To Me", on July 7, 2020, which interpolated the iconic Reggae songs Murder She Wrote by Chaka Demus & Pliers’ and Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam.

(Stay Tuned!) Jimmie Cliff | Bridges (coming)

International Reggae icon Dr. Jimmy Cliff will be releasing his new album, Bridges through Universal Music Enterprises later this year – a project many people are calling a ‘legacy project”.

“I have just delivered my new album, Bridges, to Universal Music Enterprises, with A&R/marketing guru Maxine Stowe in tow. In this world of deep changes due to the COVID pandemic and its challenges, I celebrate the transformation as it so reflects the good that comes and is encouraged by the bad. A 2020/21 Vision, which is one of the songs, is required,” he said in a release.

The mention of Stowe is important. Stowe played an instrumental role in promoting the Cool Runnings soundtrack where Jimmy’s single "I Can See Clearly Now" went number 1 in several countries in 1993 at Columbia Records. Then when she transitioned to Island Records oversaw the successful release of his album “ Higher & Higher” in 1995, which was nominated for a Grammy. Stowe is also the widow of Dancehall legend Sugar Minott, former manager of Bunny Wailers, and the niece of super producer Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd. She is a power house.

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Editor's Note: #ReggaeFriday, reggaefriday.life, and the curated #ReggaeFriday playlist is part of a self-created idea that started in early June 2020. This collective is intended to expose, elevate, educate, celebrate, and expand an appreciation of the people, culture, influences, and music of the Caribbean. Heavy doses of reggae and reggaeton music are merged together here where in real life they are more often treated separate. Beneath this, I hope to help help others learn to better appreciate how a tiny geographic area, in particular the people located on the islands of Puerto Rico and Jamaica, has an enduring and never-ending positive impact on people and culture around the world.