Chezidek returns with birthday concert

After a three-year hiatus, roots reggae singer Chezidek is returning with his birthday concert, 'The Rising Sun', on June 22 at the Amnesia Nightclub in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

He will turn 46 two days prior to the event, which is named after his 2005 album.

Acts on the roster include Jah Cure, Munga Honorable, Charly Black, Warrior King and Deep Jahi.

"It's a show I usually keep a few years ago. We had it about five or six times and it was a big charity show in St Ann's Bay, where whatever we got we gave it back to schools," he told THE WEEKEND STAR. "After a while, 'cause we never have no big sponsorship, it kinda mash me down, so me just leave it. It returns not as a charity thing, but as a birthday vibes, and from there we'll see how it goes."

The event will be primarily sponsored by his Cheziberry Records, established in 2017. Under the label, he has released his 11th studio album, Irie Day, and hopes to use the platform to showcase up-and-coming artistes.

"I was always doing production and people know me for that already, so I decided I was ready to have my own label," he said. "Being an artiste and doing this is something weh require me fi share me time. But the singing part inspires the production part, so they both work together, which makes it a good vibration. Me have nuff youths and whole heap of other artistes weh me woulda like to work with, so you can look out for those projects."

Born in Priory, Chezidek emerged on the music scene in 2002 and received his first hit song two years later with Leave The Trees.

Though he has recorded other notable tracks like Inna Di Road, Dem a Fight We and Because I am Black, he said his music is mostly appreciated in Europe.

"France is where the thing is strongest. Right now me have a big hit song in Europe, All My Life, which has 26 million views on YouTube. We nuh known in Jamaica. Dem know Leave The Trees, but dem nuh know Chezidek too tough. Chezidek is still here, and we keep doing positive and conscious music, so please keep supporting it. A nuh just the hype thing a gwaan - conscious, roots reggae music still a gwaan," he said.

He is currently promoting the Kevwreck Records-produced track Stronger, the visuals for which are out now.