Kartel set to rock Reggae Sumfest

Reggae Sumfest boss Joe Bogdanovich is gearing up for the 34th staging of the iconic reggae festival, scheduled to run from July 13 to 19 in Montego Bay, St James.

After witnessing the electric energy of Vybz Kartel's record-breaking, back-to-back sold-out shows at Brooklyn's Barclays Arena, Bogdanovich is beyond confident that this year's Reggae Sumfest will be unforgettable -- and it's shaping up to be the biggest one yet!

With a jaw-dropping line-up, Festival Night 1 will feature the musical juggernaut Vybz Kartel, who is slated to bring the house down.

"Kartel is a one-man wrecking army who has re-energised dancehall and the music industry in general," Bogdanovich shared in a recent interview.

"He has a larger-than-life, cult-like following among the all-important 18-35 demographic, who just can't get enough of him."

Scheduled for Friday, July 18, Kartel's highly anticipated set is expected to run for approximately one hour.

"It's going to be a tight, impactful and memorable performance," Bogdanovich predicted.

"Kartel is an extremely smart entertainer who always brings something fresh and exciting to the stage, as we witnessed at Freedom Street at the National Stadium in Kingston, and recently in New York, when he brought over half a dozen of his celebrity friends to join him on stage. Expect the unexpected with the Worl' Boss, is all I will say. You're going to see a true international superstar that global promoters will realise is no longer just an island thing," he explained.

Joining Kartel on Festival Night 1 are Masicka, the multitalented artiste who is extremely popular at this time, Tommy Lee Sparta, Skeng, Govana, Jamal, D'Yani, Laden, Shaneil Muir, and Jah Fabio.

Festival Night 2 is set for Saturday, July 19. Bogdanovich said the event is generating strong momentum, with ticket sales exceeding expectations, especially in international markets such as the UK, Canada, Mexico, the USA, and France.

"There's no festival like Reggae Sumfest; it's a different kind of cultural energy. We have a powerful line-up for both nights, but the 'Vybz Kartel effect' is real," Bogdanovich added.

"Early-Bird VVIP Centre Stage and Weekend Ultra VIP seat tickets are already sold out."

In the meantime, Bogdanovich has revealed that the show's producers are working to have the event end by 5 a.m. for each night's staging.

"We want to compress the energy and avoid exhausting the audience by sunrise," Bogdanovich said.