Beres Hammond has high praises for Popcaan and it means a lot coming from someone of his statue in Jamaican music.
Few fans are into reggae and dancehall who don’t know Beres Hammond‘s name. His smooth vocals have graced the airwaves for decades. He’s very candid with his fans, and many who have met him always remark on his genuine nature. Now we have a little more insight into the veteran’s passion, and one of them for sure is Reggae Month. He disclosed while speaking with the Jamaica Gleaner recently in an interview.
In his view, one month for the celebration of reggae is just not enough. He thinks there should be at least three because, as he put it, “reggae is the heartbeat of this country.”
That’s quite the endorsement from the internationally acclaimed singer, who also shared that his excitement goes beyond just that it is Reggae Month. Still, he is also delighted with the preparations that went into the event this year. Reggae Month has been celebrated since February 2008.
The month of February coincidentally is also Black History Month in the US, and both Bob Marley and Dennis Brown were born in February. This year’s staging is called The Diamond Edition and is in honor of Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee, the island’s 60th anniversary of independence.
He also showered praise on the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport as well as VP Records for the concert that they came together to put on. It was one of the few live events that Jamaica has allowed in recent times. The “Rock Away” singer added that he hopes some normalcy can return to the island by month-end, especially where entertainment is concerned.
The singer also lauded the choice of venue at the Port Authority of Jamaica’s cruise port at the Historic Naval Dockyard for the concert. Hammond also hinted that he would be open to doing a concert at that location as suggested by VP Records’ representative Michelle Williams.
The “Sweet Lies” artist also urged all involved to realize the fine product that Jamaica has when it comes to its music and takes more interest in its marketing.
To that end, one of the artists he believes has great potential to put the island even more on the global map is Popcaan. Having collaborated with the Unruly King twice, Hammond said Popcaan has a far way to go in the industry.
He made the comments while speaking with the Weekend Star as he explained that when it comes to music, he believes as a veteran, his job is to embrace everything that’s good. As such, he tries to remain open about new artists and their music.
“Popcaan is a young man with a lot of prospects. He is a good talent, good everything … and him laugh loud too!” he added.
He also took the time out to speak about his latest collaboration with another veteran dancehall artist, Wickerman. That track is called “Titled Mi Deyah Again” and, according to Beres Hammond, is about spending time with old friends and rediscovering the simple joys of life.
Hammond’s take on the industry has been echoed by countless artists. Beres now has close to 50 years of experience in the music space, having started his career in the 1970s, even though his major commercial success came in the 1990s.
Jamaican-produced music continues to fight for global recognition and is undoubtedly in need of much more support from all involved, including the government and the artists themselves.
