Shabba Ranks to perform at Brooklyn Music Festival

NEW YORK - Jammins Entertainment, promoters of the third annual Brooklyn Music Festival announced recently that Rexton Rawlston Gordon, popularly known to dancehall fans as Shabba will be one of the headline performers at this year's festival that takes place at the Aviator Sports & Recreation Center on American Independence Day, July 4.


"We are extremely pleased to add Shabba to the lineup this year. Shabba is a solid performer who gives 100% every time he hits the stage. Booking adding him to the lineup gives the festival a huge lift that gives us the edge to make this the biggest reggae event ever staged in the New York, tri state area" said George Crooks, head honcho at Jammins Entertainment.

Shabba who last performed at a major outdoor reggae festival in NY in 2004 is Jamaica's most celebrated dancehall artist. The icon is one of the most successful and most influential artists in the reggae genre. Throughout the 80's and 90's, he sold millions of albums and was one of the first hardcore dancehall acts to have crossed over, paving the way for other Jamaican reggae acts like Sean Kingston Sean Paul, Beenieman, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Shaggy, Wayne Wonder and Gyptian.

Ranks recorded his first song, "Heat Under Sufferers Feet', in the mis 80's. He recorded "Original Fresh" the monster hit "Needle Eye Punany", for Wittys in 1988 before forming a long standing working relationship with producer Bobby Digital. The union produced a slew of hit singles including "Mama Man", "Peanie Peanie" and "Wicked In Bed." "Stop Spreading Rumours," a collaboration with Cocoa Tea and vocal group, Home T4, "Twice My Age" (with Krystal) and "Mr Loverman" (with Deborahe Glasgow) were successful collaborations that stormed the charts at home and abroad.

Epic Records signed him to a major label contract in late 1990 and released two successful albums "As Raw As Ever" and "Xtra Naked." Ranks became a household name in the US market with remixed versions of "Mr Loverman," "Slow And Sexy" and "Housecall" - a duet with Maxi Priest. He subsequently won two consecutive Grammy Awards for the albums.

Shabba will join hit machine B.O.B and Fabulous, multi platinum selling reggae artiste Shaggy, Gregory Issacs, King Yellowman, Barrington Levy, Lady Saw, Assassin, Tanya Stephens. D’Angel, Daville, ska bands The Rudie Crew and New York Ska Jazz Ensemble and several other acts at the Brooklyn Music Festival.

Part of the proceeds from this year’s festival will be donated to the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) scholarship fund. Gates open at 12 noon and show time is 1:00 PM with free parking available to all patrons. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are now on sale at all leading ticket outlets throughout the New York tri-state region. For more info go to www.TIX4ME.com or www.brooklynmusicfestival.com