Destra and Wyclef Jean.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas National Festival Commission yesterday revealed its performance lineup for the Nassau leg of this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival which includes Trinidadian soca queen Destra, Grammy award winning Haitian hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean and Jamaican reggae star Tarrus Riley.
The festival, which runs in New Providence from May 5 to 7, will feature a mix of Bahamian artists and other international performers. The Tribune understands Destra will close the festival’s concert, although organisers have stressed no one is “headlining” the event. It is unclear how much money the government has spent to engage the foreign acts.
This comes despite the fierce criticism directed at the Christie administration last year for failing to put more emphasis on Bahamian talent and engaging an international headliner.
Trinidadian singer Machel Montano closed the carnival’s concert last year, despite disapproval from some local performers about a foreign act being paid handsomely to perform here.
“The strength of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will not rest on the shoulders of a single performer or headliner but on all of our all-star artists, with the Bahamian and international acts being equally as important to creating the overall brand experience,” said BNFC Chairman Paul Major yesterday in a press release.
“The commission has prepared an exciting lineup of top local and international performers who can deliver an exhilarating and memorable festival, focused on foot stomping, pulse pounding music, Bahamian culture and positive vibes. Questions and speculation over a single headliner are futile, as we cannot state any more emphatically that there will be no single headliner as a matter of principle.”
Roscoe Dames, BNFC CEO, added that the commission experienced a huge success last year with the concert and warned Bahamians that if they attend this year’s show they won’t be able to keep still.
“This is a party and we want everyone to fall in love with what we have to offer. We know that Bahamians and visitors alike will be jumping, stomping, shouting and screaming come May 5. And the popularity of the event will grow because we will ensure people have an amazing time,” he said.
According to officials, “the down home flavours” of Bahamian sounds will be mixed with a Caribbean fusion of soca, reggae and Latin vibes during three nights of non-stop music.
Regional soca artists Ricardo Drue, Kerwin Du Bois, Farmer Nappy, Rupee, Fadda Fox, Patrice Roberts, Skinny Fabulous, Bunji Garlin and Lyrical will hit the stage during the three-day festival.
Bahamian performers including Elon Moxey, the Blue Band Connection, Willis and the Illest, Veronica Bishop, Ira Storr, Funky D and Puzzle will also perform.
In Grand Bahama, where the carnvial kicks off on April 15 to 17, Bahamian top performers Stileet, DMac, Geno D, Jay Mitchell, Julien Believe, Visage and Ronnie Butler will be joined by international acts Fadda Fox, Shurwayne Winchester, Olatunji, the press release said.
Last week, multiple officials confirmed to The Tribune that this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will not feature a headline act and that it would strongly feature Bahamian artists.
Robert Sands, commissioner and chairman of the marketing committee for carnival, predicted that more tourists would attend this year’s event compared to last year.
At the time, he said the lack of a headliner won’t affect the way the event will be received, arguing that marketing of the festival has improved to such a degree that more visitors will book hotels this year than did last year.
Mr Major and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe both suggested last year that a failure to secure a headline act well before the start of the 2015 festival hindered marketing efforts while possibly preventing the event from attracting more tourists.
Junkanoo Carnival will kick off in Grand Bahama next weekend.
Comments
sealice 8 years, 7 months ago
this the PLP attempt to secure the hayshun vote in 2017?
BoopaDoop 8 years, 7 months ago
But a recent news article said no international artists were booked. So why the sudden change?
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
I just shows that the organization is not organized.
Honestman 8 years, 7 months ago
Junkanoo Carnival - just what the country needs. Bahamas, the land of sun, sea and stupid government.
Mayaguana34 8 years, 7 months ago
Wyclef has not been shy to speak on the Haitian/Bahamian issues and I hope they know what they doing by inviting him. I am still interested in what these folks are being paid - Wyclef is a has been but still demands a premium especially in these kinds of circumstances. How much is he being paid and whats the gulf between the local acts and the guests? They are spending the peoples money and we would like to know
My2cents 8 years, 7 months ago
@lkalikl - Wyclef Jean is an opportunist. He had zero concern in stealing from his own people, after the earthquake with his fake charity. He is in no position to talk about anyone mistreating Haitians.
The government should not be wasting money on yet another Haitian opportunist.
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
"Haitian opportunist" is the best description for people of Haitian heritage!
Haitians and Haitian Bahamians have been riding our country and people like jackass's for decades.
They assist each other in "working the system" to suck every penny from the Bahamas and NEVER give anything back.
Nobody ever heard of Haitians doing anything the Bahamas except exploit Bahamians.
We need rid our country of these parasites!
My2cents 8 years, 7 months ago
The point is who exactly will be listening to this has been at this joke parade? Wyclef Jean has no star power or credibility, not to mention he is a hypocrite and a fraud. What he did to Haitians is far worse than anything you're hoping he would expose against Bahamians. The every day atrocities of Haitians against other Haitians in Haiti is also far worse.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
New lows for the government every day .............. how much these "stars" are getting paid to entertain the non-Bahamians at Carnival???????
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Martin Luther King Jr. "Did Jesus Have KANAVAL 2016 In Mind When He Called a Man a Fool?"
....///https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo-6BNtq5RY
Regardless 8 years, 7 months ago
...both political parties have been handing out passports to sloop delivered peasants from Cap Haitian for years. This diaspora breed faster than any other mammal on earth. In two generations, there will not be any Bahamians with long terms roots in the House of Assembly. No, our boys for the last two decades have morphed into tribal chiefs of the West Africa persuasion and they have sold the soul of a nation with a deep and proud history. The whole situation is pathetic.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade your comments that Haitians are fast breeding mammals is an incendiary post. It implies that one nation's people are better than another. I sure hope this thinking is not a part of how Bahamalanders intend to go about seeking solutions to our nation's illegal immigration issues.
Should we be importing 'foreigners' to sell tickets to attract attendees at Carnival 2016, absolutely not.
Regardless 8 years, 7 months ago
I am not your " comrade". I am not a communist nor a socialist. I believe I should not have to be subject to any of the fallout of unwed mothers whose babies' fathers are morons. I don't buy into the whole idea that I should trust "leaders" who deliberately make their electorate ( aka " brothers and sistas" ) the least educated per capita to GDP in the whole region. I think it beyond basic human rights that I or anyone else has to put up with the worst civil and private sector service due to " culture ". Getting fat, lazy and laughing all day long is cute for only so long,
No.....I have nothing at all that associates you to me. I could go on and on and list so many more instances but whats the point? I do believe that most right minded people will leave this madness in the next decade and let the international lawyers deal with it. You, obviously will have nothing to contribute in that court of law.
Good riddance.
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
.......This definitely begs the question I've asked for quite some time.......
"Steven Dillet, hero or trojan horse?"
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
This whole thing is and has been targeted at Election 2017 by the PLP. These are just warm ups. Bahamians are too fool. !
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
Meanwhile, the dump burns, the roads suck, BEC is sometimes, Scandal here, scandal, there, Corruption talk is everywhere, crime can't done, at least we still got the sun. Not much hope for any better anytime soon. Buckle up and deal with it, shabby times ahead.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Yep .......... the biggest Carnival is in Parliament ...... just put the front bench on either side of the Speaker in costumes and let the back benchers carry the drums, whistles and cowbells .................. BOL
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades I only wish I could the the credit for making this stuff up and no, the accompanying video, isn’t a fake production.
And, all we got's is we PM Christie doing he shuffle dance.
Organizing Comrades Kanaval12016, what in hell went wrong? Ya’ll had’s done blown Kanaval 2016’s foreigner entertainment budget that you went for Wyclef Jeanelle Jean, because you couldn’t book the other Haitian performer “Sweet Mickey”?
Haitian President Michel Martell “AKA Sweet Mickey” stepped down from office on February 7, 2016, but not before he released his song
Bal Bannann Nan (‘Give Them the Banana’)
Michel Martelly - "Ba'l Bannann nan" [Video Kanaval 2016] 'Ti lili' (Sweet Micky)
….//////https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlEQC79ZdZw
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Funny, I told a friend a week ago when they originally said "there's no headliner": I bet they're paying two top acts the same thing, soooo... no single act is getting paid more than all others, sooooo.... "there's no headliner!".
These people have proven extremely untrustworthy. They play with words too much. It's been a deliberate campaign to deceive since "carnival is just a word" and "we're not importing Trinidad culture". It's not a good look for a cultural commission. They're looking more like a political organization every day. Why does culture have to have so much spin?
Remember "I report the numbers every week"? But a year later they can't provide audited statements? They need people with a reputation for honesty if they're to turn this thing around
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
I hope this means Machel is headlining Survival Weekend:)) happiest man alive..I don't gat no time for no worries.. and I ready to go on de road
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
................This definitely begs the question I've asked for quite some time...................
"Steven Dillet, hero or trojan horse?"
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Who me? I love soca and have no apologies for that, I've loved Machel since the 90's when I first heard him. I've also openly stated that I want Junkanoo carnival to succeed though it's looking bleak. But I don't want it to succeed "at all costs", deception, overblown budgets, rigged contracts and branding Trinidad culture as Bahamian. Think of it like, I love the Bahamas but I don't like what's happening to it.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Hmmm...didn't know it was this bad. Why bring bad press when you have more than enough to handle already...
"The singer, who made an unsuccessful bid for Haiti's presidency in 2010, reportedly paid himself $100,000 to perform in a charity concert and gave his family over $500,000 for unspecified work. Also, $37,000 was paid by Yele to cover the rent of Jean’s Manhattan studio.
The forensic audit covering the time period between 2005 and 2009 found $256,580 in illegitimate benefits to Jean and other Yéle board and staff members, as well as other improper transactions.
*At the end of August, Derek Q. Johnson, Yele's chief executive, announced his resignation after Jean rejected a settlement offered by the attorney general that would have required the singer and the two other Yele founders to pay $600,000 in restitution ‘to remedy the waste of the foundation’s assets.’ Actor Sean Penn, who founded his own charity, J/P Haitian Relief Organization, told The New York Times in 2010, ‘My impression is that Yéle is at the service of Wyclef Jean and his reputation.’"
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