Reggae Culture Salute goes viral

The Brooklyn-based Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR) is says that, on Nov. 2, its Reggae Culture Salute (RCS) will take the form of a digital presentation, paying tribute to veteran contributors to nurturing reggae music in New York City.

The presentation dubbed, “Foundation Groundation,” will highlight contributions in the areas of live performance, sound systems, and music production and recording.

CPR said the presentation takes place from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the CPRLive Facebook and YouTube platforms.

CPR said Reggae Culture Salute marks the anniversary of the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen of Ethiopia, and highlights “the unique relationship between Reggae (recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity), Rastafari, Emperor Selassie and Jamaica.”

For the highlight of the evening, CPR said two veterans of the reggae experience will “pull back the curtain on their contributions to laying the foundation for reggae in New York” in a conversation with CPR Jamaican-born President, Carlyle McKetty.

Participating will be entrepreneur and selector Howard “Sir Tommy” Mapp of Sir Tommy’s HiFi; and Hugh Hendricks, bassist and founder/bandleader of Hugh Hendricks and the Buccaneers, McKetty said. He said each pioneer will also be presented with the CPR Pinnacle Award for Excellence.

“This Foundation Groundation is another step towards full implementation of The Legacy Project, a CPR initiative to curate and digitally present information about reggae pioneers,” McKetty said.

“Recognizing and honoring contributors to the foundation of this intangible cultural heritage of humanity is vital in the preservation of reggae music, and we are pleased to present these pioneers at this time,” he added.

“As always, RCS will pay homage to Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen, and present and honor artists from diverse dimensions of the genre,” McKetty continued.

He said this year’s participants include veteran drummer/singer Safi Abdullah, emerging artist Blvk H3ro and poet and author Burnett Coburn.

“This hallmark event routinely attracts a racially diverse inter-generation audience and we especially urge children and young adults to engage in this teachable moment about this seminal time in New York reggae history,” McKetty said.

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