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  • $3m for 30 teachers in 14 schools

    $3m for 30 teachers in 14 schools

    In a celebratory Teachers’ Day gathering held Wednesday at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Edmund Bartlett — Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and Member of Parliament for East Central St James — unveiled a new JMD $3 million grant programme designed to uplift 30 educators across the 14 public schools falling within his constituency, kicking off a year of activities marking three decades of his sustained investment in local education.

    Under the terms of the new initiative, each selected educator will receive an equal grant of JMD $100,000 to pursue specialized tertiary training in any academic subject of their choice at any accredited higher education institution across Jamaica. Bartlett emphasized that the grants form a core component of his longstanding effort to acknowledge the underrecognized contributions of teaching professionals and remove barriers to their professional growth.

    “For the past 30 years, we have continuously awarded scholarships and provided institutional support to every one of the 14 schools in this constituency,” Bartlett shared with attendees, noting that the programme has already helped hundreds of educators advance their skills and career trajectories. When pressed for details about two other annual flagship education programmes in the constituency — the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) awards held each July and the Tertiary Scholarship Programme typically awarded in August — Bartlett declined to share specifics, saying that announcements would be made closer to each event’s schedule. He did confirm that support for these programmes would continue, and expressed pride in the decades of impact the constituency’s education initiatives have already delivered.

    Bartlett used the occasion to highlight the extraordinary adaptability and commitment Jamaican educators demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, praising them as “the technology that transforms children into nations.” He went on to challenge educators to bring that same resilience and innovation to the national recovery effort following Hurricane Melissa, noting that the work of rebuilding and repositioning the country for long-term growth will depend heavily on a skilled, adaptable education workforce.

    “We saw what you accomplished during COVID: when there was no electricity for internet connectivity, you walked kilometers to students’ homes to deliver lessons. You risked your own safety to keep learning going,” Bartlett said. “You also quickly upskilled to master cutting-edge tools — artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and new digital knowledge-sharing platforms — that were completely new to many of you. That same ingenuity and flexibility is exactly what we need right now as we recover from Melissa. We aren’t just building back what was lost; we’re building forward, building better, and building a more resilient nation — and all of Jamaica’s young people have to be part of that process of reimagining our future.”

    Beyond recovery work, Bartlett stressed that educators hold the critical responsibility of reshaping public perceptions of Jamaican culture that currently threaten the country’s core tourism industry. He argued that shifting narratives of violence, crassness and disrespect that deter some international visitors can only be changed through intentional education that rewrites behavioral norms and builds a culture of mutual respect.

    “The future of Jamaica’s stability, the future of law and order in this country, rests once again with our education system and our teachers,” he added.

    Adding his support to the call, newly appointed Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) Chairman Ryan Parkes echoed Bartlett’s vision, urging educators to help build a new, people-centered niche within Jamaica’s education system that aligns with the nation’s evolving tourism strategy. Parkes noted that Jamaica must move beyond its longstanding “sun, sand and sea” tourism brand to build a new global competitive advantage rooted in the quality of its human capital.

    “Our tourism minister is currently leading the charge to reimagine our entire tourism product, an effort that has been branded Tourism 3.0,” Parkes explained. “This is an incredibly timely shift. There has never been a better moment than right now for educators to step into this role and help drive the transformation of our tourism economy.”

  • WATCH: Scotiabank donates $3 million towards Run for Mom 5K

    WATCH: Scotiabank donates $3 million towards Run for Mom 5K

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — A major Caribbean banking institution has thrown its full weight behind a signature Mother’s Day charity initiative aimed at empowering vulnerable women across the island. Scotiabank, one of Jamaica’s longest-serving financial organizations, has secured the title sponsorship for the upcoming Run for Mom 5K, scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 10, and has contributed a JA$3 million donation to fund critical programs for teen mothers served by the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation.

    The formal donation transfer was held earlier this week, with Scotiabank representatives handing over the ceremonial cheque to Dr. Lawrence Scott, a prominent cardiologist, director of the Heart and Vascular Centre, and the lead organizer of the annual Run for Mom 5K. Scott called the partnership a landmark milestone for the event, noting that months of collaborative discussions laid the groundwork for the agreement.

    “Our conversations with Scotiabank around this initiative have been ongoing for quite some time,” Scott explained during the presentation ceremony. “Their leadership team has been deeply engaged from the start, because this cause aligns perfectly with their core mission of strengthening families, investing in local communities, and advancing national development. After completing their internal review and due diligence processes, they formally committed to serve as our title sponsor for this year’s race, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

    All funds raised through entry fees and sponsorships for the 2025 Run for Mom 5K will be distributed to three local healthcare and community organizations. The Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, which supports teen pregnant people and young parents across Jamaica, is the event’s primary beneficiary. Two additional local healthcare facilities — Victoria Jubilee Hospital and Charles Chin Loy Health Centre — will receive a portion of the proceeds as co-beneficiaries to expand their maternal and public health services.

    Novlet Howell, executive director of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, shared her enthusiasm for the new partnership, highlighting Scotiabank’s decades-long track record of investing in gender equity and community development in Jamaica.

    “Scotiabank is a globally recognized brand that has been rooted in Jamaica for generations, with a consistent record of backing women’s empowerment, girls’ education, and improved public health access across the country,” Howell said. “We are thrilled that our foundation will be the primary recipient of support from this sponsorship, alongside the contributions we’ll receive from other individual donors and community partners joining this year’s event. This investment will allow us to expand our critical services for teen moms, who often face systemic barriers to healthcare, education, and economic security.”

    Organizers of the Run for Mom 5K note that the event not only raises critical funds for local maternal health and community support initiatives, but also encourages public physical activity to promote heart health, tying into Scott’s work as a leading cardiologist in the region. Registration for the May 10 race remains open to runners and walkers of all ages and ability levels across Jamaica.

  • US says two dead, one survivor in latest boat strike

    US says two dead, one survivor in latest boat strike

    In a latest development of the United States’ escalating anti-narcotics operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the US military confirmed Friday that it has targeted and struck another vessel accused of involvement in drug trafficking. The attack left two people dead and one person still alive, with an ongoing search and rescue mission organized by the US Coast Guard.

  • TAJ staff walk off job amid lingering stench

    TAJ staff walk off job amid lingering stench

    A sudden overwhelming stench forced an abrupt temporary shutdown of the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) King Street headquarters in downtown Kingston on Thursday, after staff walked off the job amid conflicting accounts of what caused the smell and how long hazardous conditions have plagued the building. TAJ communications leadership quickly framed the incident as an isolated problem triggered by a deceased animal, but frontline workers are pushing back against that narrative, saying the odor event is just the latest symptom of years of unaddressed, unsafe working conditions in the aging structure.

    TAJ Director of Communications Merris Haughton confirmed to Jamaica Observer that initial reports pointed to a dead animal carcass as the source of the foul smell. Once employees began raising collective complaints about the irritating scent Thursday morning, agency leadership made the call to close the entire building to protect both staff and visiting members of the public until the source could be located and removed.

    The building was cleared and reopened shortly before noon, with Haughton confirming the carcass had been taken away and the odor issue resolved, per the agency’s official account. But in interviews with the Observer before the facility reopened, disgruntled workers made clear this incident is far from an isolated one, listing a litany of long-unresolved problems that have turned their daily work environment into an unhealthy, unpleasant space.

    One anonymous worker told reporters the aging building is effectively unfit for occupancy, and this stench incident is just the most recent in a long string of hazards. They noted staff have already dealt with repeated raw sewage backflow that pushes untreated waste up through ground-floor toilets, a dangerous issue that has gone without a permanent fix. The foul smell, the worker added, is far from the only problem staff have navigated for years.

    Frontline cashiers, who work the ground floor where the odor was most concentrated on Thursday, are regularly forced to swat away large flies while handling customer transactions, the worker said. Additional issues include unaddressed plumbing leaks that send contaminated water dripping from upper-floor bathrooms onto people using facilities on lower levels, leaving staff uncertain what type of polluted water they are being exposed to.

    A news team visiting the facility observed that the stench was strongest just outside the building entrance and across the ground-floor cashier area, with the odor becoming far less noticeable on upper floors. But an anonymous source close to the situation told the Observer that the odor is not contained to lower levels, noting it likely spreads through the building’s HVAC ductwork and plumbing systems. Workers also remain reluctant to speak publicly about the issues, the source added, fearing professional retaliation for being labeled an informer in local workplace culture.

    Photographs and on-the-ground reporting Thursday morning showed dozens of employees gathered across the street from the closed tax office, seeking clean, fresh air after walking off the job to escape the overwhelming stench.

    One employee explained to the Observer that while Thursday’s odor was unusually severe, persistent bad smells and other building issues have been a constant problem for staff. “It is not just the scent, if we are going to be honest…There is just a high odour today but there some other issues in the building, that’s probably where this is coming from,” the employee said.

    Workers told the outlet that TAJ management has attempted small, piecemeal fixes to address the constant issues, but every partial repair just leads to a new problem emerging. Staff say the only permanent solution is relocating the entire office to a new facility, as the current downtown building is no longer fit for professional occupancy. “We need a new home because this one is not conducive to us,” one worker said.

    A second employee confirmed that TAJ leadership is fully aware of the widespread problems that affect most of the office’s staff, and does listen to worker concerns, but no fix has ever resolved the core issues to staff’s satisfaction.

    In response to worker claims about repeated sewage backflow through ground-floor toilets, Haughton said the agency would launch an investigation into those specific complaints. She also noted that widespread sewage backflow is a longstanding known issue across the entire downtown Kingston area, not just the TAJ building.

  • IShowSpeed takes on Kingston on second day in Jamaica

    IShowSpeed takes on Kingston on second day in Jamaica

    One of the world’s biggest digital content creators, 21-year-old American streamer IShowSpeed, born Darren Jason Watkins Jr., has launched the Jamaican leg of his ongoing Caribbean tour with a deeply immersive opening day exploring the island’s history, culture and community in Kingston. On Friday, the streamer, who built his global fanbase through high-energy gaming broadcasts and has previously toured across Africa, South America, Europe and Asia, began his Kingston itinerary at the city’s iconic Emancipation Park, where former Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps guided him through an intensive introductory lesson on Jamaica’s national heritage.

    Phillipps centered her lesson on the foundational legacy of Jamaica’s national heroes, whose contributions shape the island’s national identity to this day. Holding up a 500 Jamaican dollar bill, which bears the portraits of Nanny of the Maroons and Sam Sharpe, two of the nation’s most revered revolutionary figures, Phillipps emphasized that modern Jamaican resilience grows directly from the work of these pioneering ancestors. “Literally on the backs of those people is why we… Jamaicans don’t frighten anybody, we respect everybody,” she explained, adding that this inherited legacy of strength is what has allowed Jamaican icons from Usain Bolt to Bob Marley to rise to global prominence. “We stand on the shoulders of heroes,” she noted.

    Following the history session, IShowSpeed joined a group of local Jamaican students to take part in a traditional Kumina dance, a sacred cultural practice with roots in African heritage that remains a core part of Jamaican cultural expression. After the cultural session, reggae singer Jesse Royal took over as the streamer’s tour guide for the rest of his opening day itinerary.

    The day’s activities included a casual stop for KFC in New Kingston, a quick meeting with dancehall legend Sean Paul during a visit to Haile Selassie High School, and a walk through the surrounding local community. IShowSpeed also tried his hand at local carpentry work and stopped at a home-based salon for a touch-up to his hair, giving him the chance to interact with everyday Jamaicans beyond formal tour stops. Observer Online was on location to cover the start of the tour, capturing photos of the streamer’s history lesson and Kumina dance participation.

  • Nintendo to hike Switch 2 price, warns on profits

    Nintendo to hike Switch 2 price, warns on profits

    In a major update on the Japanese gaming industry’s financial health released Friday, gaming giant Nintendo has announced it will raise prices for its newly launched Switch 2 console, as skyrocketing memory chip costs driven by the global AI boom create unprecedented margin pressure. The company also warned that its full-year net profit will drop sharply by 27% in the current fiscal year ending March 2026. Rival Sony, by contrast, has delivered a far more optimistic forecast, projecting a 13% rise in gaming division income even as sales of its mature PlayStation 5 console continue to decline.

    Nintendo’s price adjustments will roll out in phases across key global markets. Starting May 25, Japanese consumers will see a 20% jump in Switch 2 retail prices. From September 1, the console will cost $499.99 in the United States, an 11% increase, and 499.99 euros in the European Union, representing a 6% price hike.

    For the 12-month period ending next March, Nintendo projects net profit will fall to 310 billion Japanese yen, equal to roughly $1.98 billion, on total annual sales of 2.05 trillion yen. That marks an 11.4% drop in revenue from the prior fiscal year. Operating profit is forecast to hit 370 billion yen, a figure that falls well below the average analyst consensus estimate of 480 billion yen, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News.

    The prior fiscal year delivered strong results for Nintendo, however. The company reported that net profit surged 52% year-over-year to 424 billion yen, while annual revenue climbed to 2.31 trillion yen, nearly double the prior year’s total. The Switch 2, launched last June, got off to a strong commercial start, with global sales growing steadily after its release. By the end of March, Nintendo had sold 19.86 million units of the new console, boosted by popular first-party titles including *Pokemon Pokopia*, *Mario Kart World*, and *Donkey Kong Bananza*.

    The core headwind facing console manufacturers right now is the rapid rise in memory chip prices. The global AI boom has spurred massive demand for high-capacity memory chips from data centers and AI developers, pushing up costs for consumer electronics makers including game console and smartphone producers. Supply chain disruptions linked to ongoing conflict in Iran have further tightened available supplies, worsening the cost pressure for manufacturers.

    For Sony, the past fiscal year saw PlayStation 5 sales fall to 16 million units, down from 18.5 million units in the prior 12-month period. Since the PS5 launched in 2020, Sony has sold 92 million units of the console overall, putting the company in a strong position to capitalize on the upcoming November launch of the highly anticipated blockbuster title *Grand Theft Auto VI*. Industry analysts note the franchise is expected to drive a massive wave of new console sales in the coming year.

    “If there is any game that can move millions of additional PlayStation units, it is this one,” Serkan Toto, a leading gaming industry consultant, told AFP.
    Sony projects that even with lower console sales, its gaming division will see higher profits in the fiscal year ending March 2027. Industry analysts explain that Sony’s more mature position in the PS5 product cycle leaves it better insulated from rising memory chip costs than Nintendo’s newly launched Switch 2.

    “Sony’s more mature PS5 console cycle leaves it better placed to weather higher memory costs,” said Amir Anvarzadeh, a strategist at Asymmetric Advisors. “Having already moved past the heavy hardware penetration costs typical of earlier product cycle years, Sony’s bottom line stands to benefit significantly from the high-margin software sales and ecosystem engagement that the *Grand Theft Auto VI* launch should trigger.”

    Nintendo, however, faces a more challenging operating environment, Toto noted. Switch 2 consumers are especially price sensitive, he said, and the console’s first-year game lineup is far weaker than that of the original Switch at launch. Even so, Toto added that Nintendo has room to improve its performance by ramping up software releases in the coming months: “But now it’s time for them to really step on the gas on the software side.”

  • Maddenstraight to the point

    Maddenstraight to the point

    On a tense Sunday of competitive motorsport action on April 26, young driver Zidan Madden clinched his second consecutive victory in the Point 2 Point Time Attack dexterity series, taking the top spot at the second round hosted at Overton Plaza in Montego Bay, St. James.

    Speaking exclusively to the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto publication after crossing the final line, Madden expressed his satisfaction with the hard-earned win, noting he entered the round determined to extend his winning streak. “Feels good. I came out of the last event of Point 2 Point with the win as well, so I came here for the win, did my best, did what I could, and it brought us the second win,” Madden said.

    His father Leslie Madden, who has supported his son’s racing career, shared that he was overcome with pride watching Zidan’s performance. “I’m speechless, actually. To see him drive and doing very well, displaying some excellent car control, is beyond words,” he told reporters.

    The path to victory was far from easy for Madden. He entered the round facing a deep field of seasoned dexterity racing veterans, including well-known competitors Maurice Whittingham and fan favorite Cleve Ottey. Through the preliminary qualifying sessions, Madden only ranked third in his class, trailing behind Ottey and Marc Graham – who set the fastest lap time of the entire evening. But once Madden advanced to the final top-10 championship round, he held steady nerves behind the wheel of his Toyota Starlet, outperforming all rivals to claim the top position when the final times were posted.

    Two of the event’s top contenders, Whittingham and Ottey, were forced to withdraw from the critical final round after encountering unexpected mechanical issues, opening up spots on the final podium. When the dust settled, Graham held onto second place, while Jayson Reid rounded out the overall podium in third.

    The day’s action also delivered intense competition across the front-wheel drive divisions. Stephen Mahoney took the non-LSD front-wheel drive class win in his Honda Fit, while Kai Chuck-Dion claimed victory in the front-wheel drive LSD class driving his Honda Civic.

    Madden credited his back-to-back success to pre-event adjustments and relentless team preparation. “We changed up a little stuff because we realised that there were some faults. It’s definitely the tuning and the hard work put in that plays a big part in my success,” he added.

    Event organizer Stephen Mahoney announced that the series is expanding its scope for the 2026 season, with plans to crown an official Jamaican national dexterity champion at the final round later this year. To qualify for the year-end championship, Mahoney explained that the series has partnered with Kingston-based Team Streetz, requiring competitors to compete in at least two Team Streetz events and two Point 2 Point events to earn a spot in the national title decider.

  • Grange saddened by passing of gospel singer Kukudoo

    Grange saddened by passing of gospel singer Kukudoo

    Jamaican gospel and revivalist music icon Kukudoo, born David McDermott, has died after a prolonged fight with cancer, passing away on Friday. The news of his death prompted an outpouring of grief from across Jamaica’s cultural and music communities, with Culture Minister Olivia Grange leading tributes to the influential artist.

    In a statement released after the announcement of Kukudoo’s passing, Minister Grange shared that she was deeply saddened by the loss of the groundbreaking performer. She emphasized that Kukudoo was far more than a popular musician: he was a transformative cultural force whose discography and public work centered and celebrated the African-rooted spiritual traditions that form a core part of Jamaican national identity.

    Unlike many artists who find a niche audience limited to one demographic, Kukudoo’s dynamic, powerful stage presence and authentic sound resonated with listeners across multiple generations and all social strata in Jamaica, building a broad and loyal fanbase that endures decades after he first rose to prominence. Minister Grange noted that his death leaves a large gap in Jamaica’s cultural landscape, and that his contributions to the country’s music and cultural heritage will be deeply missed by audiences and fellow artists alike.

  • Spirit exit likely to lead to higher US airfares, experts say

    Spirit exit likely to lead to higher US airfares, experts say

    When Spirit Airlines, the pioneering ultra-low-cost carrier that reshaped U.S. air travel for 32 years, ceased all operations on May 2, it left behind more than thousands of rebooked passengers and empty route slots: industry analysts and economists broadly agree that its exit will add significant new upward pressure on already climbing U.S. airfares.

    Founded in 1992, Spirit built its legacy on the so-called “Spirit Effect”, a market phenomenon that turned affordable air travel from a luxury into an accessible option for millions of consumers who had previously been priced out of flying. Its stripped-down business model — which eliminated free checked bags, complimentary in-flight meals, and other non-essential extras to keep base fares as low as possible — earned it a reputation as the industry’s most disruptive competitive force. This impact was so significant that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) highlighted it in 2023, when regulators moved to block Spirit’s proposed merger with JetBlue, arguing that losing Spirit’s independent presence would harm consumer competition.

    Official DOJ data underscores just how much Spirit shaped market pricing: when the carrier entered a new route, average fares across all competing airlines on that route dropped by an immediate 17%, and when it exits a market, fares jump by an average of 30%. That historical trend has left experts bracing for broad fare increases as the aviation industry absorbs Spirit’s exit.

    The timing of Spirit’s collapse could not be worse for consumers, who are already facing rising ticket costs driven by skyrocketing jet fuel prices tied to ongoing conflict in the Middle East. New data from the U.S. Department of Transportation released this week confirms that U.S. airline jet fuel costs surged 56% in March compared to February, and are up 30% from the same period one year ago.

    While many carriers have moved quickly to fill the gap left by Spirit, with low-cost peers including Frontier, Breeze and Avelo adding capacity and new routes to capture Spirit’s former customer base, all of these existing competitors already price their tickets slightly higher than Spirit did. Frontier, the largest of Spirit’s ultra-low-cost rivals, has announced plans to add nine new routes this summer and 15 extra daily departures across 18 former Spirit routes, a move the airline projects will boost its key revenue metric by 3 to 5% and grow its total capacity by 6 to 8%.

    Even as existing carriers maintain the basic economy fare tiers that major airlines originally launched specifically to compete with Spirit and other budget carriers, experts say those low-cost options will likely become less attractive for consumers. Jan Brueckner, emeritus economics professor at the University of California, Irvine, noted that while basic economy tickets are not expected to disappear entirely, airlines will almost certainly raise their prices. “They might be less attractive” to budget-focused travelers, Brueckner explained.

    Aviation analysts broadly echo this assessment. “There’s no question in some markets fares will probably increase,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation expert at consultancy AeroDynamic. Richard Masler, head of analysis for the Centre for Aviation, pointed out that for more than a decade, Spirit’s disruptive presence forced legacy major airlines to cut their own fares and adopt more granular pricing models to stay competitive.

    Bradley Akubuiro, a partner at advisory firm Bully Pulpit International, noted that Spirit’s exit will not make air travel entirely unavailable to consumers, but it will eliminate the industry’s most powerful check on excessive pricing. “The likely consequence for passengers is not that air travel suddenly becomes unavailable,” he said. “It’s that the cheapest version of air travel becomes immediately harder to find in some markets.” Over time, he added, fares will continue to creep upward because “a meaningful check on the system is now gone.”

  • Jah Lil: A new voice driven by purpose

    Jah Lil: A new voice driven by purpose

    Against a backdrop of a global music industry increasingly defined by fleeting viral trends and disposable chart-topping moments, emerging Jamaican reggae artist Jah Lil is building a distinct, purpose-driven career rooted in authentic talent and intentional social messaging.

    The rising performer, who describes himself as a natural-born people person and innate leader, says these core traits are not manufactured performative traits for the public eye—they are deeply instinctive parts of who he is, and they have served as the steady engine powering every step of his artistic journey, he told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.

    A self-identified humanitarian and peace advocate who also holds firm that personal and family protection is non-negotiable, Jah Lil explains that this careful balance between gentle compassion and quiet, unshakable strength is reflected in the dual nature of his music.

    Music has been woven into the fabric of Jah Lil’s life from early childhood. He cut his teeth performing in church settings and during his time at Jamaica College, where the art form quickly became a central part of his identity. After graduating high school, he explored a series of different professions, but none could hold his attention the way music did. Even before he built a name or secured any industry traction, he knew that music was the only path that aligned with his passion and his sense of purpose. “I love people and creation on a whole and so everything I do is to satisfy this purpose that I have to be a voice for the voiceless. Everything is geared at making the human experience a better one. My music is to bring balance, and as I journey along, the message will always be consistent,” he shared.

    Raised in an underserved, low-income community in Jamaica, Jah Lil credits his challenging formative years with deepening his social awareness and nurturing his capacity for empathy. His childhood experiences did more than shape his worldview—they gave his art a clear mission. “The fact that I was very poor growing up shaped me into the artiste I am — a voice for the people,” he said.

    Drawing inspiration from iconic reggae legends including Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Garnet Silk, and Dennis Brown, Jah Lil views his craft as more than entertainment: it is a vehicle for tangible social change. At a moment when he argues conscious, meaningful messaging is often pushed to the margins of mainstream reggae, his goal extends beyond giving audiences a good time—he wants to uplift marginalized communities and advocate for progress.

    Jah Lil acknowledges that breaking into the local Jamaican industry as a conscious artist comes with unique challenges. He compares his place in the current local landscape to a sunflower growing in a field of roses: while he is committed to restoring balance to the genre, the local industry infrastructure does not currently prioritize the kind of work he creates. Despite that barrier, he has built strong, engaged international fan bases in countries across the globe, including Sweden, Kenya, Belgium, and the United States. He remains optimistic that the tide is turning: as audience demand for more thoughtful, conscious music grows, the industry will shift to create more space for artists like him, making it easier for purpose-driven work to break through.

    Currently signed to an international label and managed out of Portugal, Jah Lil still recognizes the critical importance of growing his profile and connecting with audiences at home in Jamaica. He is gearing up to perform at Di Lot this Thursday, where he plans to bring raw, unfiltered energy to the stage. Far from just delivering a standard set of songs, he aims to create an immersive, memorable experience for attendees. “It’s my show, but I want it to be an experience that people will have in their memories. There’s going to be surprise artistes, a sound system segment… It will be awesome to the point where people will ask, ‘How comes we haven’t heard about him before?’” he said.