“’Stand Up For Your Stripe’ is about standing up for what you believe in. It’s about standing up for Jamaica; it’s about standing up for what motivates you; what you think can make a difference every single day in your life,” said Red Stripe Managing Director Ricardo Nuncio when he addressed business partners, past and present Red Stripe executives, members of the local music and film communities and a host of other specially invited guests at the global campaign launch and EP listening party — Journey With Stripe.

The century-old authentic Jamaican lager — a champion for the Jamaican music industry — in an unprecedented move paired its latest ad campaign #StandUpForYourStripe with the seven-track EP.

The affair featured a mini-concert which showcased six of the seven featured acts, each introduced by emcee Dania Beckford. The first performance was by the Blue Glaze Mento Band, whose track Sweet Jamaica is the opening number on the EP, and represents Jamaica’s unique fusion of African and European music traditions. Spirited performances from breakout artiste J Summa debuting his single Keeping It Up, the EP’s lead single and campaign soundtrack, Ed Robinson, Tosh Alexander, Tifa, and Sasco followed.

Patrons were encouraged to visit the Red Stripe listening stations to sample the Pablo Stennett-produced EP, which chronicles the journey of Jamaica’s musical contribution from mento to dancehall and will be listed officially on iTunes on August 31. Part-proceeds from sales will go towards the “We Are Tomorrow” Foundation, which is focused on nurturing the talents of aspiring Jamaican musicians between the ages of 10 and 19 years. The Foundation will focus on young people in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Stennett’s hometown.

Attendees were gifted party favours of campaign-themed posters and the television commercial and lead single stored on a replica Red Stripe beer thumb-drive.