Twenty-seven years ago, Rebel Salute was birthed as a one-night event in Brooks Park, Mandeville, and featured artistes like Marcia Griffiths, Garnet Silk and Everton Blender.

The event, which also celebrated singer Tony Rebel’s birthday, was inspired by a birthday bash held for Silk the year prior. Today, the show stands resolute as a two-day festival and has provided an international platform for the exposure and celebration of Jamaican music, roots and Rastafari culture and clean entertainment.

This year’s staging will unfold

at its Grizzly’s Plantation Cove, St Ann, base, over a period of two nights,

January 17 and 18.

Friday’s show will feature a

bevy of reggae’s finest, including legendary performers Toots and the Maytals,

reggae fusion band Steel Pulse and the show’s principal, Rebel himself.

Marijuana enthusiasts

Crooners Sanchez, Leroy

Sibbles, Singing Melody and Terry Linen will also grace the stage, as well as

return Ugandan act, Bobi Wine. Gospel singer Jermaine Edwards is also billed to

perform, balanced by dancer-cum-deejay Chi Ching Ching. Other artistes rostered

for night one include Flourgon, General Trees, Chevaughn and Heavyweight

Rockaz.

The meat and alcohol-free event

continues on Saturday with veteran singers Tony Tuff, Errol Dunkley, Benjy Myaz

and Louie Culture. Reggae favourites Queen Ifrica and Richie Spice are also

slated for the final night, as well as dancehall artistes Beenie Man and

I-Octane. St Thomas native Chronic Law will perform as Akeem Campbell. I-Wayne,

Lady G, Jesse Royal, Mortimer and George Nooks are also part of the line-up.

The enclosed ‘Herb Curb’ area

returns and will cater to marijuana enthusiasts, and the festival will also

feature an hour of comedy on both nights, rounded off by a dubplate session

with a Sudanese sound system and revered sound system operator Jack Scorpio.