DANCEHALL artiste 10Tik is keen on giving back to the communities in which he resided.

This Saturday he will stage the inaugural event called Gwallaz Fest scheduled for the Kirkvine Sports Complex in Manchester. Half of the proceeds will assist in the painting of schools in Manchester and Red Hills, as well as will prodive back-to-school items for students from those communities.

10Tik (real name Carlton Nembhard) once resided in Manchester before moving to Red Hills in Kingston. He is a past student of deCarteret College in Manchester.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, 10Tik explained the idea behind the staging of Gwallaz Fest.

“Firstly, the term Gwallaz refers to the front-line workers — the doctors, nurses, taxi operators, garbage collectors, security guards and, of course, the firefighters. I myself served as a firefighter before I became an artiste. These are the people who work the graveyard shift, as we Jamaicans would say. When most people are asleep they are busy serving. “They [Gwallaz] are the real soul of the city who never sleep,” said 10Tik.

He explained why Manchester was selected to host the inaugural event.

“What a lot of people don’t know is, I lived a section of my life in Mandeville and I am a graduate of deCarteret College. So, I decided ‘What better place to stage my first show than the parish that helped to foster who 10Tik is today’, and to also give the fans in Mandeville something big to look forward to,” he said.

Aside from 10Tik the other artistes billed to perform at Gwallaz Fest include Teejay, Sizzla, Bayka, Biggs Don, Yaksta, Twinkle Brain, Kacique, Richie West, Renee 630, Insideeus and Tenn Point.

He said preparations for the event have been going great.

“Fans can expect high-energy performances, great-tasting food from some of the best chefs that the island has produced and, of course, good vibes! This event is guaranteed to have the fans leave wanting more. From the set-up to the line, it is already something different, especially to the Manchester community,” he said.

Prior to the stage show in the night there will be a brunch in the afternoon beginning at 3:00 pm.

10Tik, who emerged on the music scene two years ago, is best known for the hits Roll Deep, Soul of the City, Gangster, We Nuh Like War and The Real Way.