Citing the need to assist with the development of the musical aspirations of students at two Clarendon-based high schools, musician Kryss Ras of the Tower Band has pledged to donate funds from the inaugural staging of Masquerade: Short Shorts and Bikini Edition – The Ultimate Summer Party Experience!

The event, which is being promoted by Tower Band, will take place on June 22 at Woodleigh Sports Complex in May Pen.

“I’m from Clarendon and I went to Central High and my aim is to help to develop the careers of the youths who have an interest in music and the arts. Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase musical equipment for both Central High and Denbigh High. The youths are the future and want to play our part in steering them in the right direction,” Kryss Ras told the Jamaica Observer.

Billed to perform at Masquerade: Short Shorts and Bikini Edition – The Ultimate Summer Party Experience are dancehall artistes Skeng, Shane O, 10Tik, Tower Band, Knavi, T’Jean, Blacker, and 1Chappz.

“This will be the first staging of the event and the plan is to make it an annual event. It promises to be the highlight of the summer,” Kryss Ras shared.

He continued: “DJ Splackavelli will be hosting the event while musical juggling will be done by ZJ Chrome, ZJ West, World Juff, Kevin Serious, and Code Ultimate, who will ensure a non-stop party atmosphere from start to finish.”

The event is the band’s way of taking its career to the next level as the group has ambitions of growing from not just a household name in Jamaica and the region, but to make Clarendon the party capital of Jamaica.

With its latest single Toxic gaining immense popularity, particularly among women, and the upcoming release, Onto the Next, featuring the vocals of dancehall artiste Charly Black, Tower Band’s aim is to make a serious statement musically over the summer.

According to Kryss Ras: “We are grateful for the incredible support from our primary sponsors, X Lounge Bar and Grill from Mineral Heights in Clarendon, No Limit Wholesale, II Brothers Entertainment from St Maarten, and Cash Life Entertainment, the managers of Knavi. Each of these sponsors saw our vision and wanted to be a part of this amazing project which will benefit two institutions from the parish.”

Tower Band’s releases include Rich in Spirit and Vincent Street.