KINGSTON, Jamaica— Grammy Award-winning dancehall star, Sean Paul, has been named the recipient of the Entertainer’s Key to New York City.

The world-renowned performer will accept the honour during a Rise Up NYC concert on Saturday, August 24 at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens.

In a special moment of recognition, Sean Paul will be presented with the Entertainer’s Key for his musical contributions to the city by New York Mayor Eric Adams, a release about the achievement said on Tuesday.

“I feel honoured to be able to do something that I love and to help take part in my culture and wear the flag in a big city like New York. I’m giving thanks,” the artiste, born Sean Paul Henriques, said.

“New York is a very important place for artistes, especially in Dancehall. It’s the first city that I went to that I could do four shows in one night, with all the clubs full,” he continued.

Sean Paul acknowledged that New York is a melting pot of many different cultures, and Caribbean culture, especially Jamaican reggae and dancehall, is a huge part of that.

“It feels like people are understanding us in a big city, like that is a great feeling. So it feels like we’re connecting. That feels like we are bridging the gap between the cultures and The States. NYC is an iconic city and I feel iconic,” he said.

Sean Paul, widely recognised as a global musical maestro repping dancehall, has dominated the music industry with his infectious rhythms and chart-topping hits. Renowned for his Platinum-earning singles ‘Get Busy’, ‘Temperature’, and ‘Gimme The Light’, Sean Paul’s music transcends boundaries, and brings together artistes and listeners worldwide.

The celebrated artiste is among awardees for the Rise Up New York Concert Series including presentations in Brooklyn to Pattie Labelle; in Harlem to Keith Sweat; in The Bronx to Fat Joe; and in Queens to Sean Paul.

The Rise Up NYC concert series according to the organisers was “launched to unite and uplift the diverse communities across the five boroughs, this annual event features a series of free outdoor concerts showcasing world-class talent and a wide range of music genres”.