The 2024 Florida Jerk & Music Festival took place over the Memorial Holiday weekend on Sunday May 26th in the spacious and comfy John Prince Park.  This year’s festival was bigger than ever, and for good reason in that 2024 marked its 21st Anniversary in the Palm Beach environs.  Going further, the day-long festivities were a breathtaking celebration of Jamaica’s food, music, and irie vibes.

Festival-goers came in droves to indulge themselves in a wide variety of festival attractions, including the ‘Jerk Cook-Off’ competition that showcased top-name chefs; the exclusive all-white VIP lounge; the fun zone (for kids) and, of course, a broad array of jerk-inspired sweet and savory dishes, featuring some of the festival’s premier food vendors.  So too, there were complimentary servings of the ever-popular Vybez Punch—which is the Florida Jerk & Music Festival’s signature rum punch.

What’s more, the evening’s happenings boasted a concert that featured outstanding performances from top names in Jamaican reggae, dancehall, and soca.  Headlining artists who wowed the massive audience with their musical talents were reggae singing sensation Christopher Martin; dancehall legend Louie Culture, soca sensation Mr. Killa, and dancehall newcomer Nigy Boy.  Music and sounds were provided by Noah Powa, DJ Fergie, and DJ Principal.  MC duties were expertly handled by Papa Keith from Miami’s 103.5 The Beat.

Exclusive All-White VIP Lounge

Festival patrons in the exclusive all-white VIP lounges were not only immersed in luxury and excitement in being adjacent to the concert stage, but also enjoyed unlimited food and drinks all day long.  And the main menu offerings were simply mouthwatering:  island salad, fried plantain, jerk chicken, jerk pork, grilled jerk lobster, and escovitch fish.  What’s more, Millie’z Kitchen catered:  shrimp & lobster pasta, jerk rasta pasta, ital stew, rice & peas, white rice, mac & cheese, and tropical quinoa salad.  And of course, then there were the deserts:  sweet potato pudding, island fruit skewers, cocktail patties, bun & cheese bite, crispy salt fish fritters, and honey glazed meatballs.  Need I say more?

For The Entire Family – All New ‘Fun Zone’

As one of the largest family-friendly Caribbean festivals in the Southeast region of the United States, the all new ‘Fun Zone’ at this year’s festival offered kids a lot of fun and excitement by way of games and activities, such as:  ring toss, checkers, balloon darts, shooting galleries, basketball tosses, and a mini-soccer playing field.

Jerk Tasting Experience – Featured Jerk Food ‘Cook-Off’ Competition

The Festival afforded patrons a sizzling jerk food experience, as they indulged in free jerk food tastings,  sipped on complimentary ‘Vybez Punch’ while cheering on the top chefs on-hand competing in the jerk cook-off.   The chefs vying for culinary supremacy at the 2024 Florida Jerk Food & Music Festival were:  Chef Kevin Kistner, Chef Ricky, and Chef Keith Williams.  And judging their culinary creativity and flavors were:  Nicky Gelin, Charmaine Fenton, and Courtney Allen.  This year, the top prize for the chef who cooked up the ‘Best Jerk Dish’ went to Jamaican Chef, Kevin Kistner, of Taste in Fusion.

Festival Concert – Headlined by Louie Culture, Mr. Killa, Nigy Boy, and Christopher Martin

Louie ‘Ganga Lee’ Culture

A Jamaican dancehall veteran and legend, Louie Culture launched his music career while he was still a student in school.  His early influences included Nicodemus and Bobby Culture—who were popular in Jamaica in the 1980s.  Culture’s in-studio experience began with the iconic producer, King Tubby, who released a joint effort called ‘Rat A Bodda We’, featuring Louie Culture and Wayne Ranks. 

Later on, he made an entry into the New York reggae scene, but did not achieve a lot of success.  Once he returned to Jamaica, however, he worked with super-producer, Dave Kelly.  His working sessions with Dave Kelly birthed a string of hits, which later became dancehall anthems the world over.  Without a doubt, culture’s crowning glory came after releasing a song called ‘Ganga Lee’, which was produced in Kingston, Jamaica by the highly acclaimed John John—’No man can decide my destiny – only I can decide my own for me – cos I’m a ol’ ganga lee – well I was born to be free – me a ol’ ganga lee’.

Mr. Killa 

For a Grenadian to go to Trinidad & Tobago, the home of calypso and soca music, and depart with their most revered and coveted soca title is certainly not an accomplishment to be overlooked.  That is, the Power Soca Monarch title had never been won by a non-Trinidadian. That is, until Mr. Killa proceeded onto their stage in 2019 while literally sitting on a throne with a crown already perched atop his head! In garnering the 2019 International Soca Monarch Championship trophy, Mr. Killa unleashed an electric performance with his hit ‘Run Wid It’, a tune which song for revelers to ‘pick up something and run with it’.  Without a doubt, Mr. Killa made his home country of Grenada proud by bringing home the Soca Monarch title.

Nigy Boy – ‘Continent Boss’

In the dancehall world, the artist who goes by the stage name, Nigy Boy, is perhaps best known and celebrated by his legions of fans for his smash song hit—Continent. However, Nigy Boy—whose real name is Nigel Hector—deserves to be applauded for many other reasons unrelated to music.  By all accounts, Nigy Boy is a fighter, and he has been ever since birth, as he was born a not only a premature baby, but also with blindness and, as such, has been described by as the ‘Stevie Wonder of reggae’.

Indeed, Nigy Boy’s perseverance and resilience has been nothing short of remarkable and inspiring.  He has certainly thrived and risen to unimaginable heights in the entertainment business.  Nigy’s interest in music started as a student at the Salvation Army School for the Blind where he was a soloist for his choir.  So too, he participated in TVJ’s All together Sing as well as other competitions that were spearheaded by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

The global smash tune Continent by dancehall artist Nigy Boy has been topping the charts. Produced by Rvssian on is infectious ‘Dutty Money’ riddim, the song has achieved well over a million YouTube views. As a visually impaired musician, Nigy is very grateful for his achievements and wanted to credit dancehall Grammy superstars Shabba Ranks and Beenie Man in that they inspired him to create ‘Continent’ after hearing their songs ‘Trailer Loads of Girls’, and ‘Gyal in a Bundle’. 

Very recently, Nigy Boy has achieved yet another remarkable milestone in that last month he has graduating with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Stony Brook University in the United States (New York). 

Christopher Martin

Christopher Martin is a multi-faceted singer from St. Catherine, Jamaica.  He is equally capable when it comes to singing in both the reggae and dancehall spaces.  In 2005, Marting burst onto the music scene after winning the Digicel’s Rising Stars—which was Jamaica’s rendition of American Idol.  Christopher Martin is also a talented song writer, and in terms of song hits, he is perhaps best known for ‘Cheaters Prayer’, ‘I’m a Big Deal’, ‘Let Her Go’, ‘Is It Love’, ‘Better than the Stars’, and ‘Dreams of Brighter Days.’

Photos by Nick Ford