Whether your musical preference runs more to Bunny Wailer, Mavado or Nicki Minaj — the 19th annual staging of the Greatest Reggae Show on Earth had a little bit of something for everybody.
Over the past 19 years, Reggae Sumfest has grown to become the “Greatest Reggae Show on Earth” and has played host to big stars from overseas as well. Three years ago, hip hop stars Lil Wayne and Birdman ripped the stage. Last year it was Chris Brown and Usher. And this year the headliners were supposed to be R. Kelly and Nicki Minaj. But Kells’ last-minute cancellation due to health issues left Nicki as the only overseas artist on the bill in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
As usual, the festivities kicked off on Thursday with Dancehall Night at Sumfest 2011 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, all the hottest artists on the streets of Kingston were in attendance, from rising stars like Chan Dizzy, Tifa, and Konshens to established hitmakers like Spice, Assassin, and I-Octane, whose fans showed their appreciation with blazing torches and fireworks before building a raging bonfire in the middle of the outdoor arena that threatened to upstage the artists’s fiery performance.

Khago—who got his first big “bust” on last year’s Sumfest with his smash hit “Nah Sell Out”—was even greater than last year. He tried his best to dispel any rumors of a rivalry between him and Octane, a welcome gesture of peace in these tempestuous times. A number of artists who performed have all been locked in epic conflicts for so many years that you need a timeline to keep track. But Movado, Vybz Kartel, Bounty Killer, Gyptian and more all hit the stage to get the people up on their feet, with no conflcts whatsoever.

Following her performance this past weekend at Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest, Nicki Minaj has been fined for using expletives during her set and pleaded guilty to the charges. The Harajuku Barbie absently paid the J$1,000 fine, which roughly equates to $11.70 in US.

The Young Money rapstress was handed the summons as she exited the stage early on Sunday morning.

According to online media, Bankeylous recording artiste Khago has delivered a stinging rebuke of fellow deejay I Octane, saying that the two are no longer friends and that Octane has been using his power and influence to destroy his career by badmouthing him to producers and cutting his earning potential with promoters by refusing to do shows with him.

Khago, who was friends with Octane before his musical success, said they have severed their friendships some three years ago and now the singjay is trying to turn producers and promoters against him.

“I-Octane needs to stop telling people say me and him good, mi and him no good. Him need fi stop tell people say me and him friend. Mi put in nuff work wid him, from him first song, mi have Caan Cool at #3 on the chart, mi ask him fi call mi out so people can know me cause ah mi and him used to par, mi sing background vocals fi him, mi used to cook at Octane yard, and when him find out say mi talented like him, him no waan nobody know me, him just want me to be a background singer,” he said in an exclusive interview with media.

“But mi have three yute, so mi caan mek my ting waste, mi work fi not even a dolla fi him and when a my time fi get my go, him stop deal wid me. Three years him no talk to me after mi sing the last background vocals for him at Beenie Sizzle just because mi ask him fi help me. Yu can ask producer Crush bout it, and then three years after him stop tek mi phone call then, mi go find Nah Sell Out, him run back say him waan do combination and management say mi nuffi do it. When mi and him a roll, mi used to teach people how fi do sister locks, him do song say “no man caan ramp wid mi like how dem play wid dem catty, no man caan put dem hand inna mi natty” because him know mi used to teach people how fi do sister locks and mi no ansa him. Him see mi over Portmore and say him like the low profile rims pon mi car. Him invite me over him yard and the following week, somebody send me a link pon mi Facebook page say ‘Octane do Khago diss’ and when mi click it, ah the song: “Mi no go ah mi bed fi dream bout bwoy, dem sell out fi low profile rims….”. So him ah diss me under psyches all this time.”

“Yu nuh have no respect fi mi three yutes dem, cause that’s why mi do Blood A Boil, ah long time mi ah hold it and mi caan hold it no more. Him no know how the babymother pressure feel, mi ask Octane fi stop be the back wheel and come forward and him no want that happen. Him like ‘yes man’ and ‘dads’ him up and mi do de pon that, him waan mi tell lie say Teflon have knife ah Fully Loaded fi stab him up, and mi refuse fi do it. The ting deeper than music, it more than just music, mi no sing no song fi be no troublemaker. Dem used the one song, Blood a Boil fi tarnish ting. Him trouble Teflon , and then run come pon TV and say me and Teflon a friend, It reach the point say me and Octane ah Cane and Abel, and stop tell people say ah him gimme mi name, ah Jimmy Hinds give me my name. Mi used to lef Spanish Town and go cook food fi him, mi used to all wash him car, I was him buckler. Mi and my friend dem wash my cars dem together, me and my friend dem roll different, mi wash all the wheel dem, the duttiest part mi do it.”

“Mi no need fi gas up no crowd fi get forward, go pon youtube and yu will see the real forward.”

“Him go pon Buzz on IRIE FM, and tell people say me waan him and de pon a Mavado and Kartel ting, wah dat yu a try do to mi yute? How yu fi talk dem tings de? Why yu nuh talk how yu a try keep mi down? Ah fear him fear mi so? Octane is a glory taker, and the glory belong to the Most High. Mi nah hide it no more.”