Partying With Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley: My Time on the Welcome to JAMROCK Reggae Cruise
The Welcome to JAMROCK Reggae Cruise was as much a trip to paradise as it was a slice of home.
There’s something about dancing and singing to my favorite reggae anthems in a crowd of well-dressed West Indian people that will always make me happy. The air horns — the “busting of blanks.” It’s the best kind of euphoria. That feeling was on 10 at Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's 9th annual Welcome to JAMROCK Reggae Cruise, a trip that, somehow, was even more fun than I thought it’d be. Seriously: Imagine being at the West Indian Day Parade every day for a whole week. Sounds fun enough, right? Then, try to picture watching Bounty Killer perform while Julian Marley’s busting blanks and dancing with friends a few steps away. And then, somehow, it still gets even better: Virtually no kids.
Indeed, that was my experience at Welcome to JAMROCK which played out like a tidier version of those special days on the Parkway in September. Naturally, it starts with the music. The concert lineup was a constellation of reggae royalty, with artists like Damian & Julian Marley, Bounty Killer, Masicka, Mr. Vegas, Luciano and Marcia Griffiths coloring the genre’s rich tapestry of sound. Just as special was the interactivity of it all.
Ding Dong & Masicka hit the stage. We got to do the electric slide WITH MARCIA GRIFFITHS (!). Tony Matterhorn killed the soundclash in the best way possible while making super innovative usage of an AI Donald Trump dubplate. Bounty Killer came out and performed every song I was hoping for. It was lit, to say the very least.
Each day was loaded with programming, starting as early as 6 a.m. with the Nyahbinghi drumming session, dominos tournaments, soccer games and kinetic DJ sets throughout the ship’s public spaces from DJ Madout, Seani B, Stone Love and a host of other icons. The performances kicked off around 3 p.m. every day, with a short intermission, and then the ship would turn up again from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. From the Caribbean dishes served day and night, to the constant pulse of infectious reggae and ska being played, I always felt entertained and comfortable. It was basically if, “Party Shot” was a cruise ship. It was also utter cultural immersion.
Yes, the cruise was fun for all the reasons you’d expect — the drinks, the music, all that. But on a more poetic level, it was, dare I say, wholesome AF. It was us coming together to share our love for reggae music. The atmosphere was magnetic and relaxed, filled with laughter, air horns, good vibes. It was real community. The first four days had dressing themes and it was really cool to see everyone step out each night dressed down. On the rep your flag night, I was impressed by the many flags and countries being represented in the crowd. We really showed out.
Cruise co-founders Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and his manager Dan Dalton could have half-assed it; drinks and reggae and dancing are pretty much always guaranteed to make anyone happy. While gracefully navigating his role as host, it was clear that, for Marley, this was personal — in the best way possible. I saw their interactions with fans and their genuine enjoyment of the festivities. It was all just… special. And as fun as the shows themselves were, the festival was made just as much by the big spectacles as the minutiae of the little things.
Naturally, there was a dominos tournament; imagine waking up from a night at the club to see the older heads at a souped-up version of those Sunday morning sidewalk contests. Had some idle time? Well, luckily for me, the cruise was streaming Shottas, Third World Cop and Cool Runnings. Every. Single. Day. No, it didn’t get old. It was all rejuvenating and inspiring. I was in paradise. Lowkey, I was at home.- Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley Speaks About His Father's Legacy, Future Projects & Buju Banton's Release ›
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