Last night, the 43rd annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival’s free summer concert series continued with GRAMMY-nominated reggae legacy Skip Marley, with an opening performance by artist Ivy Sole.
The unforgettable evening kicked off with Philly-based rapper, singer, and producer Ivy Sole, who treated the growing crowd to her show stopping lyrical range, performing fan-favorites including “Lovely Fiction” and “Rollercoaster.” She continued her set by bringing out Kingsley Ibeneche to perform their duo “Dangerous,” and followed with a mashup of “Turn Your Lights Down Low” and “ Is This Love,” as a tribute to the Marley family and a special nod to the forthcoming show headliner. Ivy Sole’s medley of reggae-infused R&B songs enlivened the Brooklyn audience with snarling bass drops on songs “KISMET,” slow jams “Taken,” “Name It,” “C-Side,” and an effortless verse from “Life.” She closed out her performance with the soothing and poetic lyrics of “Heavy,” a song she dedicated to those who lost their lives to COVID-19.
Following Ivy Sole, Lia Camille Crockett, Executive Producer of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, introduced NYC Public Advocate Jummane Williams, who engaged the crowd and delivered a hopeful message encouraging the community to get vaccinated to help rebuild a better world. He closed his speech by reminding the audience that although he is now a citywide advocate, Brooklyn will remain his favorite borough indefinitely.
At last, headliner and GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Skip Marley graced the stage bearing his lengthy dreadlocks and a keen resemblance to his grandfather, the Marley Rastafarian patriarch icon, Bob Marley. Skip Marley delivered positive vibrations throughout the night with a blend of his unique and energetic reggae-pop hits and nostalgic reggae classics. He performed songs including “Lions,” “Roots Rock Reggae,” “Cry to Me,” “Life,” “Make Me Feel,” which features another 2021 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival headliner Ari Lennox and rapper Rick Ross, and humanitarian track “Refugee.”
Skip Marley continued with renditions of two of his grandfather’s timeless classics “One Love,” followed by a cover of the joyful reggae ballad “Three Little Birds,” which filled the audience with palpable excitement as they sang along word for word. Skip Marley continued with a calming yet dominating stage presence as he gave a passionate performance of his global GRAMMY-nominated hit single “Slow Down,” featuring H.E.R., tracks “Higher Place,” “That’s Not True,” “Faith,” and another cover, this time of the Bob Marley’s reggae-staple “Could You Be Loved.” He closed out the incredible evening with Bob Marley’s awakening freedom anthem “Redemption Song.”
The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival will continue through September 18th with upcoming performances from Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Kim, The LOX, DJ Stephcakes and more for a tribute to Biggie Smalls, Wizkid, D-Nice with special guests, Glass Animals, Vijay Iyer, Rita Indiana, Mr. Eazi, Trombone Shorty, Junglepussy and Yaeji.
For more information about the festival and artist lineup, visit https://bit.ly/celebratebk
