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DJ Cassidy’s ‘Pass The Mic’ Reggae Edition 2022 A Hit: Watch

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Twenty-one Reggae and Dancehall acts were showcased on the global stage at DJ Cassidy’s special edition of Pass The Mic: BET Afterparty 2022,  following the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on Saturday night.

Anticipation for this iteration of Pass The Mic began brewing shortly after Cassidy revealed that it would be specially curated to honour and highlight the Reggae culture. In fact, the international DJ travelled all the way to Kingston, Jamaica for the 20-minute special, at Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records bar and restaurant.

Things kicked off with Reggae veterans Chaka Demus & Pliers who rendered their famous hit, Murder She Wrote. Cassidy was immediately hyped up as the duo started their lyrics. Their energetic set was certainly set the tone for the other acts in the lineup and they proved why the single will be around to stay. Murder She Wrote was sampled by international artists Pitbull in El Taxi, French Montana in Freaks, Omarion in Post To Be, among others.

Up next was Tanto Metro & Devonte with Everyone Falls In Love, which peaked at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its release in the 90s. It’s undoubtedly a classic in Jamaica’s music culture and the two definitely represented and had viewers falling in love with the track again on this episode of Pass The Mic.

Kevin Lyttle’s Turn Me On was a smooth transition for the evening’s Reggae showcase. The groovy instrumental saw both Cassidy and Lyttle rocking in sync. The song was originally a soca ballad released in 2003, remade into a dance hit for the US release. Featuring Spragga Benz in the radio remix, Turn Me On became a worldwide hit, peaking within top 10 in 15 countries.

Then, it was Nadine Sutherland and Terror Fabulous’ time to take the metaphoric mic. They performed their hit single Action, and it was certainly not “a bag ah mout” as they brought the vibe to the popular track. Released in 1994, Action is still one of Sutherland’s most-performed songs.

Patra was on the line next with Romantic Call. Clad in a pair of jean shorts and a white tank top complemented with a big Jamaican flag, Patra embodied a true Dancehall queen. She writhed her waistline to the beat and gave 100 per cent in her set.

One more of the world’s most sampled songs was up next and it was by none other than Vicious and Doug E. Fresh, with Freaks. The song received major radio and club play, followed by video play when the video was finally produced a few months into 1994. Nicki Minaj and French Montana sampled the song in their version released in 2013.

Snow added to the Dancehall party vibe with his set that spoke on the ‘informer’ culture in Jamaica.

Naturally, Ini Kamoze, who is still enjoying rejuvenated success for his track Here Comes The Hotstepper, performed that single when the mic was passed to him.

Nobody was prepared for Super Cat’s dapper outfit (which also included a matching umbrella) and his rendition of Ghetto Red Hot. Super Cat is considered one of the greatest deejays in the history of the Jamaican dancehall scene and is known for other tracks like Dem Nuh Worry We and Dolly My Baby.

Junior Reid’s One Blood reminded viewers what a unifying tool Reggae and Dancehall really are; not just for natives, but for international fans. It was an effective addition to the slew of performances.

In true Barrington Levy fashion, he didn’t need to do too much to get his message across in Here I Come. Levy is one of the most influential veterans in the game, and even billionaire rapper Jay-Z knows it.

The other female to take the mic was Sister Nancy who performed her hit Bam Bam. In a recent interview with the Observer, Sister Nancy noted that it’s still one of the tracks she’s known for, and is highly requested. It was recently featured in popular Netflix series Ozark, before it soared to the pole position of the Reggae songs chart.

Dennis Seaton unearthed a memory many viewers didn’t even know was buried with Pass The Dutchie. It was a refreshing reminder of how catchy and seamless the lyrics and roots reggae rhythm are.

International Reggae artist Maxi Priest reminded everyone why he’s still a favourite. He decided to perform Close To You in a soulful way, that was effective in causing fans to feel like they were at a live show.

Ali Campbell represented UB40 with an immaculate performance of Red Red Wine, that made fans instinctively want to sing along to the classic, guided by Campbell’s smooth vocals.

To top off arguably one of the most notable episodes of Pass The Mic, Grammy superstar Shaggy and Rayvon sang Angel, and rounded off the exceptional lineup. Angel, like It Wasn’t Me, proved to be successful, reaching number one in 12 countries, including Australia, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Watch DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic above.