Within the wake of Hurricane Melissa, a devastating Class 5 hurricane that made landfall in Jamaica (Oct. 28) and Cuba (Oct. 29) earlier this week, a number of musicians have supplied phrases of assist and shared assets to assist rebuilding efforts.
The storm made landfall in New Hope, Westmoreland, Jamaica on Tuesday, marking the strongest storm within the island’s historical past. Hurricane Melissa surpassed 1988’s low-end Class 4 Hurricane Gilbert because the strongest such storm to hit the island. On Wednesday, the hurricane hit Cuba’s southeastern province of Santiago de Cuba. Hurricane Melissa has since continued its journey throughout the North Atlantic Ocean, bringing copious rain and intense wind to the Northeastern United States. On Thursday (Oct. 30), The New York Instances reported over 20 deaths in Haiti, 5 in Jamaica and one within the Dominican Republic.
On Thursday, dancehall queen Spice shared a photoset chronicling the wreckage on her official Instagram web page. “Collectively we gonna construct again stronger,” she wrote in a caption highlighting her Grace Hamilton Basis. “Even when it’s as small as [manpower] to assist us for even a day, please attain out and let’s construct collectively as a crew!” Her frequent collaborator, King of Dancehall Vybz Kartel, additionally took to Instagram, reminding his followers, “This isn’t about politics, it’s about Jamaica. So, assist in case you can, and pray in case you can’t, however maintain your politics to your self.”
Missy Elliott, who collaborated with Kartel on 2005’s “Unhealthy Man,” wrote, “Prayers up for everybody in Jamaica,” on X, adopted by a number of Jamaican flag and prayer arms emojis. When reminded to additionally pray for these in want in Cuba and Haiti, Eliott responded, “Completely.”
Extra of the island’s greatest stars sprang into motion to help assist efforts. Dancehall icon Beenie Man assembled a crew to ship provides to hospitals in St. Elizabeth; “Bruk Off Yuh Again” singer Konshens shared an informative video directing social media customers to government-approved assist channels, and Shaggy posted infographics explaining the gathering course of for these donating provides from the Kingston space. Final week, shortly after the discharge of his long-awaited Exile LP, Grammy-nominated reggae star Chronixx devoted an acoustic rendition of the aptly titled “Hurricane” to his beloved house nation. “Stand agency, Jamaica,” he captioned the video.
In response to Rolling Stone, the Catherine Corridor Sports activities Complicated, a Jamaican stadium that hosts the annual Reggae Sumfest music pageant, is within the midst of rebuilding after being fully submerged in water. As well as, the Jamrock Reggae Cruise, an annual ship-set pageant co-founded by Damian Marley, needed to be rerouted to Cozumel, Mexico. Notably, all the Marley properties in Jamaica, notably the Bob Marley Museum, have been quickly repurposed as reduction facilities for these in want of assist, meals, and provides.
Silent Addy, one of many producers of “Shake It to the Max,” the yr’s greatest crossover dancehall hit, processed his feelings in an Instagram Story. “Lastly heading house and actually taking in all the things Hurricane Melissa did to Jamaica,” he wrote. “It’s been laborious to even pause and course of… simply able to be house with my household and rebuild.”
Meek Mill additionally despatched “prayers to Jamaica” by way of X, whereas RiotUSA, Ice Spice’s go-to producer, revealed that he was really on the island when Hurricane Melissa hit. “I’m alive. I’m secure! [Fighting] to get off the island,” he wrote. “That is essentially the most traumatic expertise ever.”
Sevana, who starred in 2024’s Bob Marley: One Love movie, lamented, “My beloved nation. God know.” Grammy-nominated dancehall-pop star Shenseea expressed related sentiments, writing “Praying for everybody on my island proper now… We’re sturdy folks and we’ll get by this collectively,” in a now-expired Instagram Story. On X, Armanii, who lately carried out at Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Dwell live performance, wrote, “And as soon as Jamaicans come collectively we’re unstoppable! We’ll rebuild 10 instances stronger, prayers up!”
As Jamaica, Cuba and several other different Caribbean nations start to select up the items, residents throughout the islands have highlighted World Meals Programme, Challenge HOPE, GiveDirectly, American Pals of Jamaica, Pals of Caritas Cuba, and the Jamaican authorities’s official hurricane reduction portal as verified channels of assist.
