During Reggae Month, DJ Cassidy, creator of the critically acclaimed series Pass the Mic, will share his platform with 21 iconic reggae artistes.
“I always dreamed of dedicating an entire Pass the Mic to reggae, and it is serendipitous that this falls right in Reggae Month,” an enthusiastic DJ Cassidy, who is the go-to selector for celebs, including Jay-Z, Obama during his two inagurations as president, Justin Timberlake, Usher and Oprah.
“I do believe in the stars aligning, and they continue to align. I could not be more honoured to celebrate these artistes and songs. Normally its 13 songs, but this time, by carefully designing the show and focusing on a faster momentum, we will showcase 16 incredible songs,” DJ Cassidy told The Gleaner.
Super Cat, Maxi Priest, Patra, Barrington Levy, Ini Kamoze, Junior Reid, Sister Nancy and Shaggy are seven of the 21 reggae acts to whom DJ Cassidy will pass the mic this Saturday, February 26. This means that reggae and dancehall fans will have a double musical delight on Saturday, as the Sizzla Reggae Month concert will be aired the same day. Sizzla in concert with a 35-piece orchestra starts at 8:30 p.m. on Reggae Month TV, while P ass the Mic will be aired on American cable network BET at 10 p.m., following the 53rd NAACP Image Awards.
DJ Cassidy, who reiterated that it was his honour to feature reggae, articulated, with lots of emotion, some of his passion about the genre and the artistes of whom he is incredibly knowledgeable.
“As a little kid early on in my journey, Super Cat held – and still holds – a special place in my heart. I truly believe that his status as an icon is of mythological proportions. He is held on a pedestal for all the right reason. Maxi Priest, when I met him I told him that I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t play his music. His music is an important part of the soundtrack of my life. Barrington Levy defines reggae icons with every inch of his being. He has a truly iconic voice and iconic presence; it would be impossible to do this episode without him. There is so much of the music that holds a special place in my heart, and for a list of iconic reggae party records, that list does not come together without a Patra record,” DJ Cassidy shared.
He noted that he “stumbled upon” the idea for Pass The Mic in April 2020 during a FaceTime conversation with his friend and mentor Verdine White of Earth, Wind and Fire, and has since passed the mic to more than 200 iconic musical superstars. “By intimately uniting his musical heroes from the turntables in his living room, DJ Cassidy passes the mic from one legendary artiste to another, as they sing along to their iconic songs. The result is an emotionally uplifting, inspiring, and innovative musical event,” a release stated.
The innovator shared that despite the show being virtual, he is involved in every aspect of it and emphasised that he is really just the messenger, and that DJs are “the bridge between the music and the people”.
“Not one shoot occurs that I am not there virtually. When I decided to do this show, I knew there was only one person for me to call, Sharon Burke. She and her team of Judith Bodley and Debrina Smith helped me to recruit the artistes. I would not have been able to produce it without them,” DJ Cassidy said.
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