ENTERTAINMENT
Dancehall icon Tommy Lee Sparta. WVLNTH
Caribbean Life, OCTOBER 15-21, 2021 41
By Nelson A. King
The first official collaboration
between dancehall staple and icon
Tommy Lee Sparta and his son, the
newcomer Skirdle Sparta, is the hot
single “Dior Kicks.”
“Tommy Lee has long since
unearthed and made into his own,
a dark, Jamaican punk iconography
that gives way to his performance of
the various characters in his ensemble,”
Brooklyn-based Jamaican entertainment
publicist Ronnie Tomlinson,
told Caribbean Life on Monday.
“Skirdle Sparta, with this new
upbeat, electro dancehall vibe, ‘Dior
Kicks’ adds more dimensions to the
signature sonic arrangements of his
father’s niche,” added Tomlinson, of
Destine Media. “This single is a high
energy banger meant for party setting
but also perfect for radio airplay.”
Tomlinson said Tommy Lee burst
onto the music scene in 2008 after
the premier of his first single and
subsequent performances in his
home town Flankers, Montego Bay.
Eventually, she said Vybz Kartel
discovered his immense talent and
welcomed him into the “Portmore
Empire.”
“Since then, Tommy has blazed
his own trail in dancehall music,
going on to create hits like ‘Warn
Dem’, ‘Psycho’, ‘Soul Reaper’, ‘Spartan
Soldier’, ‘Hard Ears’, ‘Blessings’,
‘Redemption Song’ and more,”
Thomlinson.
She said Skirdle Sparta embraces
his father’s legacy “by making it his
Continued on Page 42
Chris Roberts, Groovin Inc. CEO. Anthony
Turner/Images LLC
By Nelson A. King
After a two-year hiatus due to the
global COVID-19 pandemic, Groovin’ In
The Park, New York City’s premier Reggae
and R & B concert, has announced
Sunday, June 26, 2022 as the working
date for a mammoth 10th anniversary
celebration, slated for Roy Wilkins Park
in Queens.
“The outdoor festival has developed
an impeccable reputation of excellence
and has become one of the most eagerly
Continued on Page 42
By Nelson A. King
The Theatre Leadership Project
(TTLP) has been approved by New York
State as a qualifying diversity and arts
job training program for the state’s
$100 million New York City Musical and
Theatrical Production Tax Credit.
The two-year program is designed to
accelerate the return of entertainment
and tourism industries devastated by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Productions may satisfy the requirement
for the training program by having
staff participate in TTLP’s state Tax
Credit fellowship program.
TTLP said it will assist in the recruitment
and continued development of
BIPOC creative producers and company
managers by offering supplemental
opportunities for continued learning
Continued on Page 42
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Groovin’
celebrations
Theatrical tax
credit program
‘DIOR
KICKS’
Father, son release dancehall single
/ENTERTAINMENT
