The self-proclaimed ‘King of the Dancehall’ will storm Schine Underground this weekend.

The Caribbean Students Association (CSA) will host the 23rd annual Bob Marley Tribute weekend at Syracuse University from Friday to Sunday. Grammy award-winning reggae artist Beenie Man headlines the festivities.

‘We have wanted Beenie Man for a long time,’ said Rosalind Dean, the CSA’s vice president of External Affairs. ‘Last year we did not have enough money to bring him here, but this year, we were able to get who we wanted. We think Beenie Man will be someone who will represent Bob Marley as an innovator and reggae artist.’

The weekend-long event kicks off Friday with the Hands in the Air Concert featuring Beenie Man at the Schine Underground. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the concert will be standing room only. Tickets will be sold at the Schine Box Office for $7 for SU students and $10 for non-SU students. The event is designed to promote Caribbean awareness on the SU campus, Dean said.

Nicknamed the King of the Dancehall, Beenie Man is a Jamaican musician who has released numerous reggae albums since 1995. His albums have been produced by Virgin Records since 1998, according to his Web site.

Beenie Man won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2001 for his album ‘Art and Life,’ according to the Grammy Web site. His most famous songs are ‘Feel It Boy’ and ‘Party Hard.’

The events continue through the weekend with DJ Spider on Saturday at SkyBarn on South Campus, the release of the association’s annual magazine and the Belly Full Brunch at the Goldstein Student Center on Sunday in Room 201.

‘We are expecting tickets to be sold out by Tuesday,’ Dean said. ‘So if students want to participate this weekend, they cannot procrastinate.’

rseldrid@syr.edu

Published on February 24, 2008 at 12:00 pm