Charly Black

Born in Rio Bueno, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, Desmond Mendez, better known to the world as CHARLY BLACK is a legit dancehall legend. Best known for his massive track “Gyal You a Party Animal,” one of the biggest crossover tracks to ever come out of the world of dancehall, racking up over a billion streams on Spotify and YouTube alone, Black is a truly world-renowned singer and selector. It's been a long road for Black, who started singing in competitions at the tender age of just 5 years olds. He was a part of both the Warlord International and Bass Odyssey soundsystems, before adopting the moniker Charly Black and heading out to forge his own path in the mid 2000s. A string of successful singles like “Whine & Kotch” and “Fall in Love Again” helped build his profile as a top vocalist in Jamaica, before the release of “Gyal You A Party Animal” in 2014 sent him into the stratosphere. The song help propel Black from a Jamaican star into a worldwide star. Off the strength of the single, Black became the the first Jamaican artist to become Diamond-selling in Central America, a massive feat for any artist, regardless of genre. Every time Black releases a song or makes a rare live appearance, it is a time for celebration for dancehall fans around the world as he continues his mission to spread authentic Jamaican riddims and culture to every corner of the globe.

Shows

Souls Of Mischief, Charly Black, Eva Lazarus, Nico Supreme, Sonic Alley, Tank Gyal
at Ship Point (Inner Harbour)
Sat. June 27th 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Ticket Info
Saturday in the Inner Harbour at Ship Point is always a special day during Ska & Reggae Fest and this year is absolutely no different as we proudly present one of the most exciting and straight-up coolest days of music Victoria is likely to see this summer - or any other season for that matter! Headling the night are hip-hop legends SOULS OF MISCHIEF, who hit the Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest stage for the first time. As hip-hop rose to prominence out of the east coast of America, in the early 90s the dominant sounds started to come out of the west coast. Along with the G-funk sound pioneered by Dr. Dre, west coast rap was defined by the sounds of the Hieroglyphics Crew – Del the Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love and the Souls of Mischief – Opio, Tajai, Phesto and A-Plus. The quartet's landmark album '93 'Til Infinity remains one of the touchstones of the genre, with its live bass and deep jazz samples. Their intricate, introspective rhymes and flows changed the game in a way that people are only now beginning to recognize en masse. A west coast summer night at Ship Point with Souls of Mischief is something you do not want to miss.

Where else can you see not just a legendary hip-hop, but see them with a living legend of dancehall on the bill as well? Because that's what CHARLY BLACK is, a living legend of dancehall. There's no other way to define such a powerful voice. Songs like “Whine & Kotch” and “You're Perfect” are huge dancehall tracks and have helped define the genre, but it's his intergalactically popular track “Gyal You A Party Animal” that vaulted Black into international stardom. With over a billion streams and sales high enough to earn him a diamond record in Latin America (the first Jamaican artist to ever achieve the feat), the song is one of the most endearing and popular dancehall tracks of all time. If you like getting sweaty from dancing, you should be there at Ship Point for Charly Black's Victoria debut. You can expect a very special appearance from one of the globe's most prominent dancehall DJs, NICO SUPREME, who will be dropping in to get the crowd as hype as ever.

Before we get there, one of the most exciting and powerful voices in modern reggae, EVA LAZARUS also makes her Victoria debut. The multi-genre UK singer, known for her ultra-dynamic performances, shuts down soundsystems around the world. Her celebrated work with festival veterans Mungo's Hi-Fi and her own solo catalogue, have cemented Lazarus as one of the most sought-after vocalists in the genre and we can't wait to see what she has in store for us. Kicking the day off in true style, is SONIC ALLEY. Fronted by dynamic veteran Caleb Hart, Sonic Alley is a veritable reggae supergroup, bringing unmatched energy and musicianship to every performance. We also have our longtime ally in the culture, TANK GYAL, who's coming back to spin the best in Jamaican-rooted music before and in between bands to keep you moving. Come out, tap in and be a part of this epic celebration of music.