Best of the Best Music Fest Lives Up to Its Name
The 13th annual Best of the Best Music Fest was a day of irie vibes and incredible music along with amazing food and beverages around the grounds of Bayfront Park in Miami. The venue was an idyllic setting for lovers of reggae, dancehall and soca among other genres of music played on this day. This well-established festival celebrated 13 years in Miami and has become a much-loved event by those who enjoy the majestic ocean breezes along downtown Miami’s waterfront. Best of the Best Music Fest is one of the best live events in the state of Florida, and it continues to blossom!
When you promote yourself as the Best of the Best Music Fest, you set some high expectations. After all, there are several music festivals certainly worthy of claiming that title. The Best of the Best Music Fest put on an unforgettable and life-changing showcase of the very best in music that took place on Memorial Day weekend.
In what can only be described as a picture-perfect day, where the skies were clear and temperatures hovered in the mid 80s, thousands of local, national and international visitors descended upon Miami to attended the highly anticipated family-friendly music festival.
One of the greatest things about attending the Best of the Best Music Fest is the free feeling you have while there. It is a judge-free festival that brings together people from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Saint Lucia, Haiti, Cuba, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Antigua and countless other islands in the Caribbean. This festival has developed itself as a place where you can be yourself, see old friends, and make plenty of new ones. There is something special about the Caribbean culture that makes approaching a perfect stranger and striking up a conversation easy, instantly creating a bond that is simple and without reservation.
The lineup consisted of some up-and-coming reggae artists along with some notable names in the reggae and dancehall genre. Headliner Super Cat, along with Shabba Ranks, the legendary two-time Grammy Award-winning Jamaican dancehall musician, was one of several recognized acts that performed incredible sets at the historic festival. Although the previous generation of reggae and dancehall artists were at their highest popularity in the 90s, Alkaline and Jahmiel are both well-respected artists who represent the next generation of dancehall recording artists and have developed a solid following that were well represented at the Best of the Best Music Fest.
This well-run festival provided those who attended an opportunity to have plenty to eat and drink along with their favorite reggae, soca and dancehall music. The food consisted of a variety of Caribbean-flavored dishes including the ever-popular jerk chicken and pork along with other traditional island foods. There was plenty to drink, from beer to cool Caribbean drinks. The VIP section provided a clear line of site to the stage, while the rest of the fans took up their spots that stretched nearly to the intracoastal waterway. Needless to say, this was a heavily attended event.
90’s dancehall and Kingston, Jamaica, native Frisco Kid got things started with a solid performance, playing some of his legendary hits, including “Gal Pon the Side,” “Tired Body Gal,” and “Dreamland,” among others. Next up were Roundhead and General B, both artists that are part of the well-known Monster Shack Crew. During their set they were joined on stage by Ninja Kid; the trio’s vocal harmony was among the best performances of the festival that got everyone out of their chairs and movin’. Bushman, Skinny Faboulous, Marzville, Liquid and Noah Powa all performed well. Vanessa Bling was one of only just a few female performers on the bill, delivering an impressive set with a solid performance that included plenty of rhythm and dance.
Super Cat delivered a strong, powerful and lyrically rich set. The legendary DJ brought a magical moment to the Best of the Best stage and delivered many of his classic hits. Clearly the best performance of the festival was by Shabba Ranks; from the first note to the last lyric, Shabba delivered a super-high-energy set that showed why he is known as “Emperor of Dancehall.” The Emperor delivered a nearly flawless 40-minute set of his very best and showed those who were there why he was clearly the best of the best that night.
Best of the Best Music Fest was once again a huge success and a fabulous time that delivered exactly what those who came demanded. It was a day filled with good vibes that brought together fans of various genres of music. It shows why people come to festivals like these, to unite and share the experience that can only be felt with a live music encounter. For those who traveled from afar to attend Best of the Best, perhaps it’s time to start making plans to attend in 2020 at the magnificent Bayfront Park.
