As if you needed another reason to celebrate Jamaican music!  After decades of enormous influence on the world’s music, the island home of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, is about to get a new way to promote its incredible young artists.

American R&B artist and star record producer Ne-Yo has announced that he’s starting a new label to help promote Jamaican artists. The new label will be called Compound Island, and will be a branch of his existing label, Compound Entertainment.  The new label will hold an online talent search for Jamaican musicians, and Ne-Yo says it is his effort to pay tribute to Jamaica’s musical legacy.

Ne-Yo is starting up the label with his manager Tishawn Gayle, and both men say they chose to highlight Jamaican artists because of the enormous global impact of its musicians and its musical history.

Reggae grew out of the political landscape of Jamaica in the 1960s, and went from here to capture the world’s imagination.  The songs of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff helped shape a generation, and influenced musical traditions around the world from punk music and New Wave to rap and Hip Hop.

Ne-Yo says his new label will pay tribute to that rich history.  He describes reggae as a global music heard around the world, and one of the most influential sounds of the last century.

Ne-Yo has had five top 10 hits, two number one albums, and an entire catalog of hit songs that he wrote for other artists.   Ne-Yo is currently working on his fifth album, which he’s aiming to release in September.

Keep in mind that the very best way to hear Jamaica’s latest artists and newest musical traditions is to come here to Jamaica!   A Jamaica villa rental can put you right in the heart of this musical landscape, where you can explore the local clubs and restaurants, and feel the beats first hand!