New York Calls for a ‘Day of Reggae’ with 27th Annual IRAWMA’s, May 4, 2008, New York

New York – The Big Apple is welcoming the 27th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) with open arms as New York’s Governor David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg call for New Yorkers to come out and support the IRAWMA’s, and to recognize that day, Sunday, May 4th, as a day of reggae.

International superstars Shaggy, Ky-Mani Marley, Machel Montano, Billy Ocean, Buju Banton and Beenie Man are just some of the faces that will be seen and heard at the world-famous Apollo Theater during the 27th annual staging of the prestigious ceremony.

Grammy-winner Shaggy will walk the red carpet and grace the stage as his latest studio effort, Intoxication, is nominated for Best Album of the Year. He’s also up for the Best Male DJ/Rapper award, and his song “Church Heathen” is nominated in the Best Song and Best Music Video categories.

Trinidadian soca star Machel Montano is nominated for the Entertainer of the Year award, Jamaican songbird Alaine is nominated for Best Female Vocalist, and U.S. Virgin Islands’ native Pressure is nominated as the Most Promising Entertainer of the Year, bringing some true world flavas to this year’s IRAWMA’s.

According to IRAWMA’s president Ephraim Martin, the list of performers and presenters include Beenie Man, Ky-Mani Marley, Doug E. Fresh, Janet Hubert, Tarrus Riley, Freddie McGregor, Etana, Billy Ocean, Miss Jamaica 2007, Buju Banton, Macka Diamond, Lady G, Claudelle Clarke, Tony Rebel, Lady Ann, Dean Fraser, Winsome Benjamin, D’Angel, Queen Ifrika, Mutabaruka, Cecile, Junior Reid, Shelia Hylton, Dwight Pickney, and a soca mix featuring Hot 97FM disc jockey D. Life with soca songstress, Jadine.

International singer Billy Ocean will be inducted into the IRAWMA Hall of Fame, while Ziggy Marley and Jay-Z will each receive the Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award for their charitable efforts this year.

Tickets to the show are still available at Ticketmaster.com, or the Apollo’s Box Office at 212-307-7171, or call toll-free: 1-877-9-reggae.

Media Alert: To schedule interviews with the above mentioned artists, contact Rhona Fox: 212-300-3813; [email protected]