Rebel Salute marked 30 years with a “30 for 30” bill of thirty acts over Friday and Saturday nights, January 19 and 20, 2024, at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in St Ann — and ended earlier than planned. Shortly after 7 a.m. on Sunday, as I-Wayne left the stage and Fantan Mojah and Turbulence prepared to close the show, police officers went on stage and the festival was over, the Gleaner reports.

The sound had already been cut once at the start of I-Wayne’s set, then reconnected after the crowd protested. The Jamaica Observer says the show had gone past its appointed finishing time; the Gleaner’s Kenrick Morgan wrote that it was unclear what was discussed on stage, only that band members and crew made quick exits as the crowd dispersed. The festival, which began as a birthday party for founder Tony Rebel in 1994, has not yet commented.

Fire early in the morning

What came before was, by most accounts, one of the stronger Rebel Salutes in years. Capleton delivered what the Observer called arguably the performance of the night — “Ah bun we a bun out Babylon, early inna di mawning!” — running “Turn It Up,” “Hunt Yuh,” “Baby Don’t Cry No More” and “Who Dem.” Queen Ifrica, barefoot and dressed in green for her 23rd Rebel Salute, opened with “Children of Africa,” freestyled on the Dutty Money rhythm, brought up her daughter Tanzie for Cynthia Erivo’s “Stand Up” and closed with “Lioness on the Rise” just before 5:30 a.m.

Etana held the stage for about 40 minutes with “Warrior Love,” “My Man,” “Ganja Fi Free,” “Roots” and “Better Tomorrow.” Louie Culture, in a 30-minute set, ran “Bogus Badge,” “Foundation From Birth,” “Tune In” and “Ganga Lee” and brought out Luciano for their 1995 classic “In This Together,” telling the crowd that an ailing Cocoa Tea was on the mend. Beenie Man watched from VIP in a pumpkin-yellow suit and matching fedora. Luciano’s own set — “Sweep Over My Soul,” “Messenger,” “Give Praise,” a Dennis Brown tribute (“Ah mi daddy”) and “One Way Ticket” — was another highlight, as was Yellowman, 68, who shares a January 15 birthday with Tony Rebel, on “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng,” “Nobody Move” and “I’m Getting Married.”

Sean Paul’s first

In its 30 years the roots festival had never booked Sean Paul. He opened with “Get Busy” and “Gimme the Light” and worked through “Ever Blazing,” “Baby Boy,” “Hot Gal Today” and “Give It Up To Me” before heading off for a two-week tour of Australia and New Zealand. Saturday also featured Mortimer, Josey Wales, Little John with a Sugar Minott tribute, Horace Andy, Peter Metro and Linval Thompson, with Tony Rebel’s children — Tanzie, Abatau, Davianah and Imeru Tafari, the Rebel Clan — opening the night.

Friday, which drew a smaller crowd, carried Anthony B (“Plant Di Corn,” “Fire Pon Rome,” “Damage”), Third World, Sanchez, Mikey Spice, Benji Myaz, Glen Washington, Richie Stephens, Leroy Gibbons, Lone Ranger, CC Foster, Tappa Zukie and Tony Rebel himself.

Listen and dig deeper

Sources: Jamaica Observer — “Rebel Salute 2024 comes to an abrupt end; Capleton, Ifrica, Louie Culture, Etana gave standout sets” (Claude Mills, Jan 21, 2024); Jamaica Gleaner — “Abrupt end to Rebel Salute” (Kenrick Morgan, Jan 21, 2024); Jamaica Gleaner — “Capleton, Luciano, Etana, Sean Paul stand out” (Carl Gilchrist, Jan 22, 2024).

Editor’s note: This story is part of an archive backfill covering Jamaican music news from 2022 to 2026. It is dated to the events it reports.