The first weekend in June was nothing but vibes in the Cayman Islands as the island welcomed musical icons to perform at the third annual Out of This World Music Fest. Rain or shine, thousands of Caymanians and music lovers from around the world made their way to Festival Green in Camana Bay to catch epic performances by Sean Paul, Busta Rhymes, Elephant Man, and Patrice Roberts.
Although it rained on the day of, the sun came out just in time for the artists to hit the stage. Trinidadian soca artist Patrice Roberts set the vibe for the night with energetic and vibrant performances of her hits “Carry On” and “Mind My Business.”
When asked about her experience performing at the Out of This World Music Fest, Roberts tells Travel Noire, “It feels amazing. I know where I started. I started with Machel [Montano] touring the world, looking at him, and now I am in festivals. It is amazing. It shows that my music is reaching so many people. I am breaking barriers, and fans have supported me. I feel honored. To represent Trinidad is an honor. I would do it all over again if I had to.”
Roberts performed many of her songs, but one in particular hit different. “I was most hype to perform every one of my songs, but I love ‘Like Yuh Self.’ It’s really carefree. It’s telling you to embrace yourself and love yourself for who you are. Embrace yourself as a person,” Roberts shared with Travel Noire.
Dancehall legend Elephant Man kept the vibe going, performing his iconic hits like “Pon De River, Pon De Bank,” while interacting with the lively crowd of attendees waving their countries’ flags proudly.
A Historical Night In The Cayman Islands
The night was also historical. It was the first time hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes performed in the Cayman Islands and his first time in the country. This performance was fitting as this year marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Busta ended his set with a performance of “Pass the Courvoisier” while spraying champagne over the crowd and declaring his love for the Cayman Islands.
Sean Paul Shows Gratitude To Caymanians
At this point, the crowd had built up anticipation to see the headliner, Sean Paul, hit the stage. The Jamaican dancehall and reggae superstar was equally excited as the crowd to perform. Paul tells Travel Noire, “Caribbean shows are very close to the culture, and they go hard, so as a dancehall artist, you have to bring the energy.”
More than anything, Paul was grateful to perform in the Cayman Islands. “It’s important for me to perform in Cayman because they were one of the first territories that paid attention to this new genre of dancehall when it first started, as well as my career. Cayman was one of the territories outside of Jamaica that supported my career. I went there a few times early in my career for shows, and it’s always been love,” he says.
Paul performed for over an hour with an epic set, including smash hits like “Like Glue,” “Gimme The Light,” “I’m Still In Love With You,” and “Temperature.” The artist kept the energy going throughout his performance while constantly showing love to Cayman with his words of affirmation.
At the end of his performance, Busta Rhymes came out, and the two artists embraced while the crowd excitedly captured the moment on their phones.
The Out of This World Music Fest is a live entertainment experience for the Caribbean diaspora and those who love West Indian culture. Mark your calendars because the fourth annual Out of this World Music Fest is set to take place in Camana Bay on Saturday, June 1st, 2024.
