A number of established reggae entertainers are taking it back to basics, back to their roots, and doing it for the culture, in a bid to reignite Jamaica and its diaspora, through the 2020 Jamaica Festival song contest.

The virtual reveal and launch of the Top 10 finalists for the Jamaica Festival 2020 song finals, saw big names such as Grammy-winning entertainer Buju Banton, two-time festival song winner Toots and the Maytals, reggae singers Freddie McGregor, LUST, Papa Michigan, and Shuga one of two women who have made the final, the other being TV host Sakina Deer.

Speaking at the virtual launch Wednesday morning, Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment, and Sports Olivia Grange said there was a need to re-energized the competition, and that they had reached out to several industry players including Buju Banton and renowned producer Clive Hunt and NotNice to start the conversation.

Minister Grange said they received over 100 songs for entry, and a judging panel of seven narrowed it to the Top 10 by listening to the entries, without knowledge of the names of entrants.

The longest-running original song contest on the island, since 1966, the Jamaica festival song has been used annually to stir a feeling of celebration, about Jamaica, and Jamaican culture, for Independence celebrations.

Previous festival song winners who have become a staple, include one of this year’s entrants, Toots and the Maytals who won the first competition in 1966 with their hit ‘Bam Bam,’ Eric Donaldson with ‘Cherry Oh Baby’ ‘Sweet Jamaica’ and ‘Land of my Birth’ and Tinga Stewart with ‘Play De Music’ and ‘Nuh Weh Nuh Betta Dan Yard.’

The Jamaica Cultural Development (JCDC) Jamaica Festival 2020 song winner, will be selected on July 19, after a series of virtual, social, and broadcast media campaigns to get Jamaicans involved in the voting process.