Jamaican reggae and dancehall stalwarts were honoured by the City of Lauderhill, Florida, during a special Commission Meeting held on February 24th as part of International Reggae Month celebrations.
The city presented its Humanitarian Ambassador Awards to five influential Jamaican artistes — Spragga Benz, Wayne Wonder, Busy Signal, Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel — recognising their humanitarian outreach and community support following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
The ceremony highlighted how Jamaican music figures continue to serve as cultural ambassadors whose impact extends far beyond entertainment.
Honouring Service Beyond Music
According to Jamaican-born Mayor Denise Grant, the recognition was intentionally designed to celebrate both cultural achievement and humanitarian leadership.
Lauderhill, home to approximately 75,000 residents and a large Caribbean population, used the occasion to merge Black History Month observances with International Reggae Month, reflecting the city’s deep Caribbean roots.
“We weren’t necessarily just celebrating them for their contribution to reggae or dancehall,” Grant explained in a media interview. “We were also recognising their humanitarian efforts during a time when Jamaica needed encouragement and help.”
City officials emphasised that the artistes were honoured not for seeking recognition, but for responding to crisis out of genuine concern for their communities.
A Collective Response After Hurricane Melissa
In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica’s music fraternity mobilised relief efforts across several affected parishes, organising aid distribution, community visits and support initiatives for vulnerable residents.
Mayor Grant noted that many entertainers stepped forward alongside other members of the music community to assist recovery efforts, demonstrating what she described as a spirit of brotherhood and service.
“The whole essence of the brotherhood in City Hall was for one cause,” she said. “We were really honouring them for their good work.”
The awards acknowledged how Jamaican artistes used their visibility, networks and influence to help bring relief, morale and international attention to recovery efforts during a difficult national period.
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Proclamations and Keys to Broward County
During the ceremony, the honourees received proclamations from city, state and federal representatives, including recognition from members of Congress.
They were also presented with the Keys to Broward County, a symbolic gesture of welcome and appreciation. Mayor Grant explained that such honours formally document recipients’ contributions within official governmental records, including acknowledgement within the Library of Congress.
The recognition signalled that the artistes’ humanitarian efforts had resonated not only within Caribbean communities but also at broader civic and governmental levels in the United States.
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International Reggae Month Celebrated in the Diaspora
The event formed part of Lauderhill’s International Reggae Month activities, reinforcing the enduring cultural influence of Jamaican music across South Florida’s diaspora communities.
For city leaders, celebrating reggae and dancehall during February was both cultural and symbolic — recognising genres born in Jamaica that continue to shape global music, identity and community pride.
Residents and officials alike described the ceremony as a moment of unity, with City Hall transformed into a space celebrating Caribbean heritage, music and shared resilience.
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Music, Humanity and Cultural Pride
The Lauderhill Humanitarian Ambassador Awards underscored a broader truth about Jamaican music: its power lies not only in rhythm and performance, but in its ability to inspire action and solidarity.
By honouring these artistes collectively, Mayor Grant and the City highlighted how reggae and dancehall figures continue to uplift communities, strengthen diaspora connections and represent Jamaica on the world stage through both culture and compassion.
As International Reggae Month continues, the ceremony stands as a reminder that Jamaica’s musical icons remain influential not only as entertainers, but as leaders whose humanitarian spirit resonates far beyond the stage.
