"It's not a Nas performance, and it's not a Damian Marley performance, it's going to be a Nas and Damian Marley combination, specially for Reggae Sumfest," said Johnny Gourzong, executive director of Summerfest Productions, in a media release.

brightest stars

Gourzong said that the pairing was the result of extensive thought by the Reggae Sumfest team on improving this year's event.

He emphasised that this is the first time that Nas will be performing in Jamaica, and added that it "will be an even more special performance since he will be performing with one of our brightest stars in reggae music, a son of the great Robert Nesta Marley, and on the stage of Reggae Sumfest. I'm excited, they are working on a collaborative album, and the sounds of reggae with the beats of hip hop should make for a great performance."

Another confirmed international act that will be rocking the Reggae Sumfest stage is R&B sensation Jazmine Sullivan on Friday, July 24.

live performances

"We are arranging for other international performers, but we're not ready to release who we're considering. You'll just have to wait a little longer," said Gourzong.

The festival, which starts with a beach party on Sunday, July 19 and then has three nights of live performances from Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, July 25, will also feature, Bounty Killer, Mavado, Etana, Tarrus Riley, Busy Signal, Charley Blacks, I-Octane and a host of other local talents.