By Shereita Grizzle SOJA’s front man, Jacob Hemphill. — Jamaica needs to change its strategy if the country is going to continue to hold on to reggae music. That was the main message of Billboard’s Pat Meschino as she addressed guests at the International Reggae Day (IRD) conference, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, last Wednesday. In recent years, the success of the music that helped define Jamaica as a global musical powerhouse is seemingly losing its initial identity. Non-Jamaican musicians have been dominating the international markets, while Jamaicans play second fiddle, but Meschino believes that with the right marketing muscle, Jamaicans will, once again, be able to compete on the international market and may even reclaim the number-one spot. Comparing statistics from the first Billboard reggae charts in 1993 with the most listings, Meschino … Read entire article »