Brooklyn New York’s Barclays Center is set to host a landmark moment in dancehall history as Vybz Kartel headlines Reggae Fest on April 11 and 12, marking his first return concert in the United States in 20 years. The event, led by prominent promoter CJ Milan, has already generated significant momentum, with tickets selling out rapidly upon release.
Milan, who secured Kartel as the first solo headliner for Reggaefest, a party event that started in Manhattan and now travels across the U.S., opens up about the significance of the booking. “Usually, I like to put something for everybody, but Kartel is a generational (artist). You can rock out with him.”
The journey to finalizing the show started with Milan’s ambition and he record of staging successful reggae events in New York City. “First of all, nobody could get in contact with Kartel,” Milan revealed in an exclusive interview with World Music Views. “I called every manager, and then I got frustrated. When I get frustrated, I do it myself.”
Taking matters into her own hands, Milan connected with veteran dancehall producer Skatta Burrell, who is also Kartel’s road manager, a move that expedited the process. “It went really fast,” she said. “Then a couple of people (from Kartel’s team) came down for Massive.”
She recalled a pivotal moment in negotiations when producer TJ Records sought clarity on logistics. “TJ was asking me questions about certain things and said, ‘How soon can you get to Jamaica?’ I said I need three days.”
Determined to present a compelling case, Milan went to the studio, curated a Kartel mix, and synchronized it with footage from her last Barclays Center show, crafting a persuasive presentation.
Meeting the Dancehall Superstar
When Milan finally met Vybz Kartel, she found him to be every bit the charismatic figure fans have revered for decades. “He has a lot of charisma, and he told me, ‘CJ, you so ambitious.’”
She recalled a defining moment when Kartel, who was released from prison in July 2024, laid down his terms. “Then he said, ‘If you can work this out, you got the first show.’”
For Milan, the realization that she had secured the event came even before setting foot in Jamaica. “I knew when I got on the flight to meet with him. I feel as if those things happen for a reason. There is no way they are gonna ask me, and they are not serious.”
Dancehall concerts are mostly staged in smaller nightclubs like Amazura in New York City or at festivals like Grooving In The Park. Taking one headliner to a large arena has only ever been done by Buju Banton who sold out the Barclays once and the UBS Arena twice last year. However, Kartel’s popularity has been growing in the tristate area since he was incarcerated in 2011. The deejay’s single “Fever” released while he was locked up is certified Gold by the Recording industry Association Of America for sales and streams surpassing 500,000 units. He is the first dancehall artist to achieve the milestone while incarcerated.
Now with fans eager to see their favorite artist, Milan revealed that: “In the first 15 minutes, we had maybe 4,000 or 5,000 tickets sold.” Adding, “and within 45 minutes, 12,000 tickets were gone.”
While the Barclays Center accommodates 20,000 for basketball games, the configuration for a reggae concert reduces capacity to approximately 15,000. Milan has already made provisions to enhance the experience for attendees. “We are going to get some screens so people can see. I care about my crowd, so I don’t mind spending extra. Let’s spend that money to give them an experience they won’t forget.”
Milan clarified that, at 12,000 tickets, the event is considered sold out, but secondary market sales remain active. “You can go and buy on a reseller’s site, and we are going to sell the remaining 1,000 tickets.”
The Economics of Demand
Ticket prices ranged from $85 to $900 for general admission to $1,700 for platinum packages, but secondary market prices have soared past $3,000. Milan acknowledged the mixed emotions surrounding this surge. “At the end of the day, we have a superstar on our hands right now. This is dancehall, and he is right there with all the heavyweights—Beyoncé, hip-hop. So we are saying this is bad, but damn, this is good.”
Live Nation Partnership & Independent Funding
To execute this groundbreaking event, Milan has partnered with Live Nation, one of America’s premier tour promoters. However, she remains the primary force behind the operation. “This is how it goes with the (Live Nation) partnership: They are helping me get the tickets up and assisting with production, but they don’t pay for the event—I do.”
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