Marcia Griffiths | Brown Rice Family | Dj Miss Hap Selam

Join us on Sat, July 15 for a 2023 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concert featuring Marcia Griffiths, Brown Rice Family, and Dj Miss Hap Selam.

Known as the Empress of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths takes listeners on a journey as expansive as her storied 40-year career. From inspiring the iconic Electric Slide dance with her hit “Electric Boogie” to her electrifying performances, Griffiths is a true living reggae legend. Brown Rice Family, our Brooklyn-based opener whose eight members hail from across the globe, draw from their diverse backgrounds to create vibrant and colorful soundscapes. Dj Miss Hap Selam spins for us as we open our doors for a family-friendly night of music!

*Please Note: A limited amount of chairs will be available at this show, but you are also permitted to bring your own. For our d/Deaf and hard of hearing communities, we will have an ASL interpreter at the left side of the stage.

About the artists

“The Empress of Reggae” Marcia Griffiths started singing professionally in 1964 with Byron Lee and The Dragonaires band. In her first gig with the Dragonaires, she performed a Carla Thomas original, “No Time to Lose” to a rousing response from the audience who demanded an encore. Her recording career started soon after, at Studio One under the guidance of producer Clement “Coxsone” Dodd and singer/songwriter Bob Andy. Her first hit song was “Feel Like Jumping,” followed by “Really Together,” the first of many duets with the talented Andy. “Luckily for me, Bob Andy was always a strong and wise person. He was there for me in the early days and that gave me confidence,” said Griffiths. The duo moved to the Harry J Label, hitting the British charts with “Young Gifted and Black” and “The Pied Piper.” During the 1970s, she toured the world with Bob Marley and The Wailers as a member of the I Three. She sang harmony on most of the reggae king’s albums and songs including “Natty Dread,” “Rastaman Vibration,” and “Exodus.” Griffiths continued her solo career on the High Note label with Sonia Pottinger, hitting the charts  with “Stepping Out A Babylon,” and releasing two albums – Naturally and Stepping. In 1982, she reached a commercial peak with the Bunny Wailer-penned “Electric Boogie,” a dance number that sparked the Electric Slide dance craze in the United States. In all, Griffiths has released 18 solo albums, and five duet albums with Bob Andy (including the LIVE double CD, “An Evening With Bob & Marcia”). There is also an album with various artists named Marcia Griffiths and Friends, as well as two albums with The I Three.

Brown Rice Family (BRF) is today’s freshest Roots band jamming towards Global Solidarity and Organic Happiness. They’re a high-energy, eight-member ensemble that combines an eclectic mix of musical influences encompassing Reggae, Hip-hop, Dance-Hall, Brazilian, Afro-beat, Jazz styling, Latin, and Funk. With its members hailing from all over the world, BRF draws on its diverse backgrounds to set the stage for their unique, colorful, rhythm-driven, and highly danceable sound. BRF’s colorful sound waves will carry rhythm surfers on a musical journey that straddles ancient and contemporary global sounds. They firmly believe in self and environmental improvement, and so, are perpetually seeking out healthier ways of living, grooving, and eating while spreading the message of ORGANIC LOVE through music. BRF took Japan by storm: “BRF is bridging cultures together while creating a fun atmosphere within improvisation. Amazing…,” wrote Vogue Japan. This “family” creates world rhythm driven music and dance that is infectious and nutritious for every age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and group.

Selam Samuel, aka Dj Miss Hap Selam, is selector based in New York City. Miss Hap has had the pleasure of playing some of NYC’s longest-running reggae parties such as Coney Island Reggae on the Boardwalk, When Dance Was Nice, Downtown Top Ranking, and Swing a Ling. She has also made several radio appearances on The Lot, WFMU, WNYU, and BBox Radio. Outside the decks, you can find her several days a week behind the counter at Record City in Flatbush for all your vinyl necessities. You can catch Miss Hap spinning around Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and everywhere else in between.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Brooklyn-born It’s Electric is a proud sponsor of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! And we are bringing EV charging to the 1 Million NYC drivers without driveways or garages who park their cars on the street. Take Action! We are seeking EV drivers, aspiring EV drivers, and building owners to sign up their blocks for chargers. Why building owners? Our chargers are powered by buildings, and we share that revenue back with those building owners. Take 1 minute and sign up your building or your block today! Sign Up