What a ‘Bam Bam’ at New Jersey’s Jamaica Day Celebration

Dancehall pioneer Sister Nancy, clad in black, green and gold to celebrate Emancipation and Jamaica Day, greeted fans in her trademark bare feet and delivered a masterclass performance at the 10th annual Jamaica Day Celebration at Eastside Park in Paterson, New Jersey, last Saturday.

Forced to compress her set because of time constraints, she drew on her more than four decades of musical legacy to electrify the park. At the centre of her set was Bam Bam, her iconic 1982 anthem and one of reggae’s most sampled songs. The track’s DNA runs through hip-hop and pop’s biggest catalogues, having been sampled by artistes including Rihanna, Jr. Gong, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Kanye West — a lineage that made her Jamaica Day appearance feel like a full-circle moment for the more than 10,000 patrons packed into the park.

Nancy shared that she had recently returned from Madrid, Spain, where she performed Bam Bam live as part of a celebration honouring the Spanish national football team’s victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“It was a performance of Bam Bam. That’s all they wanted,” Sister Nancy said of the booking. The song has taken on a second life across Europe through an EDM remix by Spanish producer Hugel, released in November 2025. The remix has gone gold in France and Greece. It has become a fixture on Spanish dance floors and climbed into the Top 40 on the Spanish iTunes charts.

Earlier, she had the full house singing along to songs like One, Two and Ain’t No Stopping Nancy.

Following her performance, Sister Nancy was honoured with the Key to the City presented by Bill McKoy, on behalf of Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh. The Bill McKoy Foundation has hosted Jamaica Day at Eastside Park for the past 10 years. Lady G and Lila Iké were also presented with Keys to the City of Paterson.

Earlier, Lady G, who rose to prominence in the 1990s with her sharp lyricism and advocacy for women’s empowerment, entertained with Nuff Respect and Breeze Off, an iconic collaboration originally recorded with Papa San. She showed her versatility by jumping on Stephen McGregor’s Hill & Gully riddim, declaring, “Nothing dead in di house”. Other classics that were delivered by Lady G included Samfie Lover and A Whole Heap a Man – a widely popular track highlighting her witty storytelling and distinct flow.

Lady G, however, earned her biggest ovation of the night when she invited 10-year-old singer RJ to duet with her on the iconic 1995 Philip ‘Fatis’ Burrell gospel hit, Thank You. The song was originally recorded with gospel singer Chevelle Franklyn. RJ, the grandson of artiste manager Junie Star, is a star on the rise, racking up millions of views on TikTok for his Michael Jackson covers. The two had patrons singing along word for word.

Dancer-turned-deejay DJ Bruck created a spark with Good Life, but was gone before the blink of an eye.

Grammy-nominated singer Lila Iké delivered an empowering performance that warmed hearts. With standout tracks like Wanted, Thy Will, Second Chance, and Where I’m Coming From, Lila Iké’s artistry was undeniable. She confessed that she learned from the best before segueing into Beres Hammond’s Double Trouble; Bob Andy’s Too Experienced; and Freddie McGregor’s Prophecy. She closed her set with I Spy from her critically acclaimed début EP, The ExPerience.

The following day, Minister Marion Hall received her own Key to the City after a memorable performance.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com