233The Haitian and Caribbean music event production industry is witnessing a shift in power as Jermaine “Jay Upscale” Magras, born in St. Lucia, and Urbain Richard face off in an evolving battle of strategy, influence, and innovation. As Jay’s fresh approach begins to dominate, Richard, a veteran of over 30 years, finds himself competing in a landscape he once ruled.
Jay’s rise to prominence began in New York, where he pursued an education at Pace University, triple-majoring in Finance, Business Management, and Economics. Before launching his event production company, he worked as an analyst at Goldman Sachs, honing his business skills.
As an event producer, Jay quickly made his mark by organizing large-scale urban events at some of New York’s top venues, including Brooklyn Mirage, Governors Island, and Barclays Center. In September 2022, Jay made history by producing the first-ever concert featuring a Caribbean artist headlining at Barclays Center, where Machel Montano performed to a sold-out crowd. This milestone event underscored Jay’s ability to execute high-profile productions that resonated with both local and international audiences.
Jay’s innovative approach extends beyond event production logistics. His connections with local government officials and understanding of financial planning have allowed him to take advantage of key opportunities that others have missed. For example, his strategic use of January 1st—Haitian Independence Day, which had been largely overlooked by veteran promoters, demonstrated his forward-thinking mindset.
In contrast, Richard Urbain has been a long-standing figure in the Haitian music scene, known for organizing the Haitian Labor Day Festival and his deep connections within the industry. However, his close ties to specific bands have also created challenges. These exclusive relationships have limited his flexibility, making it difficult for him to book diverse lineups. Bands that refuse to perform alongside their competitors have restricted his options and made event planning more complex.
Richard’s approach to event promotion also reflects his traditionalist mindset. While major festivals typically start their promotional campaigns months in advance, Richard often begins his much later, leaving little time to build momentum. His festival has also been plagued by inconsistent venue choices and scheduling conflicts, which have caused confusion and hampered its growth.
An interesting layer to Jay’s story is his St. Lucian background. Born in St. Lucia, a country where the local Kwéyòl (Creole) is remarkably similar to Haitian Creole due to their shared French colonial influence, Jay’s cultural and linguistic connection to Haiti has likely fueled his affinity for Haitian culture. This natural connection may explain why Jay has successfully embraced the Haitian music industry, even though he is not of Haitian descent. His understanding of Creole culture allows him to navigate both worlds, giving him a unique advantage when producing events that resonate with Haitian audiences.
Jay’s ability to innovate and explore new avenues is in stark contrast to Richard’s adherence to traditional methods. While Richard has relied on long-established practices, Jay’s flexibility, creative vision, and financial backing have allowed him to secure prime venues, attract broader audiences, and collaborate with a wider range of talent. His success at Barclays Center demonstrated his ability to connect with younger, more diverse crowds and to capture the attention of audiences beyond the Caribbean community.
Richard’s reliance on older models of promotion and his close-knit relationships with certain bands have limited his capacity to evolve with the industry. Jay, on the other hand, has embraced new technologies, promotional strategies, and venue partnerships, positioning himself as a forward-thinking leader in event production.
As Jay continues to make waves in the event production industry, the question remains: can Richard Urbain adapt to an industry that is increasingly demanding fresh ideas, or will Jay Upscale solidify his place as the future of Caribbean and Haitian music events?
Jay’s ability to innovate and introduce new concepts threatens the dominance of Richard’s long-standing traditional approach. With a growing portfolio of successful events and the resources to push boundaries, Jay is poised to lead a new era in event production.
Only time will tell whether Richard will reclaim his standing or if Jay will continue to transform the industry for good.
Haitian Kreyol
Jay Upscale vs. Richard Urbain: Yon Nouvo Epòk nan Pwodiksyon Evènman
Endistri pwodiksyon evènman mizik Ayisyen ak Karayib la ap chanje, e nan sant konpetisyon sa a gen Jermaine “Jay Upscale” Magras, yon natif natal Senk Lisi, ak Urbain Richard. Yo ap konbat nan yon batay estrateji, enfliyans, ak inovasyon. Pandan apwòch fre Jay a ap pran tèt endistri a, Richard, ki gen plis pase 30 ane eksperyans, ap eseye kenbe plas li nan yon endistri ki ap chanje rapidman.
Jay kòmanse monte nan New York kote li te etidye nan Pace University, kote li te fè twa metye nan Finans, Jesyon Biznis, ak Ekonomi. Anvan li te lanse konpayi pwodiksyon evènman li, Jay te travay kòm yon analis nan Goldman Sachs, kote li te aprann bonjan ladrès nan jesyon biznis.
Kòm yon pwodiktè evènman, Jay rapidman fè non li avèk òganizasyon gwo evènman iben nan pi gwo lokal New York yo, tankou Brooklyn Mirage, Governors Island, ak Barclays Center. An septanm 2022, Jay fè istwa lè li te pwodui premye konsè nan Barclays Center kote yon atis Karayib t ap mennen tounen. Konsè a te ak Machel Montano, e li te totalman vann, sa ki mete Jay kòm yon pwodiktè kle nan pwodiksyon evènman entènasyonal yo.
Apwòch inovatè Jay la depase lojistik pwodiksyon evènman. Koneksyon li ak otorite lokal yo ak konpreyansyon li sou planifikasyon finansye pèmèt li pran avantaj opòtinite ke lòt pwomotè pa t wè. Pa egzanp, itilizasyon estratejik li nan dat tankou 1ye janvye—Jou Endepandans Ayiti, ki te souvan neglije, montre jan Jay gen yon vizyon pou pi devan.
Nan lòt bò a, Richard Urbain se yon veteràn ki toujou ap domine sèn mizik Ayisyen an. Li te fè anpil konsè tankou Haitian Labor Day Festival, e li gen gwo koneksyon nan endistri a. Men, relasyon sere li ak kèk gwoup mizik fè li difisil pou l fleksib. Gwoup sa yo souvan refize pataje sèn nan ak konpetitè yo, sa ki mete Richard nan yon pozisyon limite pou òganize yon liy mizikal divèsifye.
Apwòch Richard nan pwomosyon evènman reflete tou mantalite tradisyonalis li. Pifò gwo festival kòmanse fè pwomosyon mwa davans, men Richard souvan kòmanse pi pre dat evènman an, sa ki kite ti tan pou bati eksitasyon. Inkonzistans nan chwazi lokal ak dat yo fè festival li yo difisil pou pran anpil elan.
Yon aspè enteresan nan istwa Jay la se background li nan Senk Lisi. Li fèt nan yon peyi kote Kwéyòl (Creole) se lang lokal la, e li gen anpil similitud ak Kreyòl Ayisyen akòz enfliyans kolonyal fransè yo pataje. Koneksyon langaj ak kiltirèl sa a ka yon rezon ki fè Jay gen yon afeksyon natirèl pou kilti Ayisyen an. Koneksyon sa a ede li navigye tou de mond yo, sa ki ba li yon avantaj inik nan pwodiksyon evènman ki atire piblik Ayisyen yo.
Siksè Jay a, ki baze sou inovasyon ak eksplore nouvo opòtinite, opoze ak metòd tradisyonèl Richard yo. Pandan ke Richard konte sou pratik tradisyonèl yo, fleksibilite Jay, vizyon kreyatif li, ak resous finansye li yo pèmèt li asire gwo lokal, atire yon pi laj piblik, epi kolabore ak yon varyete atis. Siksè li nan Barclays Center te montre kapasite li pou konekte ak yon nouvo jenerasyon pandan li trape atansyon yon piblik ki pi divèsifye pase kominote Karayib la sèlman.
Depandans Richard sou modèl pwomosyon ki fin vye yo ak relasyon sere li ak kèk gwoup mizik limite kapasite li pou evolye avèk endistri a. Pandan Jay, li menm, ap anbrase nouvo teknoloji, nouvo estrateji pwomosyon, ak nouvo patenarya ak lokal, ki mete l nan yon pozisyon lidèchip nan pwodiksyon evènman.
Pandan Jay kontinye fè bri nan endistri pwodiksyon evènman an, kesyon an rete: Èske Richard Urbain ap adapte l ak yon endistri ki mande nouvo lide, oswa èske Jay Upscale ap konsolide plas li kòm fiti a nan evènman mizik Karayib ak Ayisyen?
Kapabilite Jay pou inove ak entwodui nouvo konsèp menase dominans apwòch tradisyonèl Richard yo. Avèk yon portfolio evènman ki gen anpil siksè ak resous pou pouse fwontyè yo, Jay pare pou mennen yon nouvo epòk nan pwodiksyon evènman.
Se tan k ap di si Richard ap reprann pozisyon li oswa si Jay ap kontinye transfòme endistri a pou byen.
