Gully and Gaza share Taste of Sumfest 2026 stage as event opens in Ocho Rios

Rival dancehall camps Gully and Gaza shared the stage at Taste of Sumfest 2026 as the festival staged its first edition away from Montego Bay, relocating to Ocho Rios in St. Ann.

Performers and crew described the night as a milestone, with one artist saying the Ocho Rios venue felt roughly three times larger than the Montego Bay setup and was running near 85 per cent capacity. Corporate partners and business exhibitors filled booths across the grounds, and organisers framed the shift as a special occasion that brought legends together while the wider industry looked on.

Several artists used short set times to push range. One performer said promoters allotted only five minutes, prompting a deliberate push to show versatility and leave an impression. Another said preparation involved five separate rehearsals across two months after a directive that there should be no mistakes on stage — more rehearsal than usual for that camp.

On the business side, one act pointed to an EP due soon, monthly music releases, production work, and a skincare line. A track produced by ZJ Chrome was flagged as arriving within two days. The same speaker said a foundation is in the works, tied to time spent growing up in a children’s home and a plan to return support to children there. Rich Boss was credited with producing a new EP titled Growth, which one artist cast as proof of career progress after a first Sumfest solo run.

Shelly Bell and Raccoon drew shout-outs for helping carry the night’s energy. Another performer, known as Bootleg Rockstar and also referred to as Nico, was urged by an interviewer to drop the “bootleg” tag and own a fuller rock-star identity. Stage looks leaned classy and mature rather than flashy, according to one artist who worked the silhouette with a stylist.

Behind the scenes, booth builders for Magnum and Views said the four days around the show left them with only about 10 hours of sleep before teardown began around 4 a.m., urging respect for the execution crews who make festival spaces look polished.

Across interviews, artists said hearing fans sing along and watching two long-standing camps share a bill made the Ocho Rios debut feel like a growth moment for Jamaican dancehall’s live circuit.