Missy Elliott, Vybz Kartel & More React to Cyclone Melissa Destructive Jamaica & Cuba: ‘Prayers Up for Everybody’

In the wake of Cyclone Melissa, a disastrous Classification 5 typhoon that made landfall in Jamaica (Oct. 28) and Cuba (Oct. 29) previously today, a number of artists have actually provided words of assistance and shared resources to assist reconstructing efforts.

The storm made landfall in New Hope, Westmoreland, Jamaica on Tuesday, marking the greatest storm in the island’s history. Cyclone Melissa exceeded 1988’s low-end Classification 4 Cyclone Gilbert as the greatest such storm to strike the island. On Wednesday, the typhoon struck Cuba’s southeastern province of Santiago de Cuba. Cyclone Melissa has actually considering that continued its journey throughout the North Atlantic Ocean, bringing massive rain and extreme wind to the Northeastern United States. On Thursday (Oct. 30), The New York Times reported over 20 deaths in Haiti, 5 in Jamaica and one in the Dominican Republic.

On Thursday, dancehall queen Spice shared a photoset narrating the wreckage on her main Instagram page. “Together we gon na construct back more powerful,” she wrote in a caption highlighting her Grace Hamilton Structure. “Even if it’s as little as [manpower] to assist us for even a day, please connect and let’s construct together as a group!” Her regular partner, King of Dancehall Vybz Kartel, likewise required to Instagram, reminding his fans, “This is not about politics, it has to do with Jamaica. So, aid if you can, and hope if you can’t, however keep your politics to yourself.”.

Missy Elliott, who worked together with Kartel on 2005’s “Bad Male,” wrote, “Prayers up for everybody in Jamaica,” on X, followed by a number of Jamaican flag and prayer hands emojis. When advised to likewise wish those in requirement in Cuba and Haiti, Eliott reacted, “Definitely.”

More of the island’s greatest stars sprang into action to help help efforts. Dancehall icon Beenie Male assembled a group to provide products to healthcare facilities in St. Elizabeth; “Bruk Off Yuh Back” vocalist Konshens shared a useful video directing social networks users to government-approved help channels, and Shaggy posted infographics describing the collection procedure for those contributing products from the Kingston location. Recently, quickly after the release of his long-awaited Exile LP, Grammy-nominated reggae star Chronixx dedicated an acoustic performance of the appropriately entitled “Cyclone” to his precious home nation. “Persevere, Jamaica,” he captioned the video.

According to Rolling Stone, the Catherine Hall Sports Complex, a Jamaican arena that hosts the yearly Reggae Sumfest music celebration, remains in the middle of reconstructing after being totally immersed in water. In addition, the Jamrock Reggae Cruise, a yearly ship-set celebration co-founded by Damian Marley, needed to be rerouted to Cozumel, Mexico. Especially, all of the Marley residential or commercial properties in Jamaica, especially the Bob Marley Museum, have actually been briefly repurposed as relief centers for those in requirement of help, food, and products.

Quiet Addy, among the manufacturers of “Shake It to the Max,” the year’s greatest crossover dancehall hit, processed his feelings in an Instagram Story. “Lastly heading home and truly taking in whatever Cyclone Melissa did to Jamaica,” he composed. “It’s been difficult to even stop briefly and process … simply all set to be home with my household and restore.”.

Meek Mill likewise sent “prayers to Jamaica” by means of X, while RiotUSA, Ice Spice’s go-to manufacturer, exposed that he was in fact on the island when Cyclone Melissa struck. “I live. I’m safe! [Fighting] to leave the island,” hewrote “This is the most distressing experience ever.”

Sevana, who starred in 2024’s Bob Marley: One Love movie, lamented, “My precious nation. God understand.” Grammy-nominated dancehall-pop star Shenseea revealed comparable beliefs, composing “Wishing everybody on my island today … We’re strong individuals and we’ll make it through this together,” in a now-expired Instagram Story. On X, Armanii, who just recently carried out at Signboard’s R&B/ Hip-Hop Live show, wrote, “And as soon as Jamaicans come together we are unstoppable! We will restore 10 times more powerful, prayers up!”

As Jamaica, Cuba and a number of other Caribbean countries start to get the pieces, homeowners throughout the islands have actually highlighted World Food Programme, Project HOPE, GiveDirectly, American Friends of Jamaica, Friends of Caritas Cuba, and the Jamaican federal government’s official hurricane relief portal as confirmed channels of assistance.