Spice ‘excited’ to host Cardi B & Friends at BZR Weekend

Queen of the Dancehall Spice will host Cardi B when the Grammy-winning rapper makes her first performance in Jamaica at BZR Weekend Jamaica 2026.

Cardi B & Friends, featuring Cardi B, Grammy-nominated R&B singer Keyshia Cole and Spice, is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, at Independence Park in Kingston.

Spice, who has maintained a friendship with Cardi B over the years, said she was looking forward to welcoming the rapper to Jamaica.

“I’m excited to host the event. Cardi B has publicly shown me love throughout the years. And she has also mentioned me as one of her influences in her earlier career. So, to be the one that will just welcome her to Jamaica with open arms, it gives me great pleasure to do that. I’m excited for it,” the Suh Mi Like It singer said.

Spice added that she was eager to see Cardi B perform in Jamaica and be part of the occasion.

“I’m a huge fan. I can’t wait to be there, living in the moment of having Cardi B performing in Jamaica for the first time alongside me, the host, the queen. Who better to do it than me? Mi know seh the whole a Jamaica a come out for this time and wi a guh enjoy wi self and go on real bad. Yeah. Bardi,” she said.

The line-up brings together three artistes with distinctly different musical backgrounds. Cardi B has built her career in hip-hop, while Cole is known for R&B hits including Love, I Remember, and Trust, and Spice remains one of dancehall’s most recognisable female artistes.

Energy, diversity

Cardi B has previously spoken about her appreciation for dancehall and has collaborated with Jamaican artistes, including Spice, who has been one of the genre’s most prominent female figures.

BZR Weekend Jamaica organiser Ryan Burke said the combination of the three artistes was deliberate.

“We wanted Cardi B & Friends to reflect the energy, diversity and influence of women in music, and bringing Spice on board as host adds another important dimension to that story,” Burke said.

The four-day festival begins with the BZR Weekend Welcome Party, Yaad Ting, on Friday, October 16, followed by the Tidal Rave Beach Party on Saturday, October 17. Cardi B & Friends takes place on Sunday, before the festival closes with the WFL Edition on October 19.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com