Kingston, Jamaica is under siege. The city is the current battleground for a standoff between authorities and gang members sympathetic to an alleged drug lord, Christopher Coke. (Yes, okay, insert jokes about that here). Nothing about this is funny, though. At least two police stations were hit this past weekend with Molotov cocktails, and gang members have blockaded large swaths of West Kingston.
Last night, Jamaican authorities declared an official state of emergency there, and today the scramble is on to try to extradite Coke to the United States, where he's wanted for numerous charges. But as the skirmishes continue, authorities may have to set up more city blockades from their own. If Coke's extradition isn't settled soon, officials say they may have to block access to the city's Norman Manley International Airport.
Which means basically all of the artists scheduled to perform at
Best of the Best this Sunday could be trapped on the island.
Still, the concert's organizers remain hopeful that the political unrest will be settled within the next few days, and would like to reassure everyone that so far, everything is still set to go according to plan.
"The Best of the Best concert will not be affected by what is happening in Jamaica, the show will go on as scheduled," Rhona Fox, Best of the Best publicist, said earlier today. "The airspace remains open and everyone that wishes to attend the show is free to fly. We hope that everyone stays safe and the people of Jamaica are in our thoughts and prayers."
Stay tuned to Crossfade for updates on the situation in Jamaica, and how it will affect artists' travels.
