"Dancehall King" Beenie Man            "Poor People's Governor Bounty Killer Roots Reggae Singer Tarrus Riley

"When you are putting together a summer festival, especially in the current economic climate, you either come hard or don't come at all. You have to pull out the big guns," states well-known promoter George Crooks, founder and president of Brooklyn Music Festival. "Big Daddy Kane told me there ain't no half-stepping," jokes Crooks.

Engineering a music festival that bridges the gap between Brooklyn's various Caribbean and ethnic communities, while also providing entertainment for the borough's residents, many of whom will be forgoing expensive vacations this year and looking toward the local scene for recreation, Crooks sought out the top-of-the-top Reggae performers as headliners, while creating an eclectic blend of Roots, Ska, Jazz, Dub, Soul, and R&B to start off the vibes right. Asian fusion Ska band Brown Rice Family, acclaimed Actor Leon and the Reggae Soul band The Peoples, Guyanese roots crooner Natural Black, Soca's Patch andBerbice, the New Kingston Band, the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, King Django, Jamaican dancer Ding Dong, R&B songstressKendra Granville, the original 'Jewmaican' Benny Bwoy, and righteous roots Ska band The Rudie Crew are among the artists scheduled to perform. More artists will be announced.Hip Hop Legend Big Daddy Kane

"We are not done yet," says Crooks. "You know what they say, 'in Brooklyn, we go hard!"

The Brooklyn Music Festival will be held at the Aviator Sports and Recreation's Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, NY, on Sunday, June 21st. Featured acts includeMavado, Beenie Man, Serani, Elephant Man, Bounty Killer, Capleton, Tarrus Riley, Big Daddy Kane, Frankie Paul, Ding Dong, Brown Rice Family, Patch, Berbice, Natural Black, New Kingston Band, Benny Bwoy, King Django, Leon and the Peoples, and Kendra Granville. More acts to be announced. General admission tickets are $45 in advance