Above: Jennifer Hudson

By Dana Niland

This year’s Reggae Sumfest in Jamaica ill feature Grammy award-winning R&B singer Jennifer Hudson and American rappers Common and Rick Ross.

The trio join a growing list of US-based singers who have headlined the event in recent years, including Usher, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz, R. Kelly, T-Pain, and Ne-Yo.

Common and Rick Ross will headline International Night One on Friday, July 17 and Hudson, along with rapper Yazz, will headline International Night Two on Saturday, July 18, the final night of the festival.

Sumfest begins on July 12, when thousands of reggae fans will gather in Jamaica’s tourist capital, Montego Bay.

The star-studded lineup naturally includes some of the region’s top reggae stars, including Jamaica’s own Beenie Man, Chris Martin, Cocoa Tea, Konshens, I-Octane, and Kakaba Pyramid.

“Reggae is an important part of our culture and we are pleased to see how this genre has been embraced globally,” said Paul Pennicook, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “The superb offerings of our musicians have been a constant attractor for visitors to Jamaica. They have been some of our notable ambassadors, taking our music to every corner of the globe.”