News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. February 5, 2026: Jamaican acting icon Oliver Samuels and CBS television star Zay Harding will headline the cast of The Rope and The Cross, the groundbreaking religious epic by legendary Jamaican playwright Easton Lee, returning to the New York stage for a one-night-only Gala Easter Sunday performance on April 5.

Jamaican acting icons David Heron and Oliver Samuels. Photo courtesy of Karl O’Brian Williams.

The special presentation will take place at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, (JPAC), in Queens at 7 p.m., following a complimentary Caribbean Cuisine Easter Reception hosted by The Door Restaurant at 5:30 p.m.

Presented as an exclusive staged reading concert performance, the event is produced and directed by BroadwayWorld Award winner David Heron, in special arrangement with the estate of the late playwright.

A Radical Caribbean Reimagining of the Passion Story

Set across rural Jamaica and ancient Jerusalem, The Rope and The Cross shatters traditional depictions of Christ’s passion. Lee’s visionary work reimagines Jesus and Judas as modern-day Jamaican men – young, defiant, and determined to dismantle injustice and inequality.

As state power closes in through deception and manipulation, the two rebels discover a brutal truth: entrenched systems will stop at nothing to silence change. The result is a searing political and spiritual drama that remains as urgent today as when it premiered in Jamaica in 1979.

Legend Meets Leading Man

Samuels, a three-time Actor Boy Award winner, takes on the role of The Shepherd Narrator, guiding audiences through the story across time and place. With a career spanning more than 60 stage productions, Samuels’ film credits include The Mighty Quinn opposite Denzel Washington and Great Moments in Aviation with Vanessa Redgrave. He recently completed the U.S. premiere tour of Di Prodigal Pickney.

Harding – best known as host of CBS’s The Visioneers With Zay Harding, now in its second season with record-breaking 2025 ratings — portrays High Priest Annas, a calculating power broker whose actions help seal the tragic fate of Jesus and Judas.

His acting credits include American Horror Story, Mistresses, and Hawaii Five-O, as well as stage roles including Camelot at American Conservatory Theater.

Honoring Caribbean Theatre Legacy

For Heron, the production continues a mission to preserve and elevate Caribbean theatre on the global stage.

“Two years ago, we presented the American premiere of Alwin Bully’s McBee at JPAC,” Heron said. “With The Rope and The Cross, we are once again honoring a master whose voice still speaks powerfully. Easton Lee captured the rebellious spirit of Jamaica during the era of Prime Minister Michael Manley and drew striking parallels to resistance in biblical Israel. That tension — ancient and modern — makes this play timeless.”

He added, “Oliver and Zay will be seen in ways audiences have never experienced them before. This is not just theatre — it’s a cultural event.”

Event Details

The Rope and The Cross
Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026
Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC), Queens, NY
Complimentary Easter Reception: 5:30 p.m.
Performance: 7:00 p.m.

Tickets on sale: Tuesday, February 10
Tickets: theropeandthecross.eventbrite.com
Early Easter Special pricing through: February 24
Box Office: 646-533-7021

By NAN ET EDITOR

News Americas, New York, NY, Mon. Feb. 2, 2026: Independent Jamaican artist Keznamdi captured the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album on Sunday night, edging out genre heavyweights, including Vybz Kartel, in a victory that underscored both reggae’s evolving sound and the growing influence of independent Caribbean artists on the global stage.

Jamaican musician Keznamdi accepts the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for “BLXXD & FYAH” on stage during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 1, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images)

Keznamdi claimed the honor for BLXXD & FYAH, released independently in August 2025, marking his first Grammy win and his first nomination. The album triumphed over Kartel’s Heart & Soul, Lila Iké’s Treasure Self Love, Jesse Royal’s No Place Like Home, and Mortimer’s From Within.

Keznamdi (Second from left) accepts the Best Reggae Album award for “BLXXD & FYAH” at the 2026 Grammy Awards Pre-Show (Premiere Ceremony) held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The announcement was made during the Grammy Premiere Ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1.

“Reggae music has always been a music weh defend truths and rights, African liberation, and Black man redemption,” Keznamdi said while accepting the award. “We a represent Jamaican culture — dancehall and reggae.”

A Roots-Deep Reggae Journey

Born into music, Keznamdi is the son of Errol and Kerida, lead vocalists of the international reggae band Chakula. He grew up touring globally and recording in a home studio in the St. Andrew hills of Jamaica, where the band produced ten albums.

He recorded his first song at age five and began performing publicly during his mother’s album release tours for her children’s project Save the World, which became a viral hit in Jamaican primary schools. His musical development continued through studies at St. Mary’s College in Northern California, followed by formative years living in Tanzania and completing high school in Ethiopia.

BLXXD & FYAH features collaborations with Kelissa, Mavado, and Masicka, blending roots consciousness with contemporary global production.

A Defining Caribbean Night at the Grammys

Keznamdi’s breakthrough came on a night that proved unusually resonant for Caribbean and diaspora artists across genres — not only in wins, but in message.

Puerto Rico star, Bad Bunny accepts the Best Música Urbana Album onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Puerto Rico–born global superstar Bad Bunny made Grammy history by becoming the first Latin artist to win Album of the Year with a Spanish-language album. During his acceptance speech, Bad Bunny openly criticized aggressive U.S. immigration enforcement.

“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he told the audience, referencing recent civilian deaths amid heightened enforcement actions. He later added, “We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are human beings.”

Bad Bunny also won Best Global Music Performance and Best Música Urbana Album, further cementing his dominance on the night.

Cuban-born icon Gloria Estefan won Best Tropical Latin Album for Raíces and used her moment in the press room to call for a return to democratic principles and humanity in immigration policy.

“These values are the reason people want to be here,” Estefan said. “I hope our government listens to our plea for humanity.”

Caribbean Britain and the Windrush Legacy

Caribbean heritage star, Olivia Dean attends the 68th GRAMMY Awards on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

British singer Olivia Dean, who has Jamaican-Guyanese roots, was named Best New Artist for Nice To Each Other. In her speech, Dean invoked her family’s immigrant history, noting that her grandmother was part of the Windrush generation.

“I’m here as the granddaughter of an immigrant,” she said. “I’m a product of bravery. We’re nothing without each other.”

“ICE OUT” Becomes A Cultural Marker

Beyond speeches, visible protest marked the ceremony. Several artists wore pins reading “ICE OUT,” including Kehlani, Billie Eilish, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and jazz vocalist Samara Joy.

The coordinated symbolism reflected a broader moment of cultural dissent — driven largely by artists whose identities are shaped by migration, diaspora, and cross-border histories.

More Than An Awards Night

While Keznamdi’s Grammy win marked a personal and professional milestone – and a victory for independent reggae – the night itself signaled something larger. Caribbean artists were not only recognized for their musical excellence; they used one of the world’s biggest cultural platforms to assert their humanity, history, and right to speak.

In a genre born from resistance and survival, Keznamdi’s words echoed long after the trophy was raised — on a night when Caribbean voices didn’t just win, they defined the moment.

RELATED: Lifetime Achievement Honors For Mr. Vegas, Sly Dunbar and Leroy Sibbles At Reggae Genealogy

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Jan. 29, 2026: Trinidad and Tobago-born rapper Nicki Minaj says she has received a special U.S. immigration “gold card” from President Donald Trump, signaling what she described as a fast-tracked path toward U.S. citizenship.

Minaj made the disclosure on Wednesday, hours after appearing alongside Trump at a U.S. Treasury Department summit promoting the administration’s new child investment initiative known as “Trump Accounts.” Posting on X, the rapper shared an image of a gold-colored immigration card bearing Trump’s likeness, captioned simply: “Welp.”

Musician Nicki Minaj (L) joins U.S. President Donald Trump on stage as he delivers remarks during the Treasury Department’s Trump Accounts Summit at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. “Trump Accounts” are a portion of recently passed tax and spending legislation where the federal government will deposit $1,000 into investment accounts for every child born between 2025 and 2028 once parents sign their children up while filing their income taxes.  (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

She later wrote that she was “finalizing that citizenship paperwork as we speak as per MY wonderful, gracious, charming President,” adding that while the card typically costs up to US$1 million under the program, she received it at no charge.

The so-called “gold card” was created under a September executive order and is designed to offer an alternative pathway to citizenship for highly skilled or high-profile foreign nationals. The White House has not yet commented on Minaj’s specific case.

Born Onika Maraj in Trinidad and Tobago, Minaj has previously spoken openly about her immigration history. In a 2018 social media post, she said she entered the United States as an undocumented child at the age of five, criticizing family separations at the border during Trump’s first term.

At Wednesday’s Treasury event in Washington, Minaj appeared onstage with Trump and businessman Kevin O’Leary, at times holding the president’s hand while he praised her publicly. Trump told the audience he believed Minaj planned to donate significant sums to Trump Accounts on behalf of her fans, though no formal details were provided.

While addressing the crowd, Minaj described herself as “probably the president’s No. 1 fan,” adding that criticism of her political stance has only strengthened her support.

Trump, for his part, praised the rapper, acknowledging that her endorsement has not been without backlash. “She took a little heat because her community isn’t necessarily a Trump fan,” he said. “But I just think she’s great.”

Minaj’s appearance and comments mark a notable political turn for one of the most internationally recognized artists of Caribbean descent, placing immigration, celebrity influence, and U.S. policy squarely at the center of a widening national debate.

RELATED: From Undocumented Immigrant To Trump’s “Number One Fan” – Nicki Minaj Embraces MAGA Spotlight

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Jan. 28, 2026: Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj seems to be now officially MAGA.

Minaj is set to appear alongside the U.S. President at a U.S. Treasury Department summit today to mark the launch of a new tax-advantaged savings program known as “Trump Accounts,” underscoring the growing involvement of high-profile celebrities in the administration’s economic messaging.

FLASHBACK – Trinidadian-US rapper Nicki Minaj speaks during the panel discussion “Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria” at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York City, on November 18, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

The summit, to be held in Washington, D.C., will also feature Shark Tank investor and actor Kevin O’Leary, actress and wife of RFK, Jr., Cheryl Hines, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Trump and Bessent are both scheduled to deliver remarks, and the event will be streamed live on X.

“Trump Accounts” are a newly created form of tax-advantaged individual retirement account for children, allowing contributions from parents, guardians, employers, and other donors. The accounts were established under last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and are being promoted by the administration as a tool to expand long-term financial opportunity for American families.

While specific details of the summit agenda have not been publicly disclosed, the Treasury Department said the event will include policy briefings and expert discussions outlining how the accounts function, their projected economic impact, and the administration’s broader economic priorities.

Additional participants expected to attend include conservative influencer Isabel Brown, political consultant Alex Bruesewitz, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, technology executive Michael Dell, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The event represents a notably high-profile rollout for a Treasury Department initiative, reflecting an effort to boost public awareness of the program. Treasury Secretary Bessent previously indicated in a radio interview that a national television commercial promoting Trump Accounts is planned to air during next month’s Super Bowl, shortly after the national anthem.

Minaj’s participation comes amid her increasingly public expressions of political alignment including at a speech at the US mission to the UN and at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, where she voiced admiration for Trump during an onstage interview. That let to a petition to have her deported.

“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,” Minaj said at the event. “He’s given so many people hope.”

Minaj recently clashed with former CNN host Don Lemon, who she attacked with homophobic tweets on X.

Born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in the United States, Minaj is one of the most internationally recognized artists of Caribbean descent. Minaj has been open about coming to the United States as an undocumented child. In an emotional social media post in 2018, she called out the separation of families at the border during Trump’s first administration.

“I came to this country as an illegal immigrant. I can’t imagine the horror of being in a strange place & having my parents stripped away from me at the age of 5,” she reportedly wrote in the caption of a photo showing young children separated from their parents at the border being detained.

“This is so scary to me. Please stop this,” she wrote. “Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now? Not knowing if their parents are dead or alive, if they’ll ever see them again.”

By NAN ET EDITOR

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Jan. 23, 2026: After decades of commanding performances that shaped modern Black cinema, Caribbean roots, British-born actor Delroy Lindo has finally crossed a milestone many believe was long overdue: his first Academy Award nomination.

British Caribbean actor Delroy Lindo attends the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 11, 2026. (Photo by Michael Tran / AFP via Getty Images) /

The London-born, Jamaican-rooted actor, 73, earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 98th Academy Awards for his role as Delta Slim in Sinners, the genre-blending vampire thriller directed by Ryan Coogler. The nod marks a long-awaited recognition for an artist whose career has been consistently lauded by critics, yet repeatedly overlooked by awards bodies.

Delroy Lindo, l., Ryan Coogler (C) and cast and crew of “Sinners” accept the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/CBS via Getty Images)

For Caribbean audiences and the global diaspora, Lindo’s nomination resonates far beyond Hollywood. Born in Lewisham, London, to Jamaican parents who were part of the Windrush generation, Lindo’s life mirrors a transatlantic Caribbean journey – moving from the UK to Canada as a teenager, then to the United States, where he trained at the American Conservatory Theater and forged a career that would span stage, film, and television.

His mother was a nurse who struggled as an outsider in England but instilled a strong sense of heritage in her son, while his father held various jobs, contributing to the family’s cultural background. Lindo has said in the past that he felt like an outsider as the only Black child in his school, but was inspired to act after a school play. He deeply connects with his Jamaican roots, viewing his parents’ emphasis on presentation as a key part of his heritage, a theme echoed in his work.

Delroy Lindo accepts Best Supporting Actor for “Sinners” onstage during the 2026 Annual Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 10, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP)

Lindo has previously found himself in awards-season conversations for iconic roles, including West Indian Archie in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and his searing performance in Da 5 Bloods. But when nominations failed to materialize, he deliberately resisted expectation. “I try not to buy into that,” he told Entertainment Weekly last year, reflecting on past snubs. Still, he admitted that the absence of recognition was painful. “I was profoundly disappointed, frankly.”

That disappointment did not derail him. Instead, Lindo kept working – on his own terms.

In Sinners, he delivers a performance critics describe as hypnotic. Playing Delta Slim, a Mississippi bluesman whose music anchors a juke joint that becomes the target of supernatural forces, Lindo brings gravitas, restraint, and lived-in wisdom to the screen. Coogler has praised the performance as “incredible,” noting what Lindo brought to the role every single day on set.

Audiences agreed. Sinners boasts a 97% critical rating and 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and its global box office haul of approximately $368 million made it one of the year’s most successful original films. The movie shattered awards records with 16 Oscar nominations, becoming the most-nominated film in Academy history.

For Lindo, the recognition arrives not as validation, but as affirmation. “To have been working as an actor for the length of time that I have… the fact that audiences still apparently find what I’m doing interesting – that’s not a given,” he said. “I don’t take any of it for granted.”

His Caribbean roots continue to inform his creative direction. Lindo has long spoken about the influence of his Jamaican heritage and the Windrush experience, which he is now exploring in a forthcoming memoir scheduled for release in 2027. He is also developing and directing a feature film set in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, centered on spirituality, healing, and the power of community – themes deeply rooted in Caribbean culture.

Lindo exclusively told E! News that his son Damiri was the one to tell him he received his first-ever Oscar nomination for the 2026 ceremony. “I was in bed,” he recalled to E!. “My phone rang. It was my son. I picked it up and said, ‘Hey man,’ and he said, ‘Dad, dad, you got it. You got that s–t.’” 

“It means the world because he’s seen it all,” Lindo was quoted as saying. “He’s seen it away from the red carpet. He’s seen both sides of it. So, along with my wife, they have the internal and the external perspective on this journey. It felt completely right on to receive this news from my son.”

Lindo  faces off against Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value), Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another) and Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) in his category.

But, however, it turns out, Lindo told E!: “It’s just incredibly joyful and affirming. Affirming that audiences inside and outside of the industry have responded to this work so fully, and the fact that the work has touched people, I believe, in the depth of their humanity. I don’t have the words to explain how gratifying and affirming that feels. It’s extraordinary.”

For many in the Caribbean diaspora, the moment already carries meaning: a son of Jamaican immigrants, whose artistry endured decades of industry blind spots, finally standing where history says he always belonged.

The Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, air Sunday, March 15, 2026, on ABC.

RELATED: Teyana Taylor Makes Golden Globe History As Second Caribbean-Rooted Black Winner