News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. July 28, 2016: It’s been eight years since Jamaican reggae singer Sizzla Kalonji lost his US visa amidst claims that he sang anti-gay songs. But Sizzla, born Miguel Orlando Collins, in Kingston, Jamaica, has had his US visa reinstated and will return to the U.S. for long overdue performances beginning next month.
Sizzla will perform at Reggae on the River in California from August 4-7th, his first US performance in eight years. He will also perform in New York for the Irie Jam radio’s 23rd anniversary event at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, NY on September 4.
Sizzla is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is noted for his high number of releases. As of 2014 he had released over 70 solo albums.
He has undergone criticism due to anti-gay lyrics in some of his recordings, causing the cancellation of many international concerts including in the US Canada, Sweden, Germany and the UK.