(NEWARK, NJ) -- GRAMMY Museum Experience (TM) Prudential Center resumes its “live and in-person” programming with the debut of “Off The Record presented by Verizon: Sounds of the Black Diaspora - The Reggae and Afrobeats Conversation” on Wednesday, March 9 at 7:30pm.  The ninety-minute event features a panel discussion, moderated by music industry executive, Chelsea Grant, connecting the nuances and celebrating the differences of Reggae and Afrobeats, followed by a brief, intimate musical performance by select artists. The panel will feature renowned Reggae and Afrobeats artists, Yemi Alade, Kranium, Noah Powa and Ayo Jay with special guest appearance by SiriusXM’s, DJ Anarchy.

Past GRAMMY Museum Experience ^TM Prudential Center public program guests include, DJ Khaled, Naughty By Nature, Brandy Clark, Philip Bailey, The Zombies, LAUV, Gloria Gaynor, Third World, Spragga Benz and more.  

Tickets priced at $25, are available at www.grammymuseumexp.org/events for “Off The Record presented by Verizon: Sounds of the Black Diaspora  - The Reggae and Afrobeats Conversation”

“Musical genres are constantly evolving and overlapping, and it’s important to understand where and how they connect, differ and influence each other,” said Mark Conklin, Director of Artist Relations & Programming, GRAMMY™ Museum Experience Prudential Center. “We’re thrilled to welcome these amazing artists to our museum for a stimulating night of conversation about these two significant and increasingly popular genres.”   

Built and operated by Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, the 8,000-square-foot GRAMMY Museum Experience^TM is housed within Prudential Center. The Experience marks the first GRAMMY Museum outpost to be built on the East Coast and, similar to the original GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, the Experience is dedicated to exploring the past, present and future of music, and the cultural context from which it emerges, while casting a focused spotlight on the deep musical roots of New Jersey. The Experience features a dynamic combination of educational programming including “Off the Record” and “Behind the Songs” and interactive permanent and traveling exhibits, including a spotlight on legendary GRAMMY winners from New Jersey.  

About the Panelists:

Yemi Alade is a Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress and activist. She won the Peak Talent Show in 2009 after which she signed to Effyzzie Music Group, and had a hit with her single "Johnny" in 2014. Since then Yemi has gained prominence in the music industry and considered one of the biggest artists in Africa. Following the releases of her albums King of Queens and Mama Africa with huge commercial success recorded for both albums, she embarked on consecutive world tours.

Kranium is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer known for his 2013 hit single "Nobody Has To Know" which gave him international recognition and led him to the Atlantic Records record label. He has travelled the world over to perform and collaborated with mega artists such as Ed Sheeran, Bebe Rexha and Major Lazer to name a few.  

Noah Powa is a Jamaican-born entertainer.  Amassing his earliest fans through his acting and social media skills, the beloved, “Son Son” has taken his supporters on a journey as he transitioned into DJ/selecting and a reggae artist.  His hit single, “Keep The Same Energy,” earned international acclaim, opening the door to perform around the world.  Noah continues to become one of the most sought after selectors in the dancehall genre while creating new music.  His singles are featured in numerous compilations, including VP Records Reggae Gold and most recently on the ‘007’ soundtrack with Shaggy. 

Ayo Jay is a London-born singer, raised in Lagos, Nigeria and his musical expressions channel as much from West African pop as from Western R&B and rap.  Among his early singles was a bright, catchy standout called “Your Number,” which he later re-recorded with rapper Fetty Wap in 2015.