Jazzy B. Is The First Ever South Asian Artist To Be Honoured By BCEHOF With StarWalk Star!
“I truly feel blessed and honoured to be getting this great recognition from my home province where I truly honed my craft and from where I started on my musical journey,” said Jazzy B. “I’m here as an artist because of my mother tongue Punjabi which is the essence of my music. I could have never imagined getting such an award and it is indeed my language and my fans who I’m humbly thankful and forever grateful.”
“This is a great honour for Jazzy who is well deserving but it’s an even bigger honour for the wider South Asian community who have collectively made a great contribution to the arts in BC,” said award-winning journalist and filmmaker R. Paul Dhillon, adding that he and Bobby Nagra are grateful to the BCEHOF committee for honouring a true pioneer in the Desi music scene in BC and abroad. Dhillon and Nagra nominated Jazzy for the BCEHOF honours.
SURREY – Bhangra superstar Jazzy B., who earlier this year made history as the first South Asian to be inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame (BCEHOF), was officially inducted on Saturday with twin ceremonies in Vancouver and Surrey celebrating this historic occasion.
Jazzy’s StarWalk Star was permanently placed on the Walk of Fame along the starry and hip Granville Street corridor in downtown Vancouver.
The afternoon ceremony was followed by a formal reception at Surrey’s Crown Palace Banquet hall, where the BCEHOF officials, including Board chair Rob Haynes and Vancouver Councilor Elizabeth Ball, officially inducted the international Bhangra superstar into the Hall of Fame by presenting him with a framed certificate and a pin. The City of Surrey also honoured him with a framed message from Mayor Linda Hepner and her Council and Surrey MP Randeep Singh Sarai brought a message for Jazzy from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I truly feel blessed and honoured to be getting this great recognition from my home province where I truly honed my craft and from where I started on my musical journey,” said Jazzy B.
“I’m here as an artist because of my mother tongue Punjabi which is the essence of my music. I could have never imagined getting such an award and it is indeed my language and my fans who I’m humbly thankful and forever grateful.”
Once inducted, Jazzy B. will join elite company of artists being honoured this year which includes legendary television-film star Michael J. Fox, who will join the 275 plus previous inductees who have been recognized for their significant contribution to the province’s entertainment industry and cultural landscape.
The BCEHOF is divided into two prestigious categories: StarWalk and Pioneers. The StarWalk inductees are individuals who have enhanced the province’s cultural profile, both locally and on the world stage.
Jazzy B. was nominated for the prestigious honour by DESIBUZZbc founder and Award Winning Journalist R. Paul Dhillon (editor of the South Asian LINK) and Punjabi Music impresario Bobby Nagra, who is a long time friend and supporter of Jazzy B.
“This is a great honour for Jazzy who is well deserving but it’s an even bigger honour for the wider South Asian community who have collectively made a great contribution to the arts in BC,” said Dhillon, adding that he, Nagra and the Man with the Plan – the Oracle (BS) – are thankful to the BCEHOF committee for honouring a true pioneer in the Desi music scene in BC and abroad.
Nagra said: “We are truly humbled by this honour and Jazzy and all his fans are very excited that his home province has recognized him in such a big way with a Star on BC Walk of Fame. It’s a proud day for our community.”
Dubbed by The New York Times as the “Michael Jackson of India,” Canada’s Jaswinder Singh Bains (Jazzy B) is heralded for introducing a fresh new image to the world of Bhangra music.
Since his smash debut album, Gugian de Jorra, hit the streets in 1993, the transatlantic superstar has released 11 top-selling studio albums, sold out arenas around the globe and become one of the most important singer/songwriters on the modern Punjabi music scene. He remains committed to his roots, supporting various charitable causes in Canada and India, and each year headlines the Surrey Fusion Festival in his local community of Surrey, BC.
“The BC Entertainment Hall of Fame is proud and excited to present a very diverse and impressive group of Pioneer and StarWalk inductees who represent artistic excellence in British Columbia”, stated Rob Haynes, President BC Entertainment Hall of Fame, “We look forward to scheduling and celebrating their individual inductions at various high profile events over the coming months honouring their contribution.”
StarWalk Star members are recognized with a featured star in the walk of fame on the Granville Street sidewalk in downtown Vancouver and in the StarWall photo Gallery in the historic Orpheum Theatre upper lobby and Pioneer Star members are acknowledged on the Orpheum Lobby Honour Plaque.
