Rickardo Shuzzr

Rickardo Shuzzr

United States of America

Entertainment publicist, Shuzzr, is a well-known name in the reggae-dancehall entertainment and media landscape. His introduction to public relations came in late 2009- 2010, where he represented Gaza Kim who was allegedly assaulted and Blak Ryno who were apart of the leading musical group of the decade in Jamaica and arguably the Caribbean. From navigating the media storm surrounding Gaza Kim, and Blak Ryno departure from Portmore Empire/GAZA which was led by Vybz Kartel, Shuzzr positioned himself to become a guru in public relations.

With little media training starting off his career, his love for media, politics and music drove him to pursue other clients. Over the past decade, he has worked with several of Jamaica’s top reggae and dancehall acts namely Tifa, RDX, Vershon, Dovey Magnum, Narkoz, DJ MadOut, DJ TYGGA, Chozenn, Blak Ryno, Lisa Hyper, Erup, Versatile amongst many others.

While his skills, influence and dominance grew, it led to him partnering with a New York based public relations firm called MPR Consulting which saw the Jamaican native strengthening his foothold both North America with a global reach spanning over 50 countries. This partnership led to working with Grammy nominated artiste Morgan Heritage, Multimedia personality Nikkiz Z, Potential Kidd, D’Wrap Entertainment program and reggae-dancehall digital giant distributor Hapilos.

The joint venture also led to the expansion of their services covering several highly acclaimed events in Jamaica like Reggae Sumfest, Marco Polo, ATI, Dream Weekend, Shaggy & Friends Concerts, Style Week, Caribbean Fashion Week, Arthur Guinness Celebrations, Rumbar Bubbles and more.

Currently freelancing and serving in the United States Army, in recent times he’s handle public relations endeavors for acts such as Tifa, Vershon, Narkoz, RDX, and Sharkies Seafood & Plantation Smokehouse restaurant, Shuzzr, a graduate of The College at Brockport, State University of New York (SUNY) he holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and Gender Studies.

In 2019, Alexis Fish who is the Vice President of Pride at Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, SPIN & Vibe invited the Jamaican publicist to its inaugural Pride Summit which was held in Hollywood, California. The coveted event which was hosted by the leading entertainment media/medium placed the young act in a position to chart his career forward. Following his introduction to Billboard/The Hollywood Reporter team, a year later they once again reach out to feature the talent and have him speaking on his career in reggae-dancehall.

2020 was the year Shuzzr stepped out of the shadows, putting himself on the forefront. From landing a Billboard Feature and being apart of their 2020 Pride celebrations and conversations, he did a series of interviews speaking about combating hatred and promoting queerness. Shuzzr also was the virtual host for the inaugural GayTravel.com #VirtualPride celebrations which partnered with the founding 28 Pride organizations in the United States.

The celebrations which trended across the US on Twitter was celebrated by thousands. His actions that year positioned him well in the eyes of his community and peers as he became the first in many regards. A watershed moment in West Indian queer history, Shuzzr also launched an initiative called ‘Pride in the Islands’ geared towards supporting advocacy groups throughout the Caribbean.

No stranger to challenging social norms or the status quo, in 2014 he publicly came to the forefront with his sexuality which made several headlines as he not only spoke his truth but challenged Grammy nominee Sizzla & The Grammys about the artiste homophobia and his consideration for such accolades. That same year, Shuzzr also interned at 98PXY, Rochester’s #1 music station which is a division Entercom Communications radio where he worked on the Spezzano & Sandy Morning show.

Despite the backlash, Shuzzr never fell out of love with the genre and his love for the music. With an open letter to then Prime Minister of Jamaica titled Church, State & My Civil Liberties he started to use his platform to be more vocal on the plights the Jamaican minority group faced.

Arguably one of the only people to publicly speak about their sexuality and continue to work in what can be described as ‘one of the most homophobic genres’ in the world. Shuzzr is adamant in his quest to disrupting the status quo as the industry slowly evolves with time and individuals like himself working behind the scenes.

With the issuance of hundreds of press release and securing several notable media placements over the years, Shuzzr reach & influence is undisputed. As one of the leading publicists covering reggae-dancehall music and its practitioners. Shuzzr, a public relations guru continues to represent the industry heavyweights and remains a public relations architect behind the image of some of your favorite reggae-dancehall artiste in recent history, while representing queer-minded folks.