As Sublime prepares to take over the high seas, Jakob Nowell, DJ Product, and DIZZYISDEAD reveal what they’re bringing aboard for the band’s inaugural Reef Madness Cruise.
When Sublime sets sail for its inaugural Reef Madness Cruise from November 15–19, fans can expect four days of reggae, punk rock, hip-hop, and plenty of unpredictable moments. But before the Norwegian Jewel departs Miami for the Bahamas, there’s one important question: What exactly does Jakob Nowell pack for a four-day party at sea?
For the Sublime frontman, the essentials include comfortable clothes, video games, an excessive amount of underwear, and, unfortunately, no room for his beloved cat Fluffy.
“I wish I could pack Fluffy. But she don’t like boats,” Nowell joked during an interview with ThePier.org. “The cat fucking understands what we’re saying.”
With Fluffy staying safely on dry land, Nowell has a surprisingly straightforward packing strategy.
“Three pairs of sweatpants, three tank tops, five pairs of fucking chones,” he explained. “It’s always good to pack extra underwear on any trip because you just don’t know what’s going to happen. Same goes for socks. Probably pack like one point five times the amount of days for your underwear.”
And when he’s not performing, hanging with fans, or getting into trouble somewhere on the ship, Nowell plans to keep himself entertained with a little retro gaming.
“My Game Boy Advance — or my Steam Deck, which will just emulate all the Game Boy games. That’s probably the move.”
Of course, Nowell won’t be the only member of the Sublime family bringing some unusual luggage aboard.
Longtime Sublime collaborator DJ Product, who has been part of the band’s extended musical family since the Bradley Nowell era, plans to keep things considerably lighter. He’ll be performing DJ sets throughout the cruise, blending the reggae, punk, and hip-hop influences that have helped define Sublime’s sound for decades.
“As far as what I’m gonna play, I probably will play the mix of kind of all the stuff I’m into personally,” Product told ThePier.org. “You know, the reggae, the hip hop, maybe put the punk rock in there, too.”
Rather than meticulously planning every moment of his sets, Product prefers to let the audience dictate where the music goes.
“It’s not even building a set. Sometimes it’s very spontaneous,” he explained.
But Product isn’t planning to spend his entire time behind the turntables. He’s also looking forward to using the trip as an opportunity to recharge creatively.
“I’m probably going to bring some gear and just, you know, get into my creative world,” he said. “Draw and make music or something, you know, like use it as a vacation thing, get inspired.”
“I pack pretty light,” he added. “I just bring my gear.”
For Canadian alternative artist DIZZYISDEAD, however, packing for the cruise comes with an entirely different set of concerns.
“I hate boats though. That’s the thing. I’m like, I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I’m a little, a little scared by it,” he admitted during an interview with ThePier.org.
Asked what he plans to bring in his suitcase, DIZZYISDEAD had a simple answer: “Water wings and a life jacket for sure.”
Despite his apprehension about spending several days at sea, the rising musician is eager to share the stage with artists who helped shape his musical identity.
“Just being in the environment and being able to network with the people I grew up listening to,” he explained. “I remember listening to Sublime when I was a kid.”
And while the cruise may be a vacation for some, DIZZYISDEAD isn’t taking his performance lightly.
“I’m definitely going to have to give everything I have in my soul to put on the best performance that I can,” he said. “And undoubtedly, I will.”
Beyond the questionable packing lists, the Reef Madness Cruise represents something bigger for Sublime. The event brings together multiple generations of musicians connected through the Southern California band’s genre-defying legacy.
Alongside Sublime, the lineup includes Yelawolf, The Elovaters, Long Beach Dub Allstars, Common Kings, Fortunate Youth, Codefendants, Amigo The Devil, DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, and many more. Nowell’s SVN/BVRNT Records will also host its own BVRNT Stage, showcasing emerging artists alongside his project Jakobs Castle.
For Nowell, the opportunity to introduce audiences to new music is just as important as celebrating the band’s history.
“I hope while people are there listening to some of their favorite artists, they get a wild hair up their ass and want to go discover something new,” he told ThePier.org.
As for what fans should expect once everyone is aboard, Nowell isn’t making any promises about keeping things under control.
“We’re going to be out at sea with a bunch of musicians and a bunch of rad fans just having a party. Something crazy is bound to happen.”
With extra underwear, DJ equipment, video games, and at least one musician packing emergency flotation devices, Sublime’s first Reef Madness Cruise is already shaping up to be an unforgettable voyage.
And judging by Nowell’s enthusiasm, that’s exactly the point.
Watch the full interview with Jakob Nowell:
Watch the interview with DJ Product:
Watch the interview with DizzyIsDead:
