The Dutchess was lucky enough to be invited to the VP Records Ting and Ting party for the launch of Strictly the Best CDs 54 and 55 at the Paper Box in Williamsburg Brooklyn on a rainy Tuesday night . The early juggling by DJs Noah Powa, Chromatic and Kitty Cash got the attendees ready for the live performances to come. I must give huge kudos to the Trini female DJ Kitty Cash, while the male DJs were good Kitty Cash caused the Paper Box to catch a Fire.
Kitty Cash invited dancers on stage and played the range of Afrobeat, Reggae, Ragga Hip Hop and of course Soca. She and her all female team were excellent and had the Paper Box sweating. I had never heard of her before but anywhere she is scheduled to play, Lady English with be there. While we waited for the artistes to appear VP records decided to give a way a CD, Noah Powa played a song from STB 55 and asked the audience to guess the singer to receive the CD. I consider myself a Reggae music aficionado so I marched to the to give the answer, I said Jahmiel, loudly into the mic, ANNK wrong answer! I was mortified. Another young lady gave the correct answer Vershon. She got the CD. Noah Powa played another song this time from STB 54. I ran onto the stage confidant in victory, Noah Powa said are you sure you have the correct answer. I said absolutely. He siad he loved my English accent. He asked for the name of the artist. Romaine Virgo. YES VICTORY. I left the stage with a copy of STB 54.
Christopher Martin came on stage first and after a few hiccups with the music, which was a DJ playing tracks and not a liveband, he sang his cheaters anthem ‘Don’t let me cheat on my Girlfriend’. When the DJ still could not get it together Martin sang ‘Magic from his upcoming album and he sang this accapela. He has a fantastic voice, I put him in the same category as Sanchez and Romaine Virgo, who can sing with and without music. They have a purity of voice that needs no synthesizers or echo machines to enhance their talent. Christopher Martin delivered a great set with songs like ‘Make love under the influence’. He sang a track from STB54 ‘Pirate of the Carribean’. One of my personal favorites Big Deal and ended with Mama, the crowd roared their approval when he ended his set with Mama and told the audience to buss a blank for their Mama.
Last, but not least, was Spice and boy was she Spicy. Lady Saw is now a Christian and no longer sings dancehall, she has been the reigning Queen of the dancehall for decades, now that she as abdicated her throne, Spice is now the Queen of dancehall or at least that was how she was introduced to us last night by VP records. Last Saturday I went to see Marcia Griffiths at the Worlds Resort in Queens and as she always does , she invited ladies to come on stage and do the Electric slide, well last night Spice invited girls to come on stage and ‘Siddung pon it’ to her new song of the same name. She sang Romping shop, her first hit with Vybz Kartel. I have seen her twice and and in the same vein as Alison Hinds and “Saucy Wow” Denise Belfon, Spice invited a man on stage to see what he could do. Our own Stuart bravely went on stage to try but he could not manage Spice and was dismissed. Another young man came on stage and gave his name as Africa, well lets just say he made the whole Continent proud.
RCS SIDEBAR: Christopher Martin has just been added to the upcoming Love and Harmony Cruise.
