One of North America’s largest Caribbean music festival Best of the Best Concert (BOTB) returned for its 10th year. This year’s festivities saw a return to the beautiful backdrop of Miami’s Bayfront Park on Memorial Day Weekend, Sunday May 29, 2016. In celebration of its 10th year anniversary, BOTB organizers put together a stellar line-up of top international reggae and soca performers. Of course, the Team RCS was in attendance!
BOTB always has a fantastic line up, but this year was par excellence. The line up included the best ot the best women in Soca, Denise Belfon, Patrice Roberts and Destra. The best of the best Reggae artists with Half Pint, Kranium, Nesbeth, Chris Martin, Beres Hammond (of course) Tarrus Riley, Cham, Mr. Vegas, and Elephant Man.
The crowd gave ‘Nuff Respect” to the the only female dancehall performer on the show, Lady G. I spoke with her following her performance and discussed the lack of females being represented on dancehall shows. That being said, she was preceded by a trio of female soca performers Denise Belfon, Patrice Roberts and the Queen of Bachannal, Destra.
Vershon, a new artist with a song “Inna Real Life” gave a good performance…but who knew within 24 hrs he would perform at New York’s Oracabessa Concert and use profanity in front of a family audience! Ironically, his set was preceded by the legendary foundation artist Half Pint.
Queens, New York’s own Kranium performed “Nobody Haffi Know”. He gave a good performance and was followed by Nesbeth. I raved about Nesbeth at Rebel Saluteearlier this year. He shared that he buried his wife of 10 years her on February 17, 2016. Sadly, he also lost his little sister at the same time. He sang a song for his wife and when I listened to the words I cried and I know I wasn’t the only one. He sang about their love, he sang “why you and not me”, he sang about how when he buried her it was raining very hard and he knew it must have been God’s tears. I know tears were streaming down my face. He thanked the BOTB team for giving him a commemorative candle for his wife. I saw him the next morning at the airport and went up to him and told him that he made me cry, gave him a hug and offered my condolences.
The very important Christopher Martin, reggae’s young crooner, was a Big Deal and gave a memorable performance. Not to be outdone, Beres Hammond, reigning King of Lovers Rock, gave the audience what they wanted from his large repertoire. He sang crowd pleasers like Putting Up a Resistance, She Loves Me Now, What One Dance Can Do, Pull it up, I Feel Good. He paid tribute to the late greats like Dennis Brown, Bob Marley, and Alton Ellis. He ended his 50 minute set with Rockaway.
Who knew that comedic genius Majah Hype was also a great dancehall performer! He and Noah got the crowd going by singing many dancehall hits from the 1990s. His set was very well received.
Tarrus ‘Singy Singy’ Riley gave a set which was full of tributes. First, he gave a tribute to the living legend Beres Hammond and sang Groovy Little Thing, then a tribute to Garnett Silk with Hello Mama Africa. Tarrus then paid homage to his father Jimmy Riley who passed recently and was was also a singer. He then turned his attention to Buju Banton, Its Not an Easy Road … “he is not dead, just has not been seen in a while”. And of course the Empress anthem ‘She’s Royal.
We met as young singer by the name of Meleku, he gave me a cd, he has a great voice, it must run in the family , he is the son of Sizzla Kolonji.
The concert ended with Elephant Man, who has been making his triumphant return to the States after being absent for a few years. The crowd was happy to see him back. He almost gave me a heart attack when he started to climb up the stage as high as he could go.
All in all, once again Best of the Best lived up to its moniker! It was a well produced and well performed show.
BY: The Dutchess
RCS Sidebar: Can someone please tell me what happened to Cocoa Tea??!! Shoutout to Tracii McGregor and her team. They’re always on point and VERY nice!