RCS REVIEW: Rebel Salute 2020

This music  festival celebrates Tony Rebel’s birthday which is January 15, the same day as Martin Luther King.  I love this festival because it celebrates and introduces upcoming acts(remember Rebel Salute 2018 when I told you to watch out for Koffee introduced by Cocoa Tea) celebrates veteran acts such as Toots and the Maytals, Sanchez and Steel Pulse  Beenie Man and current acts such as Chronic Law.

 

 

Friday Night the 17th  January acts included Steel Pulse, Sanchez, Leroy Sibbles, Queen Omega, Chevaughn, Flourgon, Michigan, Toots, Bobi Wine, Singing Melody, Terry Linen, Wailers Trio, Lone Ranger, General Trees and Kenyatta Hill.

 

Saturday Night the 18th January acts included Queen Ifrica, Richie Spice, Mikey Spice, Anthony B, IOctane, , IWayne, Jesse Royal, Meditations, George Nooks, Louie Culture, Tony Tuff, Errol Dunkley,. Lady Gee, Jack Radics, Benygy Myaz, Jahbari and Steven Blake.

 

I wont review every single act but will talk about some of the highlights  and memorable moments for me.  I refer you to RedCarpetShelley.com to see photos taken over the 2 nights.  When I arrived at the venue I saw Papa Michigan of Michigan and Smiley singing hits like Polomylitis and One love Jam down.  Flourgon of Hold a fresh fame was very popular because he just settled a $300 million lawsuit with Miley Cyrus .  In fact he sang “We run tings tings no run we” (his lyrics used by MIley) The crowd roared when he sand “We wake up we see Miley and she leggo di money”.  He said millions has now come to Jamaica. I’m sure he didn’t get $300 million but he got some millions.  Tony Rebel was in his usual form, celebrating his birthday and singing his hits, such as Vegetable, Jamaica Nice and Nazarine vow.  He sang his usual that he wanted to run in 2020 as an independent and have Mutabaruka as his vice president and the first thing he would do is have a holiday where everyone would be barefoot like Muta. (known for many things dub poet, radio host, activist, MC and bare foot walker.)  Tony Rebel introduced Dr Julius Garvey son of Marcus Garvey,  He said it was his first appearance  at Rebel Salute but was honoured to be in the parish of his father’s birth at Rebel Salute. 

 

Leroy Sibbles introduced a youth by the name of Young Garvey.  Look out for him.  I love terry Linen’s voice.  Toots lively as usual 70  years  old , still touring, he sang his hits 5446 was my number , sweet and dandy and others. It is great to be in Jamaica, I am under the weather but hopefully the warm weather will blow away my cold along with the ginger the hotel gave me this morning.  Some of the complaints from Patrons were the long band changes with little music in between. Steel Pulse a Black British band from Handsworth,  Birmingham have been touring for a long time.  I was really happy to see them because I missed two nights of their New York appearances..  This band came to my university when I was a freshman in the early 80s in the UK.  I treasure my grey hairs, I’ve earned them and it is a privilege to be an elder, .  I must say I felt my age when I overheard a young Jamaican girl ask “who are they”.  Steel Pulse have been around since the 70’s.  they have toured Jamaica, Africa  US and throughout the world and are still touring and have a grammy nominated album called Mass Manipulation.  I always think of my brother Brian when I hear Steel Pulse’ “Chant a Psalm a day” because he loved that song back in the day.  I must remind him to take a listen to the new album.  The Rebel Salute audience was familiar with some of their songs and sang along to Rally round the Red God Black and Green and Blues Dance.

 

Johnny Daley an actor comedian was hilarious. One of his funniest skits was when he said he went to Ding Dong’s house because his kids love his songs, but he finds the vocabulary very limited with one word songs like Shampoo and  2 word songs  Low Me.  He said if he rang his door bell and it said Ding Dong, he was going to leave.  Johnny  said when Ding Dong opened the door he was dancing right way and Johnny had to dance to keep up with him as he was talking to him.  I was in stiiches it was so funny. 

 

Bobi Wine a Member of Parliament, from Uganda aka Wakanda as he said on stage and gave a  spirited performance. He he said he watched Rebel Salute , Sting and Reggae Sunspslash as a youth and was inspired. He gave kudos to Tony Rebel who gives youth the opportunity to provide a message through edutainment. He mentioned Marcus Garvey.  He denounced xenophobia in South Africa and I loved the song he sang Xenophobia  He said his concerts are banned back home in Uganda, so he was happy to fly to Jamaica to perform.  He spoke in his languagee to the folks listening back home. Bobi Wine  sang about HIV, revolution,  He said Uganda is very rich in resources but very corrupt . He said he wants to return the rule of law to the people, no more wrongful detention, corrupt police, no more colonial education.  I was very impressed with Bobi Wine.  I saw him last year and was happy Rebel Salute brought him back.  I hope he wins the election and becomes President of Uganda.

 

 

Queen Ifrica said she got her buss on Rebel salute so she was happy to share her stage.  She introduced a young singer from Kenya, Treesha.  Iyah real fire daughter.  Big up to the fans who stayed in the pouring rain and kudos to Queen Ifrica for performing in the rain.  Her new song ‘Melove you’ addresses women who may be untrue asking for forgiveness from their man.  Honourable mentions to Mikey Spice, Ritchie Spice, George Nooks  IWayne  and Louie Culture.  Two new addition to Rebel Salute was the comedy the Friday night and the Duplate showcase Saturday night, which was actually a sound clash called  between Black Scorpio with Veteran Producer and sound man Jack Scorpio and Dynamic Sound with the African.  I heard Dynamic on and Black Scorpio on the Welcome to Jamrock Cruise in December 2019.  both fantastic.  Dynamic African is from South Sudan by way of Kansas City.  He started by saying ” If he has to cry like Bushman unu ago hear me tonight”  He opened with a dubplate by Briggi and  and the Angola tune.  Scorpio reminded him it was dub for dub .  I loved the African’s Jamaican accent.  He said he had been living in Sudan in a refugee camp barefoot like Mutabaruka.  Scorpio slayed with an Assasin lick.  This soundclash was hilarious and memorable. 

 

See you on the inside. 

 

The Dutchess