Come on and smile, we’re in Jamaica. Smile Jamaica Africa Unite is the theme for this years Smile Jamaica concert to be held in Oracabessa at James Bond Beach where we just went to the Jamaica Fat Tyre Festival and Bicycle Bash about a week ago. Its a really beautiful part of the island with more natural beauty around you at all times. The East Coast of Jamaica is what is left of the Real Jamaica in many ways. Look for that article coming up soon as I get back from this show. I have never seen Jr Gong perform and it will be a real pleasure to be able to see him and his brothers on stage performing at a concert their father started back in 1976. Damian seems to be the favored brother here in Jamaica and no matter what part of the island I go to someone has his music blasting almost as often as you here his fathers music. I think Ziggy plays better to white America with his happy cheerful melody makers than he does here in Jamaica where the Tuff beats of Jr Gong better reflect life in Kingston. Damian seems to me to to have been influenced by his fathers more militant side (or was that Peter Tosh?) and maybe Ziggy is the hippy kid who thinks we can save the world with one good spliff.
It should be awesome to see them both perform in front of their fellow countrymen so I can see how the crowd feels about them at a show. I know that I sometimes get people calling me Jr Gong when I go to Kingston because apparently I look more like him than I do Ziggy to the average Jamaican on the street. I get very strong reactions from older Jamaicans and especially older Rastas for my resemblance to the Marley clan and I have had it happen over and over that they think I look like Damian more than Ziggy or Bob himself. I don’t think I look like any of them but I guess i can see the confusion for some Jamaicans who rarely see a brown skinned Taliban looking dread like me. I also want to see how the boys handle the commercialization of their fathers image and his being packaged more as a product than a person here in Jamaica. I sure hope not to see his image used like it is all over the island. Bob Marley is used to sell Jamaica more like Colonel Sanders sells chicken or like Ronald sells McDonalds most often and I personally am disgusted by how “The Legend” is treated by most Jamaicans. Bob Marley has become a cash cow for almost the entire country and he’s rolled over in that mausoleum in St Anns a few thousand times I bet. I sure hope his sons maintain the high level of respect for him at this commercial show that I have seen in their commercial music and they don’t disrespect the King of Reggae during Reggae Month in Jamaica.
Tags: 2008, africa unite, bob marley, Jamaica, jamaica concert, jamaicans, kingston, music, queen ifrica, re, reggae, reggae month, smile jamaica, tarrus rileyKingston, Jamaica:– Oraccabessa St. Mary will come alive on Saturday February 23 when the Marley Legacy is unleashed at the James Bond Beach. Bob Marley foundation and Ghetto Youths in association with The Rita Marley Foundation presents ‘Smile Jamaica – Africa Unite’ in tribute to the work of the late Nesta Robert Marley. The event follows an initiative of the Marley family to unite Africa and Members of the African Diaspora through Music and to perpetuate the message of Love, Strength and Hope that was the hallmark of Bob Marley’s career.
This is the second staging of the ‘Smile Jamaica’ concert since its rebirth in 2007. The first concert was held in December 1976, at which the legend himself, Bob Marley, headlined the show at the National Heroes Park in Kingston. Despite being attacked the night before, he bravely and defiantly stepped out and said he would only do one song, but ended up working the stage for ninety minutes. This year’s staging of the event represents an intersection, where The Africa Unite concert staged in Ethiopia and Ghana previously merge to create an experience that transcends culture, language, race and economic barriers.
The show features for the first time in Jamaica, on one stage, the Marley Brothers, Stephen, Ziggy, Damian, Julian, Kimani displaying their unique talents. Having amassed their own career wealth Grammy winners Stephen Damian and Ziggy are eager to display their unique magic on stage. Stephen is touted to take the stage with a new accolade as he is nominated for the coveted Grammy Award for his debut solo album ‘Mind Control’ the Awards will be staged on Sunday, February 10.
Other acts booked to appear are Rihanna, Javaughn,Elephant Man, Sizzla, Queen Ifrica, Capleton, Richie Spice, Lutan Fyah, Spragg Benz and Tarrus Riley and is touted to be the most colourful climax imaginable to the Month now Dubbed Reggae Month.
Smile Jamaica – Africa Unite takes place on Saturday February 23 at the James Bond Beach. Patrons will join in this historic event for $1500.00 and are guaranteed a wonderful demonstration of The Jamaican Motto ‘Out of Many, One people’.
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Jamaica MAX
Hello friends, family and readers. My name is Alfred and I'm packing up my wife and two young children and moving to Jamaica. Read along as I chronicle our adventures through Jamaica, the Land of Woods and Water, and follow us as we find things to do and places to visit in paradise.