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Buju Banton was on the mind of most of his colleagues last Saturday night, as they pleaded for his release from jail at Rebel Salute, held at Port Kaiser Sports Club, St Elizabeth.
Jah Cure, who himself was incarcerated for nine years, shared a personal story with the audience.
"When I was going through my troubles, Buju Banton was one of the first persons who paid my first lawyer fee," he said solemnly. "Mommy or Daddy never have it," he added before singing Reflections, his ballad on prison not being a bed of roses.
Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage was also sentimental onstage before singing Psalm 23, which he recorded with Banton.
I-Wayne, who brought the crowd alive with his firebrand lyrics, made reference to Banton's incarceration saying, "You can't cow down rasta" while selector Sky Juice also voiced his support before playing Banton's Massa God World a Run.
Banton has been in jail since December 10, in Florida, United States, for allegedly attempting to buy five kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute.
PERFORMANCES
In terms of sheer energy, Capleton had appreciative patrons hoisting torches as he danced and pranced onstage, mixing his customary social commentary with songs such as Small World, Jah Jah City, Slew Dem, a spontaneous effort about the suffering of the Haitian earthquake victims and a thought-provoking a cappella rendition of a new song Righteous.
Had it not been for Capleton's impressive set, Queen Ifrica probably would have emerged the night's most outstanding performer. In a hit-filled set, the dazzling reggae songstress had the crowd rooting for her all the way as she made her mark on renditions such as Born Free, Below the Waist, Nuff Vibes, the though-provoking Police, Coconut Shell, Sattamassagana, Daddy - in English and Spanish - and Keep It To Yourself.
As he has been showing in recent times, Tarrus Riley is fast becoming the consummate showman. His onstage antics with saxophonist Dean Fraser was pivotal as he struck and kept a receptive chord with the audience, making an indelible mark with Lion Paw, Contagious, Cut It Off, Beware, She's Royal and an unforgettable rendition of Good Girl Gone Bad.
Etana and Jah Cure both showed why they are so much in demand on the international circuit as their respective sets were delivered with the class and control of bona-fide stars. Etana was mind-blowing with a superb rendition of Mortimer Planno's Haile Selassie Is The Chapel and Free, while Jah Cure was compelling on his new song 2012, Divide And Rule and Reflections.
The much-anticipated performance by the Britain-based Steel Pulse was anticlimactic at best. While they nailed songs such as Rally Round The Flag, Chant A Psalm and Bodyguard with their blend of rich instrumentals and slick harmony, their onstage time (approximately 25 minutes) was a major disappointment to their loyal fans.
The Jamaica Star
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