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27th Annual Ragga Muffins
Festival
Article by De’Nise Dennis
Photography by Diane “Livonn” Adam © 2008
On Saturday and Sunday, February 16-17, 2008 the 27th Annual
Ragga Muffins Festival was held at the Long Beach Arena in
Southern California. It sometimes rains that weekend but Jah blessed
all those who journeyed to get there with a beautiful, sunny
weekend.
On Saturday, once checked-in and settled, I was off to the concert.
I could hear Collie Buddz as I entered the arena and could
hear the crowd singing along with him to, ‘Tomorrows Another Day’.
He showed respect to Bob Marley as he blended, ‘No Woman No Cry’,
into his mix of songs. The New Kingston Band was with him.
People in the crowd around me knew all the words to his hit song,
‘Blind To You” (Haters).
Anthony B is one Jamaican artist who has such high energy
when he steps onto the stage, definitely incites the audience. He
has an amazing accumulation of CDs to pick and choose to perform
from any time, any place. He introduces himself to the crowd with,
‘Equal Rights and Justice’, and, ‘Whip Them Jah Jah’. He flowed
through several of his songs and tells the crowd, “Love California,
it’s the marijuana state of America. Are you with me? Drivin’ down
the street smokin’ indo, sippin’ on bobo roots”. He got a lot of
cheers after that. Anthony B is such a character! They love him
and his music. He easily works the crowd. At times he is humorous,
making different faces and showing us the latest dance steps in
Jamaica. He introduced us to a new song called, ‘Bad Mind’. It
speaks of what goes on around the island of Jamaica and how the man
with a bad mind flex. Anthony B brought awareness to the people in
attendance and spoke of the campaign going on in Jamaica to make Bob
Marley a national hero. He sang the song he wrote and dedicated to
Bob and that cause.
After the high energy performance of Anthony B, the beautiful
Cherine Anderson came to the stage with Sly and Robbie.
That girl can sing! Capleton lit up the stage after her
performance. Any one who’s ever attended a Beenie Man show
knows they are going to be entertained to the fullest. He burst
onto the stage in his high energy dancehall style. Since he is
known as the King Of The Dancehall, he dressed the role
wearing a flame red suite with matching Kangol cap. This man
demonstrates his personal antics to making love JA style and shows
his raw yard style dance moves to the crowd. Beenie Man has always
got something for the ladies and, from their reaction, they were
pleased. He asked the band to stop the music for a moment and made
a very significant statement to the crowd. “I am from the
Caribbean, I man a Jamaicans. I represent the whole entire Caribbean
community. So, represent yourself. If you’re African, represent
yourself. American represent yourself. If you’re European
represent yourself. Wherever you come from, represent yourself. If
you know you smell good and you’re not disturbing the person beside
you, please feel free to put your hands in the air”. He then
says, “Thank you very much please. That’s all I’ve been saying,
represent yourself. Everybody, come wave your hand so!” Beenie
Man in a pleasing way lets us know he is aware of so many people
trying to be or trying to represent something they’re not. Like
those who try to speak ‘patios’ and have never been to Jamaica and
aren’t even Jamaican. They are culture vultures! Personal hygiene
should be a normal daily practice for every human being, but at some
concerts some people smell rank but will be the one to wave
their arms in the air during the whole concert. Thanks Beenie Man,
its true some people need to be reminded, represent yourself.
The vibe about the place was so mellow Sunday but, I knew with
Queen Ifrica on the line-up, there soon would be much excitement
to add to that vibe. I read the words on her jacket. The right side
read IT’S ME AGAIN JAH. The left side read, ONLY ONE WAY-JAH WAY.
These are true thoughts to live by. Every since Queen Ifrica became
a part of Tony Rebel’s camp, the world has been given a
chance to enjoy true roots music coming from an up-right woman point
of view.
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De’Nise Dennis
& Queen Ifrica |
Queen Ifrica
doesn’t hesitate to prove she’s a roots daughter by
coming onto the stage with a nyabingi-style beat to,
‘Rasta Man Chant’ (Fly Away Home). After the song, she
tells the crowd, “This is the most pleasurable moment of
my life”. She keeps the music coming with, “What is
Life?” The song tells of the plight of most Africans,
especially the children, the suffering and killing known
the world over. Solving the problem seems to be the
problem. After singing,
‘Born Free’, Queen Ifrica |
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shows her gratitude and asked the
crowd to, “Give it up for the great living legend
Tony Rebel who has embraced me in his camp and is inside
the house here with us tonight. I give thanks to you
all. Thank you for the love. Thank you for supporting
positive female in this wonderful industry we call
reggae music ‘cause, when you guys love us, it makes us
feel good to carry on with this wonderful work of
message music that we do. I thank you so much for that
love and support.” ‘Randy’, her song about all the
violence and negative vibe coming out of the beautiful
island of Jamaica is sad but true. She picks up the
tempo and soon showcases the band with her, Sly and
Robbie, to her song, ‘Burn Some Herb With Me’. It is one
of her previous hit songs and was the prelude to her
current hot tune getting a lot of air play on all of the
reggae radio stations titled, ‘Below the Waist’. Queen
Ifrica states, “It’s my number one song that’s
smashing up the world right now.” These lyrics,
don’t forget, are coming from Queen Ifrica, so, there is
no slackness. She later says, “There’s too much
hatred around the world today. Do you believe in love
Ragga Muffins? I have to tell you some thing. It’s never
about coming up here singing songs, jumping up and down
all over deh place, but it’s about remembering we are
human beings made by the almighty most high and sent
here for a special reason. I ask the Most High Selassie
I Jah Rastafari- Empress Menen I, for length of days so
I can do my little part for all the suffering nations
across the world. Did you know what is going on in
Kenya, what is going on in Darfur, Jamaica and here in
America is wrong? Let me see you raise your lighters up
in the air so all world leaders can see we are united as
a people. We can make a difference by the approach we
take. Do you agree with me Ragga Muffins?” The crowd
responded with vigor. Queen Ifrica then did her heart
touching song, ‘Daddy Don’t Touch Me There’. She is a
very conscious roots daughter who knows what she is
doing. She is proving you can sing about any thing. It
just depends solely on how it’s done -- with class.
Queen Ifrica proves to be a queen with a whole lot of
class and zero tolerance for slackness. |
Sunday, Anthony B came back to perform a second day coming to the
mic with, ‘Untouchable’ and ‘Higher Meditation’. He brilliantly
flows into another arsenal of songs for the crowd today. It’s true,
no two shows are ever alike. What is refreshing, he retains it
strictly Rasta on stage. Anthony B keeps the music coming steady
with songs old and new. He had the audience singing to, ‘Smoke
Free’, and ‘Fire Pon Rome’, calling for the massive to always stand
up for equal rights and justice for all. His new song, ‘Will There
Be A Change?’ touches on politics and the suffering peoples of the
world. A few songs later, he says, “I want to introduce another
new song to you tonight. This one is tearing Jamaica apart”.
Titled, ‘Clash’, this one mentions not only female Jamaican artist,
but, U.S. female artist as well. “Clash me with Lady Saw,
Cecille, Macka Diamond, Tanya Stephens, Stella go to Jamaica to get
her groove back, Beyonce’, Halley Berry, Mary J. Blige. It no man
mi clash wit, women mi clash wit”. They allowed him more time
on stage Sunday. I enjoyed his performance Saturday and never knew
Sunday was going to be the better show.
Next up came the pumping sound of Midnite. This reggae band
is from St. Croix, U.S.Virgin Islands. They got right to it with,
‘He Is Jah’. Their sound was constant and steady. The lead singer
Vaughn Benjamin, chant is mysterious yet intriguing. Their song, ‘I
Chant’, exemplified the style of music they deliver. Strictly roots
music, no wavering. Midnite takes you on a deep mystical journey
with every chant. Some people standing by me asked who they were
and where are they from. I could tell the lyrics were a bit
enigmatic to them but, they were still enjoying the music and the
vibration. If you get the chance, check out Midnite when they are
the only band on the bill. You won’t be disappointed if you like
music of Rastafari.
Usually for New Years people make resolutions. I pray. This year my
prayer to Jah was please send Tarrus Riley from
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Jamaica to the U.S. and to please
bless me to be in attendance if and when Tarrus Riley
comes. My editor, and good friend Livonn, was so kind
to call to tell me he is to be in Long Beach at the
Ragga Muffins Festival. I screamed!!! Jah answers some
prayers so quickly. I was filled with excitement once
they announced he was to perform next.
Dean ‘Cannon’ Fraser along side the
Live Wyya Band took to the stage and warmed up
playing a brief medley of the songs to come. Tarrus
Riley starts off with, |
De’Nise Dennis
& Tarrus Riley |
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‘Beware’, then
right into, ‘Larger Than
Life’, the song that introduced me to this amazing
talent. “The man who thinks he’s larger than life,
doesn’t even know how he came in existence, he doesn’t
even know how his soul is surviving. He doesn’t know
from where he came or where he’ll go. But, when the
lightning strike, every body run. You better remember to
take time out to give iziz”. These are just some of
the lyrics to this powerful song. Every song I’ve heard
so far by this young Rasta is heavy with meaning. Tarrus
Riley didn’t hesitate to treat us early on in his show
to a couple of his many new singles, ‘Back Bitter’, and,
‘Far Away’. He took a moment out to speak to the crowd
and told us it is his first time in California. He did
a tune for who he called the God Father, that being
Beres Hammond, on the same riddim as, ‘Something
Strong’, that being Beres Hammonds, “Groovy Little
Thing”. Another song Tarrus Riley sings that brings
tears of joy to my eyes, just about every time I hear it
is, ‘Lion Paw’. The songs lyrics are super charged with
quality and so supremely put together, they coil around
the rhythm. Tarrus Riley is sharp and witty. It shows
through the melodies he writes and delivers to us.
During his set he called his back-up singers forward to
sing solo. Two of the females are from the Singing
Daffodils that backed Luciano for years,
Sherida Sharp and Althea Hamilton. The other
fabulous singer he called, ‘Sweet Nikki’, I recognize
from backing Bushman and other prominent artist.
Collectively they create a beautiful, harmonious sound.
Tarrus couldn’t leave us with out doing his big tune,
‘She’s Royal’, and of course he didn’t disappoint the
crowd His CD, Parables (VP Records) is an
excellent collection of songs you will listen to over
and over again. I put him right up there with Beres
Hammond, and say he is our next Beres. All of his music
is of the highest quality. He is the son of vocalist
Jimmy Riley so we can expect Rasta teachings, songs
with roots and quality every time. I have placed Tarrus
Riley at the top of my music list. Tarrus Riley has won
four awards this year at the Inaugural Reggae Academy
Awards, held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in
Jamaica on Sunday Feb. 24, 2008. The whole world is
discovering this dynamic singer and loving him as much
as I am. |
Blessings to all of the singers and players of instruments that
traveled and gave of yourself to make the 27th Ragga Muffins
Festival a wonderful weekend of excellent music. Thanks goes out to
Barbara Barbino and Ragga Muffins Production and
Moss Jacobs Presents.
“The
Closer We Are To Zion, The Happier We Shall Be” - Queen Ifrica |
