Contact
me:
Microphone Bill
For booking info
call:
773-580-6137
"First and foremost, give thanks and praise to the most high, cuz without him me don't have nothing". |
| The following wrirings are from mags and newspapers.
THEY CANT STOP US NOW Rastafari Speaks
This year, for the first time, on approaching the park there was no loud music and no Caribbean savor in the air. Someone even said it was cancelled. Sellassie Day? Cancelled? Impossible! Instead of heading back to my car I hurried to the spot where the stage is normally placed. Coming up to the seven hills area, I could see no Guinness or Red Stripe banners. No stage was visible on the peak of the main hill, as it had been in past years. The park was empty… Noticing some tents of Rastas in a camp about 100 yards away, I strolled over to the area of the hill that was usually packed for this event. This is the area where Rastas camp out to bonfire, Nyabinghi, meditate, and give all-night praises to H.I.M. Quite a few Rastas had arrived. They had been informed that the annual event would not be happening, but instead of leaving they continued to tent-up and prepare for a Sellassie weekend. Now, instead of a couple thousand people early on the first day of the Fest, you had a few dozen. The Sellassie celebration - from being a well-marketed event - had become a small Rasta camp-out on the hills. Rumors flew around as to why it was cancelled. In the meantime some tried to figure out ways to entertain those who had come from far and wide for this special occasion. Benja - from WHPK radio in Chicago - had already planned to bring a sound to the park and lick some truly righteous tunes. In years past the main sound was always more 'lovers' than conscious - which always disappointed ones who saw this as a time of praise to His Imperial Majesty, and remembrance of the struggles of His people. Benja and another local club deejay, Pappa G, brought out the 'ones' and 'twos' and some large-sized speakers - just right for this crowd. While setting up the equipment a van pulls up just behind the deejay setup point. A pale red-headed hippy jumps out of the driver's side. He explains that his van is all sound-system. It was run by solar power. This was great - because this was the hottest weekend in Chi. The sun was blazing. It took a while to string up the sounds, but about 2:30 in the afternoon we had lift off. Incredible sound. We feared the law would try and shut us down, but when they did come, it was to advise us to tell the massive to keep their cars off the grass. Thereafter, the event kicked in. Benja, Pappa G, the redhead hippy and I-man played. The crowd touched hundreds at one point. Rastas provided food and drink for the massive. Ones addressed the gathering on the day's celebration. Poets read poems and singers sang. This impromptu Sellassie event was different. For real. Many ones enjoyed a truly heartical vibe - rather than the mass-market aspects of the annual event. Rastas maintained the camp. Spectators who came had a clearer overstanding of how His Majesty is to be worshiped and praised. They enjoyed the culture tunes. A few made calls to tell friends that it was still happening. The sounds played until about 11 pm. The law officers never came back to the camp. We just knew - to get you have to give. Then the Rastas shut down the sound to beat a more righteous drum. Throughout the night there was Nyabinghi drum-sound and chanting. Again, this experience was deeper than in the past. The next day was even hotter than before. Humidity reached its high point. No bands had been booked, no speakers, no-one had any idea of how this new day would unfold. The radio deejay crew had disappeared. So had the hippy with the solar sound-system. With the heat and humidity rising, and no planned events for this day, a couple of campers downed their tents. It seemed that would start a flurry of abandoning tents, but again Rasta stood firm. Little did anyone realize that news of Saturday's event had spread all over Chicago. By noon Sunday, there was a constant flow of people coming to the camp, looking for that experience that the visitors the day before had told them about. The only problem was - there was no poet, no speaker, no singer or sound-system to hold their attention in the blazing heat. The Rastas, seeing that people were still coming out, put out a call for a sound. Chicago's famous reggae artist, Carl Brown, saved the day when he pulled up to our hill with a van-full of sound. It wasn't solar. And it took even longer for him to string up. By 5:00 pm Sunday we had sound - but it was too late. Too many people had come and gone for this to be the spectacle it had been the day before. The heat added to the impatience of visitors. As the sounds played, small groups trickled from over the hills. The crowd peaked to about seventy people. But no-one cared about the numbers. It was all an experience to be remembered. As the warm sun set on a humid evening the tents came down as well. Carl Brown packed up his kit. Rastas gathered their possessions, switched telephone numbers, and loaded up vehicles. By nine o'clock that night the area was empty. The only sign of the Fest was a pile of refuse neatly stacked around a full garbage barrel. You can’t stop The following writings are articles that have been posted in The following article was printed in Rastafari Speak 02//02 edition RASTA INNA DE DANCEHALL
Jr. Kelly, Jah Mason, Sizzla, and Capleton are the deejays
who are keeping this bashment moving in the righteous direction. Every
king needs a queen is the message that rasta and the rude boys both
can understand, and as long as the riddim is hitting the crowd will
move and sway in a frenetic wave that yells a good time. Even
while the party goes Some sing and chant along with the songs, and I wonder if they
really overstand the lyrics they recite. Do they know that
they are rejoicing in the Name of the ¡§Most High¡¨.
Normally when the lights come on, rasta has long gone, but with
the In today¡¦s society the role of rasta is becoming much more important. The history of the black man is important, and so much of what the black man has done has been stolen or overlooked. Now, in the information age, many are starting to find out that Rasta is on the right path. Along with so many other black organizations and black leaders, RASTA HAS HELPED SET A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THE YOUTH OF TODAY- TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR OWN GREAT PLACE IN HISTORY. Setting the record straight, rage and hatred is not the teachings of rasta. Rasta would never refuse to share the knowledge with a lost blackman. So as a rasta, one must feel compelled to assist on the mission of self-consciousness for all blacks. Inna de dancehall rasta artists have emerged relentlessly and now have a strong hold on the ¡§bash without slack.¡¨ How is anyone gonna know how powerful the lyrics are if rasta isn¡¦t inna de dancehall manifesting those words with livity? „h The Rebel Salute was a wonderful conscious experience for all who went. Almost every performer you could think of was there. There was no violence and Tony Rebel himself set the stage a blaze. „h Junior Kelly is recovering from an auto accident that he was very seriously injured in. We hope you have the quickest recovery. „h So, I¡¦ll be hear to bring you up to date on all the conscious vibes that come out in between issues. Hear are some good traditional roots cds with some heavy vibes. Universal Message with hits from Capleton, Sizzla, Jr. Kelly and many more- is a must have.
African Brothers Alpha Rowen Rob Symeonn Various Sizzla |