Morgan HeritageElena Oumano, contributor
Government authorities are inflicting the Town and Country Act on Jamaica's music community in a band-aid attempt to staunch the flow of blood from society's wounds. Yet this superficial approach merely widens the gap between a mask of manners and the reality behind it. And what's the point of hauling artistes into court when the music itself offers solutions to society's issues?
Traditionally, reggae is about organic ways to move minds and, therefore, change behaviours. Even the artistes who've been charged speak for, and therefore empower, a large segment of Jamaicans. At the same time, Rebel Salute and East Fest, specifically, stand on higher ground by illustrating the healing powers of conscious music.
"Because of the type of lyrics I perform and the food and drink I take, I prohibit meat, alcohol and profanity at the show," says deejay/singer/producer Tony Rebel. His ninth annual Rebel Salute took place at Port Kaiser Sports Club in St. Elizabeth, on January 12. "We warn artistes and if they get up there and do whatever they want, they don't come back."
Rebel Salute is not about prohibition and punishment, but the formidable force of good vibes and a line-up of veterans, hot shots, newcomers and 'foreign-based' artistes that create a theme of reggae's far-reaching and positive impact.
"Show business is not easy," says Rebel. "There are always challenges challenges to help you work harder. But knowing that music can heal the nation, I'm extremely happy we can look forward to the 10th anniversary next year. I hope people can see that if you build on a little stone, it can become a mountain. I hope they can take initiative and be constructive in any field, regardless of the fight they get, so our country, culture, and music all benefit."
Like Rebel, Morgan Heritage has also taken the initiative of steering reggae's direction by taking on the job of promoter.
"It's not the artistes that cause the problem," says drummer 'Mr. Mojo' Morgan, whose family promoted the second East Fest at the Goodyear Oval in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, on December 30. "It's the promoters and the type of shows they put on. If promoters put their thing together so the artiste knows that he can't do no kind of foolishness, he won't. I had a great time at Sting, but the people came to see a clash between Bounty, Ninja and Merciless. That's all good and the artistes can't be blamed. They agreed, but they didn't set it up."
East Fest grew out of the large Morgan family's custom of celebrating all the 21st birthdays in the clan during any given year on a single day.
"We did it once a year because there were too many of us turning 21," says Mojo. "We did this twice in New York, and then twice here in Jamaica. We would bring in a sound system, eat food and give reverence for everyone reaching that time in our lives. The first year, we invited people who work with us on our farm. The second year, we invited the people of St. Thomas because of the love they've showed us and a couple of thousand people came to our farm. When we finally did it as a concert, we wanted it to be a family event. We're a family, so we wanted to see grandparents, parents, and children and we put together a selection of artistes that appeal to a family a Bounty for the teenagers, a Freddy for their parents, a little Toots for the grandparents."
If Rebel Salute and East Fest are about recovering the original 'One Love', Sunsplash vibe, Reggae Sumfest, Montego Bay's annual music event of several days, has built its success on a more literal Sunsplash format that parcels out each night's show to a different reggae branch.
It cannot be denied, though, that Rebel Salute, East Fest, Sumfest and other reggae shows face the challenge of an increasingly violent mindset in Jamaica and virtually everywhere else in the world. As Mojo notes, "during the days of Reggae Sunsplash, even when there was a clash, it didn't get as crazy as now".
Yet censorship won't bring back love. To paraphrase the poet Shelley 'Poets and musicians are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.
