By Leighton Williams, Staff Reporter
IT IS NOT often that we hear tribute being paid to hardcore deejays when a roots reggae artiste's album is being launched. On Tuesday night, however, Dr. Carolyn Cooper did just that when she spoke as Warrior King's Virtuous Woman was being given an official send-off.
Dr. Cooper was the guest speaker at the launch event, held at Livity Restaurant on Old Hope Road in St. Andrew. In her short presentation, she pointed out that respect was not often paid to 'slackness' deejays such as Shabba Ranks. "Shabba has done important work and he is the first deejay to buss internationally," she opined. However, some members of the audience seemed not to agree with her.
That aside, she said the hardcore lyricists had a role to play, since they also highlighted a part of our musical culture. While underscoring the importance of hardcore deejays, though, she took the time out to 'big up' the efforts of Warrior King, who she described as 'little but tallawah'. She said the Virtuous Woman had the overriding theme of love and harmony throughout.
Warrior King, later justified Dr. Cooper's speech, as he shunned his usual modest persona for his 25 minutes on-stage. Midway in his performance the singer would woo his 'empress' Mekeda. She came at his beckon, smiling shyly. Empress So Divine and It's Been A While would cap of his role as suitor.
He also paid tribute to his mother, Doreen. "My mother and father separate from a tender age. Thanks to mama, because she grow three of us and sen' us to through high school," he commented, as he hugged his mother doing Mama Remix - another of the things which 'bus di place'.
Earlier in his performance, with harmony vocalist Sandy dressed in white and adding melody to the song and the Marshall Arts band striking the opening chords to Never Go Where Pagans Go, Warrior King entered the stage to good applause. He performed several other tracks, included his big hit single and album title track Virtuous Woman, before ending his set.
He returned a minute later with the vote of thanks and a rendition of Health and Strength in tandem with radio announcer Rodney Campbell to wrap up a good event.
