Kenyatta Hill, son of the the late Joseph Hill, is a picture of intensity during his performance at Tru-Juice Rebel Salute 2007, Port Kaiser, St. Elizabeth. - Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

The late Joseph 'Culture' Hill was the first person to be booked for Western Consciousness 2007. But when the show gets underway at the Llandilo Cultural Centre, Westmoreland, on Saturday, April 28, it is his son, Kenyatta Hill, who will be singing I'm Not Ashame and a slew of legendary Culture songs.

He will be performing with the band of musicians which toured with his father for many years, with Ijahman Levi, Freddie McGregor, John Holt, Luciano, Chuck Fender, Anthony B, Etana, Tarrus Riley, Little Hero, Tessanne Chin, Louie Culture, Frankie Wilmot, the Pocket Band, Easy Wayne, Rated R, and others.

Elated

Worrell King. of King of Kings Promotions, organisers of the annual concert, which is now in its 19th year, said that when he contacted Pauline 'Sister P' Hill about her husband doing Western Consciousness "she was elated". The commitment was given, the details to be worked out after Culture returned from a European tour.

"All of you know what happened next," King said. Hill died in Germany on Saturday, August 19.

"So it is quite fitting that for us to present Western Consciousness 2007 in honour of Joseph 'Culture' Hill. We will be honouring Culture through music," King said. "As we speak, we are doing everything to fly home that band that played with Culture for several years. That band will be led by Kenyatta Hill," he said. "It would be disrespect if I see Kenyatta Hill run on-stage and sing two song. We are going to present a real tribute to Joseph Hill, because that is what we want."

And Kenyatta Hill spoke of his father's death while on tour, saying "up to this moment I still can't tell what happened, even though I was there. Everything was so surreal. It happened in a flash".

Studio

On the way between Belgium and Germany, he said to his father why not retire now, pointing out that "we have a studio".

"Yu mad! A kill yu waan kill me!" his father replied. They continued speaking and his father said to him "Son, you know that your father was not a lazy man." Kenyatta remarked to himself that his father was speaking in the past tense and his father insisted "Answer me". Kenyatta replied that everyone knew that, notingthat sometimes on tour it is he would be asking his father for a break to rest.

And he cannot forget those last words from his father: "You know I was not a lazy man."

"Him work too hard to reach where he is right now, for me to sit here as his only son, to have his work, his life, stop. So I decide I must carry on," Kenyatta Hill said, pausing at a few points to watch a recording of his father performing at a previous Western Consciousness concert.

Worrell King presented a plaque for Joseph's Hill wife, Pauline, to Kenyatta.

Joseph 'Culture' Hill