Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
Sean Kingston
WESTERN BUREAU: St. Ann's 'beautiful girls' are on alert to receive a 'male' order, gift-wrapped Christmas Day souvenir in the form of four-time Grammy Award nominated artiste Sean Kingston.
Kingston will make his maiden call on the cruise ship capital, Ocho Rios, at the Turtle River Park under the umbrella of Tropical Vibes Promotions and Hard Rock Cafe. His supporting cast includes Fantan Mojah, D'Angel and 'Busy Signal'.
It will be the 17-year-old Miami-born but Jamaican-rooted artiste's debut performance in Jamaica, and he promises to take centre stage with "a unique sound and lots of energy".
Although he has never performed in Jamaica, technology has made it possible for Sean Kingston to be seen nationwide.
His crossover appeal sounds nothing like hard-core reggae, but there is no cause for concern as he says he writes "feel good music, this type of music appeals to everyone".
Of note is the fact that he has accomplished the rare task of creating a new genre where rap, reggae, pop, doo-wop and remarkable songwriting all combine into something totally refreshing.
inner feelings
Already cognisant that the Jamaican audience is one of the hardest to impress, Kingston says he has no intention of giving way to any inner feelings of trepidation. He confidently told The Sunday Gleaner "I give 110 per cent every time I perform, so I am positive the people will enjoy the show."
This attitude comes as no surprise, as from Kingston's perspiration spews a rich musical heritage that he inherited from his grandfather, the legendary producer Jack Ruby. "He introduced me to music," Kingston states with pride.
But the maestro was not his only influence. Jamaica's King of Reggae, Bob Marley, Buju 'Driver' Banton, the 'miseducated' Lauren Hill and even Phil Collins, appealed to his inner being "because of their ability to tell stories through music and ultimately the rhythm, always the rhythm," he stressed.
As for the interpretation of his name, Kingston said he took it because it denotes the capital city of Jamaica and he wanted to represent his Jamaican heritage overseas.
There is no mistake that he has done that and much more, having claimed the Teen Choice Award for Best New Artiste and also for his chart-topping smash hit Beautiful Girl. He appears regularly on BET and MTV, was guest on ABC's Today Show with Matt Lauer twice, and a presenter last week at the American Music Awards.
"What better Christmas gift could anyone ask for?" asked Serena Wehbe, chief executive officer of Hard Rock Cafe, Ocho Rios.
"To top it off we are bringing Sean home to perform at an incredible state-of-the-art venue that offers the standards of a First World concert," she responded.
The venue accommodates up to 15,000 persons and Wehbe plans to test that capacity.
According to the ecstatic CEO, the added incentive for the artiste comes from the fact that Hard Rock will have exclusive rights to videotape the event, which will in turn give him the opportunity to have his performance play in 152 signature cafés worldwide.
"The exposure is phenomenal," she remarked.
In the meantime Kingston. who has been touring extensively with Chris Brown and Bow Wow, is billed to leave Jamaica on Boxing Day to perform in Miami with the likes of 50 Cent, Beyoncé, Akon and Kanye West.
Admittedly a freshman on the scene, Sean told The Sunday Gleaner that the sky is the limit for him.
feelings
Having made leaps on the charts in the United States and Europe, two of the biggest reggae markets, he summed up his feelings in one word - "ecstatic".
Kingston wants to make it clear that he is no cookie cutter artiste who has the songs mapped out for him, as he comes up with 100 per cent of his lyrics. He also understands that as a 17-year-old making urban music he has a responsibility to fans.
"As an artiste my whole goal is to make powerful and classic album. I want everyone to feel my music and understand my heritage," he said.
Now Kingston says he's looking forward to making timeless music and living out his dream. In a short time he has already done what few in his age bracket can accomplish - get people excited about music again. His album is shaping up to be filled with a string of hits, including the second single Me Love, Got No Shorty, There's Nothin, I Can Feel It and Take You There.
Perhaps one of the most eye-opening tracks is Dry Your Eyes, where Sean revisits the hardship of watching his mother and sister being sent to prison when he was just 15 years old. He sings to his mother and tells her not to be saddened that she's away from the family, and to know that they are always there for her.
