Sizzla warns youths against gun culture

(Trinidad Express) Reject the illusion of gangsterism.

That was the impassioned plea from Jamaican reggae icon Sizzla Kalonji (Miguel Collins) to the youth of Trinidad and Tobago during his One Love concert on Saturday night at SoundForge, Mucurapo.

“So mi ah warn unno again, the violence ting nah work and mi serious about it. Mi no want no artiste true him sing gun song, and form gang all over the country and the world and ah feel ah so it go,” he said.

 

 

 

“In Jamaica wi only sing de gun ting inna lyrics for a sound clash,” he explained. “The youths to react by taking a gun, killing each other, forming gangs, and firing guns upon each other. It no work so in Jamaica, no make nobody fool you. When we do gun song or gangster song, whatsoever you want to call it, it is only for the music and the culture and the sound clash. Sound clash. System. All right?

 

“So nobody no form no gang around here again. No listen no more gun song. Bout you inna gang here and ah gang here. Cut it out. Alright!”

The warning came after a tumultuous week for local reggae fans. The “Holding Firm” singer was originally scheduled to perform at the One Caribbean Music Festival at the Queen’s Park Savannah on May 31, but abruptly pulled out due to what his camp described as the promoter’s failure to meet financial obligations.

Festival headliner Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel (Adidja Palmer) and Ghanaian-American singer MOLIY (Molly Montgomery) also withdrew from the line-up.

In response, Sizzla staged his own concert, aptly titled One Love, with the support of local soca and reggae acts.

No promoter here

SoundForge was transformed into a reggae sanctuary on Saturday night. The scent of jerk chicken drifted through the cool night air, ital rice and peas on sale, and a sold-out crowd spilled onto the freshly paved paths around the venue. It was clear: the people came “to reason” with the prophet.

Sharing the stage were local reggae acts Jahllano, Rheon Elbourne, Revelation and Marlon Asher, each offering entertaining opening sets. From Jamaica, a handful of Sizzla’s own team also took the stage before the man himself appeared shortly after 10 p.m.

Clad in a khaki suit with a matching turban, Sizzla declared, “No promoter here. Tonight, me ah de promoter and you are the promoter. Mi have to big up Bunji and Fay Ann for helping me put on this movie, they say they want ah movie.”

The soca power couple first waved from VIP. Later, Bunji Garlin (Ian Alvarez) joined Sizzla in an impromptu freestyle session that sent the crowd into the biggest uproar of the night.

 

 

 

Earlier, T&T-born Florida-based singer Tennille Amor joined Sizzla on stage for a stirring performance of “One Family”.

Perhaps the most moving moment came when Sizzla welcomed steel pannist Opal Murrell to join him on stage for a percussive performance of his 2003 hit, “Give Me A Try”, with the reggae artiste’s falsetto atop shrilling steel pore-raising.

A visibly grateful Sizzla took several moments throughout his set to thank the T&T crowd.