Staff writer - Ghanaian Sticky Dread
Though, there are many musical genres across the globe, the conscious vibration of reggae music cannot be challenged.
The genre of reggae can be played in many places and enjoyed same way by most religious denominations, politicians, rich and the poor, most at time because of its content of positive lyrics that promotes unity, peace, oneness, militancy, upliftment, empowerment, emancipation, and many more adjectives to describe it.
Since child hood, I had followed reggae music from the ghettos and still continue to adore that genre thanks to pioneers like Tot Hilbert, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Bunny Wailer, and Dennis Emmanuel Brown. Also, Joseph Hill of Culture Fame, Lucky Dube, Burning Spear, the list is endless.
With my publicity background I have come across a lot of reggae artistes, promoters and the like. Most of them have the notion and are yearning of coming to Ghana or Africa at large.
Legendary Jimmy Cliff
Evidently, most of the reggae artistes are always singing about Africa either One love Africa, Want to go home to Africa, Liberate Africa, One way ticket to Africa, African Pride, proud to be African ,etc. Unfortunately the majority of these artistes prefer to charge exorbitant fees that scare African promoters.
Even when these reggae artistes are given the opportunity to come to any African country to perform, they arrive with a huge entourage in which their costs are also paid by the promoters.
A number of promoters I have come across in Ghana have complained about this phenomenon which makes it very difficult for them to host reggae concerts or shows in Africa. One promoter confided in me when after inviting an artiste from Jamaica to Ghana for a concert was later chased by a bank since he could not pay for the loan he received.
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The invincible Burning Spear
Obviously, it is only in Africa that invited reggae artistes are treated as “Kings” and “Queens” and some are even granted special treatment, even opportunities to ride in motorcades or at times meet the Head of State before or after their performance.
The question most people in Africa are asking and worried about is, ‘Are these reggae artistes real with their promotional lyrics on Africa as they continue to charge killer performance fees when invited to Africa?’ And should Africans take some of these artistes seriously in Africa? What do you think…?
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