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What Time It Is? Rapso Time!
MC, Immortal, invited Brian Lara to address the crowd
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: February 13, 2007
Posted: February 23, 2007
The concert, Rapso Explosion held on Tuesday 13th February, 2007, at the National Library Amphitheatre, aimed, according to Brother Resistance, one of the pioneers of the movement, to give Rapso the space it rightly deserves in the Carnival it helped to build. Rapso, called 'The power of the word in the rhythm of the word' is as integral a part of Carnival culture as the mas, steel band and Calypso. Holding high the drum and the voice as the first instruments of our African ancestors, Rapso has often provided a forum for African musical expression that has been absent from the mainstream.
The sizeable, warm and appreciative crowd comprised stalwarts of the Rapso community, fans, performers and organizers. In attendance were also a representative from the Ministry of Culture, Community Development and Gender Affairs, Junior Minister, Eddie Hart and new patron of the Rapso Movement, West Indies cricket captain, Dr. Brian Charles Lara.
The show opened with the National Anthem sung by Rapso artistes Sister Ava and an invocation by drummer and cultural activist, Peter Telfer, accompanied by the rhythm of drums led by Brother Lion. Rapso artiste of the group, Kindred, and a producer in his own right, Omari, was the MC for the first half of the evening. He hailed the production as an important element of the Carnival that showed the side often ignored in favour of the 'bikini mas' and fetes.
In a fitting start to a show that hailed the oral tradition, Felix Edinborough, renowned Pierrot Grenade performed first, commenting in true Pierrot style with lyrical dexterity and the manipulation of rhyme on various social ills such as kidnapping and negligent politicians. Performers Rizon whose inspirational "Reach" has been getting tremendous radio airplay, Mini Genie and Too Fabulous One entertained the crowd and gave commendable performances.
Performances by 3 Canal with "Good Morning", Black Lyrics with "Words are words" and Sister Ava with "Ah See Ah Nation Coming" thrilled the crowd and saw some patrons getting to their feet and singing along with familiar tunes. Performers in true Rapso style used call and response to get audience involved with Sister Ava encouraging young ones in the audience to stand in recognition of positive youth in the country contrary to negativity highlighted by the mass media. The show continued with 'Immortal', Omari of Kindred, Marvin Lewis and Oba of the Network Rapso Riddum Band. 'Immortal' took over the reigns of MC from Omari and thoroughly entertained the crowd for the rest of evening with his witty comments and freestyle style as fillers in between performances.
Brian Lara addressed the crowd hailing the positivity of Rapso music and the Rastafari Movement and gave thanks to Brother Resistance and Karega Mandela for the evening. At the urging of 'Immortal', Brian Lara performed a Rapso-styled song from his school days about discrimination against Rasta to the great delight of the crowd. Junior Minister, Eddie Hart expressed similar sentiments in his address.
The entrance of the Network Rapso Riddum Band fronted by Karega Mandela then Brother Resistance was one of the high points of the evening with performances of classics like "Never Surrender", "Make the Right Move" and "Below the Poverty Line". Both artists paid tribute to Brian Lara for his support of the movement, as well as elders Lancelot 'Kebu' Layne and Cheryl Byron, Father and Mother of the Movement to whom the evening was dedicated.
The evening continued with performances by Princess Jenika, Word Sound and Power, Mighty Shadow, Rasta Mack, Culture and Sharlon Bailey, the son of the Mighty Shadow. These performances ran the gamut of different styles from hard-hitting rap style lyrics by Word Sound and Power, traditional Calypso of Mighty Shadow and the smooth acoustic guitar style of Sharlon Bailey.
Other performers included Bamboo; Mc Mayo; Massacre; elder Brother Book; Calypsonians young Jelani and Rootsman; Groovy Soca singer Sky; Chocolate and Andy Venture. Ozy Magic's "Wha We Go Do" set the crowd on fire and a surprise performance by the incomparable Maximus Dan electrified the audience and was another key highlight of the evening.
Rapso Explosion ended as it began, with drums, praises and homage to the ancestors. The audience received a rare gift this Carnival season - a glimpse at one of the pillars of Carnival culture. People can certainly look forward to the fulfillment of Brother Resistance's desire to take Rapso on the road for Carnival and to make Rapso Explosion a must see for the season.
Rapso Explosion 10 in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=59259
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