While performing at the Penthouse Family Fun Day in Portland in 1993, singer George Prophet got a compliment from that event’s headliner, which made his day.

“Beres Hammond come up to mi an’ sey, ‘youth, yuh can sing!’ It mean a lot to mi ’cause him was di first man who ever tell mi dat,” George Prophet recalled.

It would be another six years before George Prophet recorded his first song, Give I Faith, which he co-produced with Earl Jackson. Since then, he has recorded a number of singles as well as an EP and album.

The Portland-born artiste is one of seven finalists for the Jamaica International Independence Festival Song Competition (JIIFSC) which takes place Saturday, July 30 in Snellville, Georgia. His entry is Celebrate, which he produced.

“I’m a patriot, anything to do with my country me in it. Me’s a strong Jamaican no matter where mi is,” said George Prophet, who lives in New Jersey.

He took a crack at Jamaican ‘Festival’ in 2014. Though his entry Sweet Sweet Jamaica did not make the final cut, George Prophet released the song shortly after the competition on his label.

His favourite Festival song is the 1971 winner, Cherry Oh Baby, by Eric Donaldson.

“Dat song is different in dat it not saying anything about Jamaica. It’s jus’ a great song,” he said.

In 2019, George Prophet released Love Me Again, an EP. Two years later, came Perfect, his first album.

The finalists in the JIIFSC are Jamaicans representing Canada and the United States. Lavie Lujah, who won last year’s inaugural contest, is one of two acts representing Canada, with the song, Jamaica Rise N Shine.

Ms Tania Lou also represents Canada with Gi mi Black Green n Gold.

George Prophet, Singer Irie (Mamma Jamaica); Nikki Spice (I Miss You Jamaica); Goddy Son (Irie); and Bobby Dockery (Jamaica Holiday), compete for the United States.