Carib queens soar at Super Bowl
CARIBBEAN voices shone at Sunday’s NFL Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Viewed by more than 100 million people, it saw Barbadian pop star Rihanna rocking the half-time show, while ‘Jamerican’ Sheryl Lee Ralph performed Lift Every Voice and Sing, the African-American anthem.
Shaggy and Marcia Griffiths were also in on the act. The latter’s Electric Boogie got a makeover for Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s plug-in hybrid electric vehicle commerical aired during the break. In addition to Shaggy, emerging female acts Jamila Falak, Moyann, and Amber Lee are featured in the song.
Griffiths said she first saw the commerial while at an Island Music Conference after-party at Ribbiz in downtown Kingston on Sunday. She was still basking in the moment.
“I’ve been on several major events with the Electric Slide… MTV, CBS, you name them, Homecoming, but the Super Bowl supersedes everything. Super Bowl is the biggest,” she told the Jamaica Observer.
“I was sitting with Shaggy at Ribbiz. I was one of the panellists on Sunday and we were at the after-party. Queen Ifrica, Sharon Burke, Judith Bodley, the three girls and myself were there and when it came on, the place was on fire. It was pure noise and uproar. It was nice,” she continued.
According to Griffiths, Shaggy introduced her to the project. The video, shot over one day by Jason “Jay Will” Williams, was done at Tuff Gong Studio on Marcus Garvey Road in Kingston.
Electric Boogie, first recorded by Griffiths in 1983, featured a rap by Bunny Wailer who wrote the song and also did a version.
Griffiths’ cut of Electric Boogie, a remix with Miami Sound Machine, peaked at 51 on the Hot 100 Chart and number 78 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart in 1990.
The song is a staple at weddings and bar mitzvahs globally.
She had advice for up-and-coming acts.
“We have to make sure that the good messages are in the music and it will live forever. It’s only good stories and the good messages which are uplifting, teaching, and uniting. You nuh si Bob Marley still lives on the Billboard chart,” she said.
“I encourage every young artiste, whether male or female, to remember that we are important and the position we are in to communicate to the world through music. I wish they knew. You are in a position to communicate to the world through the medium of music. All you have to do is do it right and send the right message and you live forever,” Griffiths continued.
A member of Marley’s harmony trio, The I-Three with Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley, Griffiths’ other hit songs include Stepping Out of Babylon, Dreamland, and Young, Gifted And Black with Bob Andy.
