He was sent as a ‘Messenjah’ and send a message he did. Reggae artiste Luciano proved his class yet again with a scintillating performance at the Florida Jerk Festival held at the John Prince Park in Lake Worth, Florida on Monday, which was the Memorial Day holiday in the United States.
Even though he was constrained by time limitations, Luciano did not disappoint. He taught the youths about roots and culture and soothed the woes of the disappointed Africans living in the west with his message of upliftment, righteous living and unadulterated love.
Luciano’s performance was a redemption of sorts, given the mire and muck that now surrounds some sections of modern Jamaican music and the social media shenanigans that accompany it. He reminded the world that Jamaica is still a beacon of light and the country’s culture is not without hope. His exploits are well known but the tenor flavoured voiced singer performed as if it was his first rodeo and appeared hungry to keep his eager fans engaged.
Minister Marion Hall directly preceded Luciano and lifted herself out of the valley of sin. Make no mistake about it, the woman formerly known as Lady Saw is one of the most gifted female performers to have emerged out of Jamaica whichever genre she chooses to present herself. Hall thumped the bible, praised Jesus and displayed an authority that has been her trademark.
But then she could not resist the temptation of speaking about her God gifted titties.
Yes, she said it on stage.
“Ah my tittie dem,” Lady saw blurted out as her audience and admirers blushed. And she did enter the stage with her heels on even though she shed them after the first few lines. She was however very curt when questioned backstage about her utterance.
“Go to hell,” she shouted to an OBSERVER ONLINE reporter when asked about her reference to her anatomy.
Minister Hall has been embroiled in a social media controversy with another female artiste and social activist, Queen Ifrica, who publicly upbraided her for making the utterance via social media recently. The two have since locked horns via social media and accusations have been flying back and forth.
That apart, Minister Marion Hall’s performance was worth the price of admission.
And then there was Ding Dong.
Tasked to don the mantle of closing act, Ding Dong did not miss a beat and keep the positive vibe that pervaded throughout the venue flowing. All credit must be given to this entertainer, who has managed to stay focused on entertaining. Ding Dong is certainly a rare talent worthy of bringing the curtains down on the event. He is an excellent entertainer and so far, none of his musical doings can be deemed negative.
Ghost also turned up at the party. His crotch grabbing moves coupled with his juvenile sounding falsetto was a hit with the females who kept drooling as he sauntered effortlessly through his set. Upcoming entertainers could take a leaf out of his book. Ghost is an artiste who knows what it takes to rock the house.
Despite an early shower the opening acts also proved themselves worthy of mention.
Chief among them was Jada KW. The 23-year-old Jamaican born artiste who resides in Florida set the stage for her more experienced counterparts. The singer has a unique vocal range and had the audience engaged as she delivered her No Drama and Your Love singles.
“I am self-produced. I have been doing it all by myself. This is my first time on a big stage and I hope to take it many steps further. I will be releasing an EP in the near future,” she told OBSERVER ONLINE after her performance.
Other creditable performances came from Kavinci and a suave and versatile Yanique Sashay.
The 20th hosting of the Florida Jerk Festival was indeed a memorable event as patrons could be heard expressing their satisfaction with the security and ease of parking as they exited the park.
HOUSE RULES
- We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
- Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
- We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
- Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
- Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
- If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
- Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy