So it’s a Pepsi Rebel Salute. Take a bow, Tony Rebel and Pepsi. In a time when title sponsors are few and far between, it’s heart warming to see Pepsi take up the mantle.

Rebel Salute, staged by the Tony Rebel-led Flame Productions, is one of those annual events which showcase reggae/dancehall music at its best and has been a standard-bearer for all things cultural. Everybody, including legions of Rastas, descend on Port Kaiser for this annual pilgrimage. It is as much a feast of music as it is a feast of food and there is usually a wide variety, including cakes made with the holy herb allegedly found on King Solomon’s grave.

Anyway back to the Pepsi issue, and some persons are going to make it an issue. Already there have been comments like, “Rasta recession.” (Newell Morgan); “Pepsi and Rebel Salute somehow doesn’t quite have that right ring.” (Richard Johnson); “But don’t Rebel Salute preach certain things.” “Will it be a CB Chicken Rebel Salute next year?”

Actually, Rebel Salute — and real Rasta livity — “preaches” against the use of alcoholic beverages. Pepsi is not an alcoholic beverage, it contains caffeine, which Seventh Day Adventists, not Rastas, have a problem with.

(And, this whole alcoholic thing with Rastas gets a bit fuzzy at times, because although (some?) Rastas don’t drink alcohol, that doesn’t mean that they won’t perform on Hennessey Artistry, like Flames artiste Queen Ifrica did recently.)

However, as one source pointed out, Pepsi has a wide range of products, including water and Tropicana, which will quite likely be among the drinks on offer at the event.

The fact is that shows of this magnitude need sponsorship and every promoter yearns to partner with a company that will bring solid finances and a good reputation to the table. And, equally, corporate companies want to partner with wholesome, incident-free events which will add value to their products.

Tru Juice, the company which promotes healthy, natural juices, and which everyone saw as a “right fit” for Rebel Salute stepped on board about three years ago, but that partnership didn’t last for long, and last year the event was held without a title sponsor.

Clearly Rebel Salute and Pepsi are confident that they fit like horse and carriage, so let’s hope that this will be a long and lasting partnership.

Pepsi Rebel Salute will be held on January 16 at Port Kaiser in St Elizabeth.

Whither the reggae awards?

All over the world the

creative community is preparing for the upcoming awards season. Grammy

and Golden Globe nominations are already out and artistes wait to see

who will take home the prized trophies. What is the situation here on

Jamrock?

In 2008, the local awards scene was upped with the introduction of

the Reggae Academy Awards. This award seemed to be here to stay, but

alas, despite the introduction of February as Reggae Month, it never

moved past its initial staging. What’s in the pipeline for this year?

Over the years Jamaican music has seen its fair share of music

awards. Many will readily remember the JAMI Awards and Rockers Awards.

Despite all that is said about awards, and artistes working for reward

rather than awards, they do serve to encourage artistes and therefore

have a deeper meaning that just a night of playing dress up.

At the last staging of the Reggae Academy Awards Tarrus Riley took

Song of the Year for She’s Royal. What tracks released this year will

be in contention for this honour. G-Whizz’s Life, Chino’s Never Change

(From Mawnin), or newcomer, Khago with Caan Cool. The jury is still out

and hopefully, there are a number of awards shows to come — Richie B’s

EME Awards, Hype TV’s Awards and IRIE FM’s salute to Reggae music.