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SIZZLA
April 26, 2001
The Roxy
New York City
Well,
Massive, greetings on this bright and sunny morning from high above the
streets of NYC. As I peer out uptown to the Empire State building and contemplate
my work, I want to debrief all of you on the goings on at the spectacular
stage show that took place on Thursday, the 26th of April. I know many of
you hoped to be in attendance, especially the one they call the Snake, a.k.a.
White Duppy, Danny Chalice, and Fuss Tafari. So, a full report is in order,
delivered live and direct from I and I. Ichael, the self nominated griot
of the Sizzla e-fanzine, Takin’ Over and Yetunde, the ever faithful
spiritual and logistical Empress on these sojourns into the depths of Zion...and
my consumate tiny wine partner and crowd regulator! It guh so. After a long time on line outside and in amongst bredren and sistren, waiting to get up to the tight security checkpoint, I reach up, empty my pockets and begin the interrogation with hands behind my head. Babylon try and confiscate I sacrament to no avail. About 11:30, the mixed and diverse crowd rushes the stage as Empress Kufunya of SOB’s promotion fame announces that the show is to start. I man have to Big Up Kufunya and the SOB’s massive for bringing Sizzla and nuff reggae artists to the stage in New York, keepin’ the vibe alive, positive, itinually. Keep up Jah work!
After plenty of hustling and jockeying for position amongst wolves and sheep we ended up front and center. Yes, that obviously made for a truly wild and outrageous experience. First Turbulence, a Sizzla protege, came out and warmed up; then he tore up the crowd something fierce. He could be the next great Culture DJ pon de scene with nuff wicked tune and energy to lift his conscious lyrics high. That was followed by Prince Malachi, reminiscent of Jacob “The Killer” Miller, in appearance and sound, although he also resembles Luciano in that Ras with plenty yood kinda way! Positive, no doubt. About 12:30, the lights cut out, the Judgement Band kicked it into high gear and Mr. Kalonji made his entrance to a literal eruption of the euphoric crowd. It was more like a roaring mass of humanity with the ground shaking, arms lickin’ off shots, 'bows flyin’, pure hysterics fi true, I can’t even describe the madness, except for the fact that it is an out of body experience to get swept up in it, unparalleled. JAH RASTAFARI... Sizzla dove head first into an hour and a half set, non stop, from top to bottom, knees flying, fists pumping with love and fire, slow tune, and marching chants Anyah, home to Zion. His performances are unusual in the response he gets from the crowd. To look around and see the people beside you from all nations vibing something fierce is inspirational in itself. Smiles from ear to ear, tears of joy, rage, and devotion, under the trance of the driving bass and wailing ancestors urging the children onward, forward ever in a positive stance, walking good with love.
From “Get To De Point” to “Black Woman and Child,” Sizzla delivered the biting lyrical commentary and inspiration from Mt. Zion that have attracted listeners from creation. His vision through the eyes of JAH can’t help but be absorbed by anyone who chooses to truly listen. So he went through his whole repertoire, including his beautiful guitar piece, "There's No Pain In Jah love." One of Sizzla’s newest tunes, on a slow and steady thundering bass warrior riddim, is “Takin’ Over,” which he pulled up a few times due to the frenzied crowd. On the same riddim, he launched into "Smoke The Herb And Get A Humble Thought," riding it back into “Takin’ Over”...Boom Tune fi True! Of course, the show was interspersed with his insightful commentary on the world today, urging everyone: not to burn up everything or we will be left with nothing; not to accept the Babylon vision of self, health, happiness and prosperity.
In essence, do not fall victim to the commercialization of life in the western world, don’t aspirin yourself up for every ache and pain, don’t believe that your body was meant to consume processed, engineered fast food, come back to the roots and you can live clean. It’s not all for everyone, but all must respect it, for it is from whence every last one of us has come. Like so many branches from the roots of a single tree today, we oft forget our common seeds. As Sizzla urged from atop the stage, "All Rastaman in the house, say JAH...RASTAFARI, all baldhead inna the house say JAH...all whiteman inna the house say JAH..Rastafari." A global vision of righteous, peaceful and prosperous living among friends and family, an environment in which the individual and collective group can prosper in any way they are inspired. A call to arms, a call to psalms, lyrical warfare on the mental captivity of the world today. We are in need of a new prospective, peace and love can come, not merely a pipe dream but a steady stream flowing forth, so why the bumba…claat are we swimming upstream against the natural current? Sizzla delivers a performance worthy of praise, as he hails up the most High H.I.M. Sizzla shows are such a mix of emotions, an intake and a release. A true release. So, naturally, I released...until 2 AM when he left the stage. Of course, the recharging effects from these experiences last long after the last bass line drops. As we left to thundering licks from the sound system, they wished us all blessings and had to big up Anthony B, who was originally supposed to share the stage.
Each time I get to experience a live Sizzla show, the Ites & Ises get stronger from Hoopland in Brooklyn to the palladium in New Rochelle, to this Manhattan debut. The energy and electricity in the air was tangible as the massive made their way to the exit. People continued to sing Sizzla tunes and dance for the door, alive with a renewed sense of livity. Outside was the usual but fantastic scene of massive crowded around tables of ital food, rice and peas, curries, and the like, filling up after the flames to quench their thirst for the next bout with Babylon! ITES
Iternally, RAS RUBES
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::
Sanchez :: Sugar Minott Dec 3, 2002 New York City ::
Jr Kelly ::
Frankie Paul ::
Sugar
Minott ::
The Meditations
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