Sister Carol

Carol Theresa East, known by her stage name of Sister Carol, is a Jamaican-born American reggae recording artist and actress. She has used several other stage names, including Black Cinderella and Mother Culture.

Sister Carol was born on the 15th of January 1959 in Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica. Her formative years were spent at St Anne’s Primary School and Mico-Practicing All-Age School.

It was Sister Carol’s father, Howard East, who introduced her to the Jamaican music scene. Howard East was a Senior Engineer at Radio Jamaica Rediffusion, the number one radio station during that time and he contributed to recording sessions at Studio One and Treasure Isle Sound. 

At the age of 14, Sister Carol and her family immigrated to Brooklyn, New York in the US. Here, she studied at the City College of New York, and in 1984 she obtained a B.Sc. degree in education. In the same year she gave birth to her first child. Around that time she met Brigadier Jerry, a Jamaican DJ, who encouraged her to try dancehall style, rather than singing.

After winning competitions in New York and Jamaica, she toured with The Meditations, a reggae vocal harmony group, which was once the backup vocals for Bob Marley. Her first album, Liberation for Africa, was released in 1983, and the Pan-Africanist themes of emancipation and decolonisation are evident in the songs ‘Liberation for Africans’ and ‘Shackles’. Also on the album is the song ‘Black Woman’, a song that simultaneously highlights the struggle and praises being both black.

However, it was Sister Carol’s second album, Black Cinderella, released in 1984 that catapulted her into stardom. Sister Carol had this to say about the song, ‘Black Cinderella’, titled after the album of the same name:

"Well, back in Jamaica growing up as a youth, whenever I recognised things that I'm against, like there's a lot of political crime in the area, sometimes shooting involved with politics, things like discrimination and racism, things that I identified in my youth that I didn't like. I immediately saw them as the stepsisters or my stepmother, relating back to the same story as the book. I always felt like Cinderella, not being able to have the chance to do or to have certain things I might have desired as a child. I was never really seeking a Prince Charming, per se, to redeem me; I was more looking for something to happen by the Creator. And I knew that it would always be music, because as a youth, that's what brought joy to me, the music, every time."

During this time she dominated the music scene winning the coveted “Best Female DJ” for five consecutive years from 1983 – 1987. With these accolades behind her she established her own “Black Cinderella Record Label” in 1989.

Sister Carol went on to release eleven more albums, and in each album conscious and feminist messages remained present. For example, the album ISIS, released in 1999, Sister Carol stresses the importance of supporting women, a group which is “endangered.”

Sister Carol has also starred in films; she appeared in the Jonathan Demme films; Something Wild (1986), Married to the Mob (1988), and Rachel Getting Married (2008, to name a few.

A true testament of her resilient spirit and energy spans over thirty-five years in a male dominated industry, Sister Carol is a trailblazer for women in reggae. Her music carries a social message for people all over the world. Her message is rich with cultural heritage and infused with a vital social consciousness that permeates every aspect of life in the new millennium, hence her title as “Mother Culture.” 

Her prolific music career includes over 12 albums, a Grammy nomination for “Best Reggae Album” in 1997, “Most Outstanding Reggae Artist” two consecutive years 1997 and 1998, and “Queen of Reggae” in 2000 in Detroit Michigan, New York City Council Proclamation celebrating Jamaica’s 39th year of independence. Also honouring Jamaicans in New York for outstanding cultural contribution to life in the city of New York in 2001, Institute of Caribbean Studies Wash. DC – “Cultural Heritage Award for Excellence in Music” in 2004, “Lifetime Achievement” in 2008 in Columbus Ohio, “Roots Women in Reggae” 2009 to name just a few. 

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Carol

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sister-carol-mn0000012570/songs

https://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/stone.html

www.sistercarol.com/

Winston 'Burning Spear' Rodney

Burning Spear, was born Winston Rodney on 1 March 1945 in Saint Ann's Bay, Saint Ann, Jamaica. As a young man he listened to the R&B, soul and jazz music transmitted by the US radio stations whose broadcasts reached Jamaica. 

Rodney was deeply influenced as a young man by the views of the political activist Marcus Garvey, especially with regard to the exploration of the themes of Pan-Africanism and self-determination. In 1969, Bob Marley, who was also from Saint Ann, advised Rodney to approach Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label after Rodney sought his advice during a casual conversation. Rodney recalls the conversation, "Bob was walking with a donkey and some buckets full of plants, just heading back to his farm, and I told him I was interested in getting involved in the music business," Rodney recalled. "He could tell I was serious, so he says to me, 'OK, just drop by Studio One' [Marley's recording studio]."

Burning Spear was originally Rodney's group, named after a military award given by Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of an independent Kenya. Rodney and bass singer Rupert Willington auditioned for Dodd in 1969 which led to the release of their debut single ‘Door Peep’. They were then joined by tenor Delroy Hinds. The trio recorded several more singles, and two albums, before they moved on to work with Jack Ruby in 1975. Their first recording with Ruby, "Marcus Garvey" an immediate hit, and was followed by ‘Slavery Days’.

The song, ‘Slavery Days’, which is included in their 1975 album, Marcus Garvey (1975), is a prime example of how in reggae music, race and common suffering is the rallying focus of a pan-African anti-colonial agitation. ‘Slavery Days’ is grounded in historical memories of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation of Africa.

After the release of Marcus Garvey with Island Records, Rodney to set up his own Burning Music label for future releases where he would have full control, although further releases followed on Island including Garvey's Ghost. 

In late 1976, Rodney split from both Ruby and group members Willington and Hinds, and from that point on used the name Burning Spear as a solo artist. Dry and Heavy followed in 1977, self-produced but still on Island. He performed with the British reggae group Aswad, who also were his backing band on his studio album, Social Living released in 1978.

In 1980, Rodney left Island Records and set up the Burning Music Production Company which he signed to EMI debuting on the label with the album Hail H.I.M. In 1982, Rodney signed with Heartbeat Records with a series of well-received albums following, including the 1985 Grammy-nominated Resistance. From the title of the album it is clear that even in the 80s, Rodney still had a message to Black people around the world: that is to resist.

He returned to Island in the early 1990s, releasing two albums before rejoining Heartbeat. When Heartbeat ceased releasing new material after some years, Burning Music took matters into their own hands and began to release music solely through their own imprint. Albums released by Heartbeat through an agreement with Burning Music include: The World Should Know (1993), Rasta Business (1995), Appointment with His Majesty (1997) and Calling Rastafari (1999) which was the last completed album to be solely pressed by an outside label.

Calling Rastafari brought his first Grammy Award in 2000, a feat which he repeated with Jah Is Real in 2009. 

In 2002, he and his wife, Sonia Rodney who has produced a number of his albums, restarted Burning Music Records, giving him a greater degree of artistic control. Since the mid-1990s, he has been based in Queens, New York. 

Burning Spear was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer on 15 October 2007.

For nearly four decades and more than 25 albums, Rodney has carried the torch of the gospel of political activist Marcus Garvey, promoting self-determination and self-reliance for African descendants through lyrics and rhythms that truly deliver the messages of peace and love to all.

Sources:

http://www.burningspear.net/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Spear

http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/27/entertainment/ca-26181

http://motspluriels.arts.uwa.edu.au/MP1600kad.html

Bob Marley

Bob Marley born Robert Nesta Marley on 06 February was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician and guitarist. His musical aspirations started at primary school. Marley and childhood friend Neville Livingston (later known as Bunny Wailer) started playing music together while at Stepney Primary and Junior High School.

However, Marley’s mother, Cedella Booker was uncertain about the prospects of Marley’s career and she encouraged him to take up a position as a welder’s apprentice at the age of 14. He quit several months later and took up pursuing his musical aspirations again. This led him to record several singles at the age of 16. However, these singles failed to find popular appeal and Marley was paid $20 for his work.

It was in 1963, that the band, The Wailers, consisting of Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and others, was born. 

By the mid 60s, the jaunty ska beat had metamorphosed into the slower paced rock steady sound, which soon gave way to Jamaica’s signature reggae rhythm around 1968. Reggae lyrics became characteristically imbued with Rastafarian beliefs that were essential to reggae’s development.

The same year Booker relocated to the US, Marley married Rita Anderson and joined Booker in the US. There, Marley worked as a DuPont lab assistant and on an assembly line at a Chrysler plant under the alias Donald Marley.

In his absence from Jamaica, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I visited Jamaica. His Majesty is revered as Lord and Savior, according to Rastafarian beliefs and his visit to Jamaica had a profound impact upon Anderson and Marley. Marley soon adopted the Rastafarian way of life and began wearing his hair in dreadlocks.

Upon Marley’s return to Jamaica, The Wailers established the Wail’N Soul’M label/record shop in front of his aunt’s Trench Town home but due to lack of resources, the Wailers dissolved Wail’N Soul’M in 1968.

It was a chance visit to the London offices of Island Records that resulted in The Wailers receiving financial aid to record an album. And in 1973, The Wailers released their album “Catch a Fire.”

Following the successful Catch a Fire tour the Wailers promptly recorded their second album, “Burnin”, which was released in October 1973. Featuring some of Bob’s most celebrated songs “Burnin” introduced their timeless anthem of insurgency “Get Up Stand Up” and “I Shot The Sheriff.”

Marley released a third album, Natty Dread and Rastaman Vibration in 1974 and 1978 respectively. Rastaman Vibration included the song “War”, adapted from a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in 1963, delivered by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I. Songs like "War” are examples of how reggae music that praised the liberation war effort in Africa.

Then Marley lived in London for quite some times; there he recorded the albums Exodus released in 1977 and Kaya released in 1978. In Exodus, Marley advocates for the literal return to Africa. It speaks of the need to fulfil the aspirations of all peoples of African descent by moving, metaphorically or literally, to Africa, which is to all intents and purposes the bona fide possession of the Black man. Marley sings of this pan-African return to the fatherland in their songs.  He equally emphasises the need to leave "Babylon", the place of captivity where Black people face segregation rather than integration.

At the end of 1978 Bob made his first trip to Africa, visiting Kenya and Ethiopia. And in 1979, Marley released Survival, his ninth album. Survival is a politically progressive work championing pan-African solidarity. The album also included “Africa Unite” and “Zimbabwe”, the latter an anthem for the soon-to-be liberated colony of Rhodesia. He makes specific mention of the need to rid Africa of colonial domination in the song “Zimbabwe.” In April 1980, Marley and the Wailers performed at Zimbabwe’s official Independence Ceremony at the invitation of the country’s newly elected president Robert Mugabe. This profound honour reconfirmed the importance of Marley and the Wailers throughout the African Diaspora and reggae’s significance as a unifying and liberating force.

Additionally, in his posthumously released album, Confrontation, the pan-African scope of another of Marley's song, "Buffalo Soldier", resides in “the vividness of this historical account of an African immigrant whose forced labour built the American nation. It is basically the account of the plight of the Negro in the New World. "Yes, he was stolen from Africa/Brought to America/Fighting in arrival/Fighting for survival/Driven from the mainland/To the heart of the Caribbean." Thus, the "Dreadlocked Rasta" is a metaphorical buffalo and soldier captured and exploited to build the American State. The mention of "Africa", "America", "Jamaica" and the "Caribbean" reveals the story as an allegorical account of Black people in their Diaspora in the New World.”

In 1977, Marley learned that he had cancer that had taken root in his big toe. He fought the disease for eight months, but he succumbed to his cancer in a Miami hospital on May 11, 1981.

In April 1981, Marley was awarded Jamaica’s third highest honour, the Order of Merit, for his outstanding contribution to his country’s culture. Ten days his death, he was given a state funeral as the Honourable Robert Nesta Marley O.M. by the Jamaican government. Thousands of spectators lined the streets to observe the procession of cars that wound its way from Kingston to Marley’s final resting place, a mausoleum in his birthplace of Nine Miles. The Bob Marley and the Wailers legend lives on, however, and thirty-five years after Marley’s death, his music remains as vital as ever in its celebration of life and embodiment of struggle.

Sources

http://www.bobmarley.com/history/

http://motspluriels.arts.uwa.edu.au/MP1600kad.html

Reggae Month

The month of February is regarded as Reggae Month in Jamaica; however the celebration of the musical genre has spread to other corners of the world- to Nigeria, South Africa, the US and so on. The purpose of Reggae Month is to bring to light and celebrate the lasting impact the musical genre has on Jamaica’s social, cultural and economic development. However, over the course of history, the impact of reggae on social, cultural and economic development has gone beyond the borders of Jamaica to the rest of the world.

Specifically, reggae has, through its oratory capabilities, highlighted and inspired the political independence, economic advancement and pride of black people globally. In essence, pan-Africanist and anti-colonial themes are central in reggae. Generally, reggae has gone on to influence other musical genres such as punk rock and rap.

The pan-Africanist focus of reggae can be traced back to its origins- finding inspiration in ska and steady rock- with their new-found genre, Jamaicans employed it as a tool of British colonial resistance. Even after Jamaica gained independency, reggae continued to reflect social struggles and historical experiences of Jamaicans.

Significant is the fact that the colonial context of Jamaica resonated with that of Black people around the world. The colonised people of Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and all over began to employ reggae as a tool of resistance. Reggae became the music of the oppressed, and of revolutionaries.

In this month’s Friday Feature, we take a look at a few reggae musicians who have used their art as tool to fight oppression and domination, which in turn, has inspired others the world over to fight for their own freedom and dignity.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggae

http://motspluriels.arts.uwa.edu.au/MP1600kad.html  

A Poem by Sizakele Phohleli

From the Book: letters to cinnamon

elohay kedem.

sonini nanini.

qamata.

ngonyama yezulu. undikhoyo.

nzonzobila.

maxhoba ayakhawuleza.

liwa laphakade. gxalaba libanzi.

mvelinqangi.

el de’ot. emet.

yeshuati. yishi.

nzwakazi. kukhanya okungapheliyo.

yesu.

ngqongqoshe.

bunzulu bolwandle.

el hagadol.

this is how I best know

to worship you.

el elyon.

this is how my knees bend,

head bow and arms stretch

to your temple.

elah sh’maya v’arah.

these words are my worship psalms

and gratitude devotions to you.

elohay selichot. marom.

tzidkaynu. yahuveh o’saynu.

yireh. shalom.

these are my burnt offerings

to you.

elohay tehilati.

yeshua.

linoe.

the everlasting lion of juda.

ilitha lam.

umama.

my first word.

the first god I have ever touched.

my first place of worship.

this is everything you have

prepared me for.

this is why everything happened

the way it did.

this is why makhulu was born.

this is why you left home.

this is why they left.

this is why you survived.

this is how I honour your name.