The following day, we decide to drop by Inna De Yard, the home base of Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith and his entourage. We meet his right-hand man, Brains, who, upon hearing we’re Belgians, spontaneously sings praises of our beloved Sista Mika, who recorded an album here in 2022. Singer Israel Voice is also present, featured on various Inna De Yard productions. He immediately starts freestyling with Commander Shad, our friend and driver, who was once a popular dancehall DJ. Just another Sunday afternoon in Kingston. Irie.
That evening, we present the book at the Dubwise Cafe on Lady Musgrave Road, not far from the Bob Marley Museum on Hope Road. It’s a small, partially covered space with a few benches and tables, a wall of speakers, a takeaway spot (“plant-based paradise” Veggie Campus), and an ice cream stand. Thomas managed to gather quite a crowd: Warrior King with his family, Colah Colah, and several kings & queens from the music business. Most guests are impeccably dressed, often with a subtle touch of Rasta.
Binghistra Movement
Today,
Breadlocks from
I Yaad Radio welcomes a few promising talents to the microphone.
Karbon proves to be a swift singjay with contemporary Rasta lyrics.
Nature Ellis is a singer who rivals Garnett Silk. What a voice! And he sings with such ease, as if all those high notes and melodic turns pose no challenge to him. Why haven’t we heard of this man in Europe yet?
French artist
Delphine performs Junior Byles’ ‘Chant down Babylon’, just as she does on a new tribute album from Chinna Smith’s
Binghistra Movement. It’s brave for a European artist to perform in the lion’s den, and Delphine does so excellently. Colah Colah also delivers a few tunes, of course with much more live charisma than his lesser-known colleagues.
Bongo Herman
Monday morning, and we’re guests on
Ron Muschette’s show on
Edge Radio. We’ve known each other for a long time and shared our friendship with Ras Fire. Muschette is also the regular MC on the main stage at Reggae Geel and made a name for himself at Irie FM. On Edge, he not only plays reggae, but today he’s selected a few tracks from the book. ‘Poor And Clean’, perhaps my favourite Gregory Isaacs tune, he’s never heard before, but that’s not unusual in Jamaica. Even if you mention names like Lee Perry or Israel Vibration here, they hardly ring a bell with anyone. But the video of
Thomas aka I Mos, skanking in old-school style goes viral. “I learned that from the movie ‘Rockers’”, he says.
That’s fortunate because a few hours later, we meet Bongo Herman at the Bob Marley Museum, the legendary drummer who runs a stall with souvenirs and memorabilia. He was the man happily skanking through the record store Randy’s in the film, dressed in a bright yellow tracksuit, as they were popular in Jamaica in the mid-1970s. Herman still wears such a striking outfit, proudly explaining the many photos and clippings he has displayed. I buy two CDs from him: ‘Master Drummer’, a collection of tunes from the 1960s and 1970s, and ‘Haile Holy’, an ancient track by Cynthia Schloss with dominant percussion by Bongo Herman. Respect is due.
The Marleys’ Cannabis Shop
It’s busy in and around Marley’s house. A new minibus with tourists arrives about every half hour for a tour. The entire yard is filled with cars. The film
‘Bob Marley: One Love’ undoubtedly sparked new interest in the museum. It’s a shame that the colourful murals from the end of the last century have completely faded, even the portraits of the Marley sons, which were covered with black prints of their contours.
But we’re here for the latest addition to the compound,
Marley Natural, the Marley family’s cannabis shop. Above the showcase next to the entrance is a beautiful quote from Bob Marley: “Herbs is a thing that gives you a little time for yourself so you can live.”. It’s by far the most beautifully designed shop we’ve visited so far, with a separate, enclosed smoking area, as seen in many Dutch coffeeshops. Tourists come and go, all willingly registering themselves (here for just 1000 JA or 7 US dollars) and making a phone call to a doctor, as the law requires. Two questions are asked: have you consumed cannabis before, and are there any medical complications?
To be continued…
