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colonialism & reggae

2/27/2014

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Colonialism and Reggae

co·lo·ni·al·ism

noun

1.

the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.

2.

the system or policy by which a nation maintains or advocates such control or influence.

3.

the state or condition of being colonial.

4.

an idea, custom, or practice peculiar to a colony.                             

 

Knowing one’s role within said colony may aid in finding solutions to the issues that seem insurmountable to date. The ‘colony’ is one of hierarchy where there are ‘royals’ to be bowed down to and reggae has no place for bowing to any human being of false idols for that matter.

 The essence of revolution is a breaking away from the normality of “the system” whether physical or mental.  We are all members of the colony yet totally unaware of our roles as the slaves to the system.  We all think if we work just hard enough or our luck turns we are out of the rat race.  An effective illusion!

In order to maintain subservience we are given a myriad of distractions which are actually a series of stimuli that keep our eyes downward never allowing us to truly look up to avoid the obstacles, so always forced into a reactive state, constantly falling from one chaotic moment into the next.  Short of rent this month constantly facing eviction notices, payday loan habit that does not really work because you still have the same amount of money, need a visit to the clinic for a possible std, driving a vehicle without insurance for a month or two because public transportation can’t get you to your job and you have a family of five with 3 children under the age of ten years old, bill collectors calling constantly, going through separation / divorce with no aid from deadbeat husband, money earned does not meet bills to be paid, ridiculed for being gay, tired of conversation about gay issues, human rights violations in all countries on the planet, global warming, rising unemployment, lonely singles targeted by a need to online dating, the rising oceans, occupy Toronto, occupy LA, occupy NY, racism, sexism, murder rate, revenue Canada, the IRS, federal / provincial elections, alcoholic, drug abuse, parent teacher meetings, hockey / soccer eight days per week, the IMF, the World Bank, lost millions / thousands in the stock market crash, eight hundred thousand dead in Rwanda in the space of one month, 911, Al-Queda, Afghanistan, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, The Eagle, The Bear, teen suicide based on poor self esteem, child abuse...  There are hundreds of issues that are quite unique to many folks that are not mentioned here and at times we all face all of the above and more, all at the same time.  “Governing influence and keeping one dependent”.

Distractions... Life!

The ‘colony’ is led by Buckingham palace and everyone else falls into designated slots below the ‘royals’, each more important than the next one beneath it.  It is believed that in this way, it gives the lower tiered folks a goal to shoot for in order to achieve a higher standing.  So we work in jobs that barely cover the bills, create side businesses, work two or three jobs, try to save and invest in a home or rrsps, and yet never seem to be able to leave the treadmill as there is always a crisis that eats away at the savings.  So every Wednesday and Saturday we spend a few ducats on lottery tickets HOPING for the miracle!  One good hit and we are right out of our issues!  And the lottery and gaming commissions make billions because we remain dependent!

The “system” of the colony is a powerful one as it allows its fiscally more viable members to revel in what they have with only sympathy to offer to the have-nots, believing that it is their right to be ‘better’.

We are kept dependent on this corrupt system.  They maintain control creating that dependency.

The ‘colony’ isn’t a place of upliftment.  It is a sweat shop for the 99%!

Jazz, the Blues, hip-hop, reggae are the ‘news sources’ to those who do not live in that mental or physical ghetto.  With artists like Marley, Tosh, Spear and Culture who painted vivid musical images of knowledge, pain, poverty, love, upliftment and hope, reggae infiltrated into the psyche of many around the globe hence the continued growth of a fan base for this genre.

The objective is to keep us dependent.  By definition, it does what it does!  Pretty redundant couple of sentences here yet even within that, we all get up and follow this “system” the very next second.  Yes we are all victims.

This is how I learn to truly apprecilove what reggae music does for me.  I am grateful for the energy reggae music provides for me and billions around this planet.  As with the above verbiage, reggae indentifies the issues in communities, towns, governments and countries, then touch on relationship issues, spiritual reggae tunes tend to set us just right, then there is the defiance to said system hence the genre, though quite popular gets no airplay on mainstream radio and the privileged few never wonder why – or more accurately – never crosses their minds why reggae isn’t on radio because the hierarchy of the ‘colony’ insists on reggae “knowing its place’ at the bottom of the heap like the people who invented it.

The thing is, reggae does not care!  It keeps blazing and inspiring love, thought and camaraderie from nation to nation.  This powerful music comes from a black nation and is appreciloved by all nations and throughout our anger, pain and resentment, the genre seems to speak truth yet search for a solution for “equal rights and justice” four words that don’t work well within the ‘colony’.

The ‘colony’s’ system of distraction to create dependence is well orchestrated while the genre of reggae pushes the conscience of a planet towards equal rights and justice.

Yes I, “Reggae for Life”.

 

JuLion

www.canadianreggaeworld.com

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2 Comments

Chry re Luther brown

2/24/2014

3 Comments

 
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CHRY re Luther Brown

I did post yesterday for folks to listen in to Luther Brown’s show, Caribbean Crucible on CHRY 105.5fm to show some support for a man who has had 26 years on radio, playing reggae music each and every Sunday, yet based on certain decisions or moves, the station has changed its programming to cut all shows from 3 hours to 2 hours.

Coming in at the back end of a situation, all I heard was that Luther’s show has been cut from 3 to 2 hours and for a fan or lay person, I felt the need to immediately defend a man who has sacrificed and volunteered his life to playing reggae music for us appreciative fans.

Through further conversation with Carrie Mullings and other members of the CHRY team, it has come to my attention that these moves are 4 (four) years in the making and that all shows have been cut down from form 3 to 2 hours and that veterans such as Luther’s show is now seeing these changes coming into effect.

While searching for some “truth” I have found that since these changes started, the shows being cut have increased the amount of reggae programming on the station as more shows have been added and that the listenership has increased from 300,000 to about 1.3 million listeners.

As fans, we tend to blindly support who we like, love or follow and in my case I am no different.  I felt the need to ‘protect’ reggae music hence to ‘protect’ Luther Brown based on his length of service and for the upstanding individual that he is and has portrayed for many years hence I request many of you to listen in and to show that support.

It is not my intention to disrespect the hard working people at CHRY 105.5fm who have brought Luther and several reggae shows as well as hundreds of hours of reggae programming through other worthy volunteers such as Natty B and Bigga, Richard Banton, Carrie Mullings, the late Delroy Sterling, Sir B and many other reggae programs as well as the diversity of other cultures, spoken word, alternative programming that is unique to community radio that many of us miss CKLN 88.1fm to this very day.

We are never aware of how fleeting a thing can be until it is gone.

I do not know the entire story or the politics involved.  I am a fan of reggae music, Luther Brown as well as CHRY 105.5fm as well as the format of community radio and one of the best run community radio stations in Ontario.  I intend to continue my support for the station as well as for Mr. Luther Brown...

3 Comments

MessenJah 2014

2/14/2014

2 Comments

 
Bob Marley Tribute 2014 with MessenJah


I went to a Marley Tribute and a Messenjah concert broke out! And no, I am not complaining!

Robert Nesta passed away in 1981 and everywhere, somewhere there is an annual homage paid to the King of reggae, like we are prone to do with Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Day. These concerts are a given. Bob’s lyrics and music touched so many who grew with him and for the generations after it is still about a level of consciousness fused with sense of equality for all. Those lyrics will be important to this planet fifty generations from today and unfortunately just as relevant.

Props to the House of David Gang who played backing band to Marcia Brown, Papa Levy, Ms. Carol Brown as well as to King Selah who did the usual sing-a-long Marley tunes that many were able to jam to. The band was totally prepared and executed well and was totally appreciloved by the Lee’s Palace audience. As a Marley tribute band for the night, they thoroughly entertained all of us.

I have been around for a while, so I have seen Messenjah then and Messenjah today. Even though some familiar faces were missing, the concept of performance, attention to detail, still awesome harmonies, deep, deep deep dub within their tracks as well as theatrics in their performance definitely set them apart from anyone performing reggae in Toronto today!

As I walked through the venue, the artists from other bands or as well as solo artists who were present, that I spoke with felt exactly the same, watching this veteran band.

Messenjah took the title!

Truth be told it might have always been theirs after all these years! After a 16 year absence they returned with a heavy BANG and it is my hope that they will continue to do more work! This is the standard that we were all used to back in the day with names like IBADAN, Tatix, Kidd Rasta & The Peacemakers, The Arsenals, The legendary Sattalites of course and a few others! Everyone strived to “bring it” on the nights of performance. What I watched at the side of the stage, I realized then what was missing from the Canadian reggae scene. That standard!

Thank you Messenjah for “bringing it” and I do look forward to your next performance and for all of the striving reggae artists out there, please mark that date on your calendar and attend the show and learn what the standard is. Most of you do not possess it because you do not know what is expected.


2 Comments

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