“Our souls are crying out for depth” proclaim Jamaican dub poets
Cherry Natural
Red Bones Blues Cafe showcased some of Jamaica’s finest dub poets on Wednesday, April 9. The show featured a talented cast of dub poets, including Charlie Bobus, Cherry Natural, Poppy Seed, Ganja, Takura, Lloyd Laing, Empress Natty, Mojiba, Iya, Mystic Guerilla, and the Akwaba Drummers, Supersad and Ras Mackie, all live in concert. Presented by Charlie Bobus’s Inspirator International and hosted by Sage, the dub poets entertained and impressed the small but energized audience with their powerful and challenging performances. The poets praised, criticized, and called us to action!
The show opened with the Akwaba Drummers, who set the vibe for the evening and also backed some of the performers’ poems and chants. Highlights of the night were definitely Mystic Guerilla with his address to the Prime Minister and Cherry Natural, who is not often seen on stage in Jamaica but who performs widely internationally. Cherry Natural gave a riveting performance ending with a challenge to us all to “love ourselves” declaring “self doubt stand up in your way like any iron bar”.
Poppy Seed, who hails from the U.K., added some levity to the evening with her admonitions to her fellow British compatriots not to “get hoity toity with me”, which was amusing yet satirical at the same time and which was performed to a smooth r&b beat.
Charlie Bobus, Inspirator International and the brain behind the evening inspired as usual; especially moving was his emotional tribute to his late mother.
Charlie Bobus
Poppy Seed
Mystic Guerilla
Akwaba Drummers
Big up to Inspirator International and the Dub Petry Movement!
Look out for more on this night to come….
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1 Comment
Truly some of my favorite Jamaican poets. Great Blog you have here I will be back for sure. Love and Peace