Promoter Tony Rebel is known to showcase a different side of popular entertainers having had Marion Hall and Agent Sasco – not Lady Saw and Assassin – as headliners at the event. Prior to that, Beenie Man performed under the name Ras Moses.
Controversial Singjay
This year, the Port Kaiser Sports Complex in St Elizabeth will see the popular and sometimes controversial singjay performing on a completely different note for the first time at the 18th staging of the event. According to Mavado’s manager, Julian Jones-Griffith, Mavado was approached by Rebel and Queen Ifrica late last year with the idea to perform at the conscious event focusing on positive songs and messages in his catalogue. This will mark the singjay’s first appearance on Rebel Salute.
Starting out his career as the hard core ‘gangsta for life’, Mavado soon got the attention of the audience with his melodious voice and influenced countless persons to look to the ‘gully’ side.
After run-ins with the law, a controversial clash with deejay Vybz Kartel, Mavado in recent times has put down his war lyrics and has been focusing on peace with songs like Starlight, Messiah, So Blessed, Need Change Right Now among others.
He said, “Ifrica dem approach me with the idea of performing as David Brooks and I was very pleased to accept the invitation. My father was a Rasta so Rastafari and its teachings have always been close to my heart. I have a lot of positive songs so I can give a full performance made up entirely of those types of songs and it’s just as explosive as if I were performing on Sumfest. The fans fi come to Rebel Salute where they will see David Brooks at his best.”
Jones-Griffith added, “Over the last 12 to 18 months there has definitely been a shift in Mavado’s musical output. It’s a natural progression that comes with different life experiences and his fans have responded really well to the growth as well. Rebel Salute will give him the chance to showcase that specific side of his creativity and we anticipate it to be a memorable night. He’s often wrongly remembered by some people only for the hard core side of his catalogue, but just him being on a show like Rebel Salute should make everyone realise that David Brooks, aka Mavado, is an extremely versatile and conscious artiste.”
Source: jamaica-star
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