WHY VISIT JAMAICA IN YOUR LIFE TIME

The lead singer of reggae group Culture, Joseph Hill

Many people call Jamaica a paradise on earth, the diamond in the sea, and heaven in the Caribbean. There is magic in Jamaica, but listening to the great reggae tunes isn’t enough until you visit this great country in the Caribbean, which has attracted millions of tourists worldwide.

The mere mention of Jamaica brings to mind great reggae artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Joseph Hill (Culture), Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker, and other artists, but there is more in Jamaica that makes it unique than the sweet coconut-water reggae.

Jamaica is part of the Greater Antilles and is the third-largest island located south of Cuba and west of Haiti. The island boasts of beautiful, exotic nature, vibrant, distinctive, magnificent mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, and miles of first-class beaches.

The natural beauty of Jamaica attracts travellers from all over the world. The most visited places of the island include the Blue Mountains, where one of the most popular and top quality coffees in the world comes from, and Dunn's River Waterfalls.

In the northwest of the island, there is a huge resort area of Montego Bay, where half of the best hotels in Jamaica are located, including Half Moon Resort, where Queen Elizabeth II stayed, and Round Hill Hotel and Villas. 

It is understandable why the island boasts of beautiful, exotic natural beaches, places untouched by humans, good infrastructure, and beautiful locations, such as Font Hill Nature Reserve, Cockpit Country, a limestone platform with many caves and valleys. 

Montego Bay is famous for its magnificent beaches, old mansions, and plantations, as well as many attractions of historic and entertaining attractions. Tourists enjoy their visit by rafting along the rivers Marta Brae, Black River, taking a tour of the Blue Mountains, or play golf on the best fields of the island.

Negril is one of the most environmentally friendly resort areas in the world. It is located in the west of the island, revealing its natural beauty of the seven-mile sandy beach of Kaliko Jack, Bladi Bay, 18 reefs and islands in Bubi Bay, Yas waterfall, Joseph caves, Anansi Park, and picturesque fishing villages.

It's intriguing to know that Jamaicans also call inconsistent or untrue stories 'Ananse stories.'

The resort of Ocho Rios in the north of the island is famous for its chic tropical vegetation, as well as the 180-meter-high Dunn River Falls, fruit and coffee plantations, and the viewing platform of Murphy Hill with a height of 670 meters. 

The famous Blue Lagoon, where the filming of the same name (The Blue Lagoon) took place, can be visited in the north-east of the island, in Port Antonio, and in the south-east of the country. It is worth visiting the Spanish town, the former capital and one of the main attractions of the island. 

Diving in Jamaica gives the chance to see the diverse and mysterious underwater world. The waters of Negril have great visibility with a rich variety of fish, turtles, eels, and dolphins. At a depth of 19 m reveals the so-called Throne Room is revealed, a cave filled with yellow sponges. 

On the territory of Jamaica, there are 10 excellent golf courses, because Jamaicans love this sport very much. In Kingston, the capital, you can also enjoy the sight of historic, beautiful buildings, paintings, and products inspired by Rastafarians.

Amazingly, today, Jamaica is no longer known as the reggae kingdom, but also an athletics country, thanks to good athletes, such as Melene Ottey, Asafa Powell Usain Bolt, etc.

Joel Savage's interview with Joseph Hill

 MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH HILL

Joel: I have to call you, Sir Joseph Hill. Let’s rally round Jehovah’s throne. I have a few questions to ask you today.

Joseph: You are welcome. (Then he smiled)

Joel: It was in the seventies, I heard of Culture. Can you please tell what has inspired you to be in this hard music industry for all these years?

Joseph: It’s Jah (referring to God) that gives me the strength. Always feel that there is something to watch out for. For myself, I love to play for the people. They are also part of my inspiration. These are what have inspired me throughout these years.

Joel: You have been singing all your life about corruption, oppression, war, poverty, discrimination, crime, and so on. Were you a victim of such things in any circumstances?

Joseph: There are people I saw in comparison to various countries. Yes! yes!! Yes!!! I have seen people die, and not a word of justice has been said. Think of a person’s life. It is priceless. The last grief I had. There was this woman in Afghanistan, separated from the land. They treated her so badly that she and her child were eating grass.” G R A S S- grass”.(Joseph moved with sorrow, spelling the word grass)

Joel: Your lyrics and beats in every song of Culture touch and move everyone on the road of trials and tribulations. Where do you get such wonderful rhythms and lyrics from?

Joseph: The big man who rules the earth. He is the governor. (He laughed)

Joel: You were in Sierra Leone when the war was at its peak, with the brutal fighting activities of the rebels. Did your visit create any impact or bring a change to the suffering masses?

Joseph: Yes, my visit brought a change. When the people saw me, they didn’t know what to say. They just cried and cried. You know the rebels told the government that “You should be glad that Joseph is here. If he weren’t here this place would be destroyed within 24 hours. Imagine. I just came back from there a few weeks ago.”

Joel: I learned that at the capital, Freetown, at the guest house you lodged, there is a tree nearby, and every morning a bird came to sing, and out of the song of the bird, you composed a song from it.

Joseph: Yes, it's true.

Joel: I ask the same question of any reggae artist I interview. Reggae music is loved by everyone. But why is it that the music is given less attention?

Joseph: Because the truth is God’s friend. But not a lot of people are friends of the truth.

Joel: You have been following the Palestinians and Israeli conflict for a very long time and have even visited the Gaza Strip. Who do you think is the stumbling block to this peace everyone is seeking?

Joseph: Greed, greed, greed. Because there is enough to satisfy every man’s need but never enough to satisfy no man’s greed. So greed is the stumbling block.

Joel: In one of your songs, you played a song against Yasser Arafat, as the stumbling block.

Joseph: He made himself like that. He has to change his ways, and the other man would change his ways. There is something called “Repentance”. When repentance meets their hearts, we shall have a beautiful world.

Joel: You successfully came out last year with the remarkable “world peace” album. What message do you still have in mind for your numerous fans worldwide?

Joseph: You know, people should respect one another. To be used, abused, refused, and our hearts trampled by fea and living in doubt, thinking we are living on top of the world. No, we shouldn’t live that way. We have to seek happiness, love, mutual respect, joy,, and justice of God around us, and peace would find its rightful place.

Joel: Thank you very much for this interview, Sir Joseph Hill.

Joseph: Thanks be to Jah

Read other interviews of Anthony B, Andrew Tosh, U-Roy, Prince Malachi, Alton Ellis, Gregory Isaacs, Junior Murvin, Julian Marley, ASWAD, Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, Tutu Puoane, and many others in ‘The Passion of Reggae and African Music. 

 Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6/

THE LOVE PETER TOSH HAD FOR AFRICA

The great Peter Tosh

There are thousands of Africans in the Diaspora. Many hate to be called Africans,  some love the continent but have never had the chance to visit there, while others frequently visit Africa. One of them was the legendary Peter Tosh, one of the founding members of the original Wailers trio.

The fearless, tough man, whose vicious wit marked militant tunes, made him an international figure, visited Africa, including Nigeria, on many occasions. I never had the opportunity to see Peter Tosh performing,,g but I had a glimpse of him when he visited Nigeria and followed his activities in the country through ‘The Punch Newspaper.’

Peter Tosh was in Nigeria in 1982. During his visit, he stayed in the house of Sonny Okosun, another great Nigerian musician interested in the well-being of people. It’s like the two had something in common. In Nigeria, Sonny Okosun’s ‘Fire in Soweto, Papa’s Land’ etc, became international hits, for his concern for the suffering South Africans under Apartheid regime.

While in Jamaica, Peter Tosh recorded ‘Apartheid’ on his ‘Equal Rights’ album. “Inna me land digs out me gold, pearl, diamond, we gonna fight against Apartheid.” It’s not surprising that the two musicians were great friends. In 1983 while still in Lagos, Peter Tosh revisited Nigeria. This time, he cemented his love for his dear Africa by composing the song he named ‘Mama Africa.’

Peter Tosh sings 'Mystery Babylon.'

“Two thousand years of history can’t be wiped away so easily, sings Bob Marley in ‘Zion Train.’ Definitely, the achievements of Peter Tosh in the field of music can’t be easily forgotten. On April 20, 2016, Jamaica celebrated the second official International Peter Tosh Day. Like the sons of Bob Marley, Andrew Tosh is carrying on the works of his father.

THE I-THREES: GREAT FEMALE MUSICIANS BEHIND BOB MARLEY

Bob Marley and the I-Threes performing

Music, it's like my passport and water I need daily when travelling. I can’t do without it because it gives me inspiration. It’s great to have musicians and players of instruments around us. Music fills the courts of heaven as heavenly beings praise our Lord and Creator. 

When God created the world, the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy, that’s what the Bible says at (Job 38:7)

You will know the I-THREES if you love music because they were highly talented musicians supporting Bob Marley as back vocals, in the history of Jamaican music. Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths knew each other long before they became internationally known.

Marcia Griffiths was already a star before the group I-Threes were formed. Her duet recordings with Bob Andy, which included “Young, Gifted and Black,” had brought her international attention, when she invited Judy Mowatt, who had previously sung with ‘The Gaylettes,’ and Rita Anderson, to support her on a recording with Andy. This invitation brought the three women together.

In Jamaica, that time was ‘The Wailers’ formed in 1963, which was a vocal group consisting of Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Bunny Livingston, Bob Marley, Peter McIntosh, and Cherry Smith. Livingston later became Bunny Wailer and McIntosh simply Peter Tosh. In 1966, Braithwaite, Kelso and Smith left the group leaving the trio of Livingston, Marley, and McIntosh.

Shortly after the departure of McIntosh and Livingston from the group, Bob Marley asked the three women to sing on his recording, Jah Live. They continued to sing for Bob Marley as back vocals for the next ten years. Later Bob Marley married Rita Andersen, whose original country of birth was Cuba. Surprisingly, both Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh became successful in their solo careers.

The I-threes on stage

In early 1975, the I-Threes joined Marley for a tour as the opening act for ‘The Jackson Five.’ The I-Threes continued to sing with Bob Marley until and after his death. But that wasn’t the end of the careers of the women, the three pursued a successful solo career.

On May 26, 2009, the I-Threes performed with Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespear, the Compass Point All-Stars and celebrated Island Records’ 50th-anniversary in London at Shepherd Bush Empire. The message of The I-Threes is one love, hope, peace, and unity to all mankind.

JAMAICA ADDS ATHLETICS TO ITS REGGAE HISTORY

From left to right, Warren Weir, Usain Bolt, and Yohan Blake



Jamaica, that wonderful Island in the Caribbean, for many years has established its name as one of the best countries in the world, in regard to tourism, and above all, the home of wonderful reggae music. 


Jamaica is the birthplace of great reggae stars, including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Gregory Isaacs, Joseph Hill-Culture, to name but a few.

Apart from the reggae stars, Jamaica has produced great sprinters in the past, such as Merlene Ottey, Asafa Powell, etc, yet in athletics, compared to other great countries, Jamaica wasn't classified as a great country in sports until the emergence of an unknown sprinter, Usain Bolt. 

Usain Bolt's unique and charismatic performance, along with teammate Yohan Blake, has firmly established that Jamaica is not only good in music but also in athletics.

The 2012 Olympic Games taking place in London confirm it all. After winning the 100-meter race in 19.32 seconds, Usain became the first athlete to win two Olympic medals in the event. Yohan Blake, his training partner, also claimed silver in the event and bronze for Warren Weir.

There is no doubt that Jamaicans are now doing better in sports than the United States of America, which has produced great athletes in the past. 

It seems underestimation of athletes from 'third world countries' is gradually coming to an end because the Jamaican sprinters are "Coming in hot! Hot! Hot! and firing some shots! Shot! shot!" Sings reggae legend late Peter Tosh.

The fall of Apartheid, I knew I was part of it in some way - Lucky Dube

Interview of Lucky Dube at Pole-Pole Festival on July 4th, 2004, (Belgium) By JOEL SAVAGE



Lucky Dube is, no doubt, one of the best reggae artists the world has ever produced. His strong dissemination of melodic messages about racism, exploitation, and oppression has won him an acclamation all over the world. 


On July 4th, 2004, in Linkerover-Antwerp, after playing live, he granted this exclusive interview to the Voice Magazine Belgian Correspondent. Joel Savage

TV: When you started music at a young age, did you ever dream that one day your music would be widely accepted by reggae fans worldwide today?

Lucky: Well, I have an idea. Really, this was a dream for me. I wanted it to be like that, even though I wouldn't have a clear vision as to know how big it could be. But I have an idea, I wanted the music to reach people everywhere in the world.

TV: Many fans think that you are another Peter Tosh in the field of reggae, with strong lyrics of liberation. How do you react to this credit?

Lucky: It's a very great honour really, because Peter Tosh was the greatest musician that ever lived, and so I respect him so much, and to be given the same stage as he is a great honour to me. I do really appreciate that.

TV: On one of your albums, "Soul Taker," there is a special track called "Teach the World". Please, what inspired you to write such a great song?

Lucky: Well, "Teach the World" started actually because when we go around, there are a lot of things that we see and people from different countries, different cultures, and everything. But only to find out that people don't know much about Africa. 

They have some mis-speculations about Africa and just wanted people to teach each other. People in Africa must teach the outside world about their culture, beliefs, and everything, and want the outside world to teach Africa about its culture.

TV: You fought against apartheid in your songs. How did you feel ten years ago, to see apartheid falling like the Berlin Wall in 1989?

Lucky: It was great because it was the biggest dream I had at that time. So I was very happy when it finally happened. I knew I was part of it in some way. So I was very happy when it happened.

TV: You played in Washington DC, on September 20, 2000, with Joseph Hill's Culture. What was your experience with that group, since Joseph's message in the music is in line with yours?

Lucky: Well, it has been great with Joseph Hill. You know I have done many concerts with him. He is one of the good men in the music industry.

TV: Being a South African, you have visited many African countries. Have you ever visited war-torn countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia, since you have thousands of fans over there?

Lucky: Yes, we have visited those countries.

TV: That's great to hear that.

TV: Reggae in jail, reggae in church, everybody likes it. That's a true statement by you. But why is it that reggae music is given less attention than any other music? Is it because of its strong message?

Have a copy of this great book to read the interviews of your favourite reggae and African artists.

https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ?