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SPECIAL EDITION
4/20/2015
M A G A Z I N E
SISTA IRIE’S EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW!
CAPTURE LAND TOUR, JA
CHRONIXX
+
KABAKA PYRAMID
+
MUSICALLY SPEAKING
“Reggae in Austin, the Live Music
Capital of the World”
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Letter From the Editor
Blessings,
This special edition of Island Stage Magazine is brought to you with Love and
includes exclusive interviews with Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid, Baby Cham,
Kamila McDonald and Rick Long.
Island Stage is sponsoring three major festivals this year; Reggae on the River,
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and Rototom SunSplash. Which festival
will you be attending?
Lloyd Stanbury keeps us highly informed in this issue’s ‘Musically Speaking’ piece where he discusses “Reggae in
Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World”
Our writers, photographers and graphic artists work hard to bring you the best coverage of events, artists interviews
and professional photography. Please give them a shout out and let them know how much you love and appreciate
the work they do! They are, Empress K- Reggae Reflection, Sista Irie, Lee Abel, Maliika Walker, Shelah
Moody, Lloyd Stanbury, Reggae Robin, Michael Kuelker, David Wendlinger, Hal Wendlinger and Kizzy
Riske.
I love this team of professionals!!
Remember to download the magazine and save it to your desktop, so you can read at your leisure. All links are LIVE
on the download.
We hope you enjoy this special issue! Remember to support your favorite artists by purchasing the music and
attending the LIVE shows whenever you can.
One Love~
Cheers!
.07
12.
23.
33.
39.
44.
MUSICALLY SPEAKING
By Lloyd Stanbury
“Reggae in Austin, the
Live Music Capital of the
World”
Island Stage Magazine
I was introduced to the city of Austin some years ago
in discussions with photojournalist and radio DJ Sista
Irie who has been working in reggae and visiting
Jamaica for over 30 years. One of the first things I
learned was that Austin promotes itself as the Live
Music Capital of the World. I also learned that this
slogan became official in 1991 when it was discovered
that Austin had more live music venues per capita
than anywhere else in North America. It is said that
on any given day one will find over 200 venues
offering live music shows at almost any time in Austin.
music genre and country I am most passionate
about, i.e. Reggae and Jamaica. Revelations from
recent discussions I had with some experienced
Jamaican music industry operators and government
representatives have surprised me. I discovered that
many Jamaicans associated with music and creative
industries development do not know what SXSW is,
and although several Jamaican reggae artists have
participated in SXSW over the years, a whole lot
more could be achieved with better planning and
organization. For example, the recent SXSW 2015
reggae showcase presentation that featured possibly
the biggest line up of Jamaican reggae artists ever at
SXSW, fell short in my opinion.
Photo Left : Sista Irie on air at
KAZI 88.7 FM, Austin
The city of Austin hosts
some of the largest music
events and festivals in
the world, including the
South by Southwest
(SXSW) Conferences
& Festivals - http://
sxsw.com, the Austin
City Limits Music
Festival (ACL) - http://
www.aclfestival.com
and The Urban Music
Festival - http://www.
austinurbanmusicfestival.
com . SXSW is by far the largest music and
entertainment networking and showcasing event
in the world, and is reported to attract as many
as 50,000 participants to Austin every March. The
event offers a unique convergence of original music,
independent films, and emerging technologies
presented through music showcases, film screenings,
and conference panel discussions.
Photo Left : “Scene from
Austin Reggae Festival
2012”
This showcase
featured Kabaka
Pyramid and the
Bebble Rockers,
Laza Morgan, Mr.
Vegas, Gyptian,
Nyla (formerly of
Brick and Lace), and
Machel Montano.
Kabaka Pyramid was the only artist on the line up that
performed with musicians. All other acts performed to
pre-recorded tracks. The showcase also got off to an
unusually late start by SXSW standards.
In my opinion the members of the Austin Reggae
business community of promoters, artists, media
representatives and venues, could do more to
collaborate and keep abreast of new developments
in Reggae, especially Reggae from Jamaica. There
seems to be a disconnect between persons from the
My exposure to Austin and its treatment of the
business of music has been enlightening and
thought provoking, especially in relation to the
Special Edition 4/20/2015
PAGE
8
Photo below: Rocky Dawuni at Flamingo Cantina, SXSW 2015
Austin music scene, and persons in the Reggae music
communities in Jamaica, which prevents the flow of
information and promotional content from Jamaica
to Austin. I think the inputs and expertise required
to nurture and grow Reggae in Austin do exist in the
form of concert and festival promoters, venues, and
media representatives who consistently promote
Reggae. KAZI 88.7 FM in Austin has six dedicated
hours of Reggae music programming presented each
week in two radio shows every Sunday and Tuesday.
http://www.kazifm.org , Sista Irie’s Conscious
Party hosted every other Sunday on KAZI has
developed an international following, with many
fans and listeners online from Jamaica. The threeday annual Austin Reggae Festival presented in
April is one of the longest running reggae music
festivals in the USA, and enjoys attendance numbers
between 5,000 and 20,000 patrons per day. http://
austinreggaefest.com
Flamingo Cantina has
partnered with SXSW as
an official venue off and
on for the past 21 years.
Angela thinks participation
at SXSW by reggae
artists from Jamaica and
elsewhere can be very
beneficial although it is an
expensive investment, as
participants have to cover
all their costs for travel
and accommodation in
Austin, and there are no
performance fees paid.
On SXSW and reggae she
had this to say - “SXSW
has never been hugely
interested in the
genre of reggae, and I
suspect that is due to the demand and sponsors
that might be involved who are interested in
other demographics. Reggae is and has been
fairly overlooked within the festival, but over
the years I have worked with SXSW to build our
reggae showcases. I reach out to artists to try
and get their interest in participating. SXSW
has more rap and hip hop now than any other
genre, and I believe they need to work harder
to help garner more interest from reggae and
world artists to keep the diversity of the festival
intact.”
Flamingo Cantina on 6th Street in the heart of
Austin’s live music scene, has been a Reggae venue
since 1991, playing host over the years to numerous
artists including Burning Spear, Lee Scratch Perry,
Beres Hammond, and more recently Protoje,
Capleton, I-Wayne and Kabaka Pyramid. The views
of Flamingo Cantina owner and show promoter
Angela Tharp provide a noteworthy perspective.
According to Angela, she faces challenges at different
levels in her efforts to bring international Reggae
talent to Flamingo Cantina. She explains - “One
challenge is the simple fact that Texas is a big
state, and not as well known for supporting
live reggae as perhaps venues on either the
east or west coasts. With Austin being smack
dab in the middle of the state, it’s difficult at
times for routing bands to get to us without the
advantage of other supporting venues. I am
constantly reaching out to other venues in the
state to garner interest in promoting artists I
work with, in hopes they’ll pick up shows.”
With initiatives such as SXSW, the city of Austin
has demonstrated how government and private
partnerships can generate revenues and provide
employment in the creative industries. Through
PAGE
9
it’s dedication to the development of live music,
Austin has facilitated the establishment of events,
institutions, membership organizations and grant
funding programs that provide much needed support
to persons operating in the music and entertainment
industries. Examples include: The Texas Music
Office - a state funded business promotion office
and information clearing house serving the Texas
music industry. It is based in the city of Austin, and
housed within the Office of the Governor’s Economic
Development and Tourism Division:http://gov.texas.
gov/music/ : The Austin Music Foundation a private non-profit organization established to
strengthen and connect the local music community
with innovative programs that empower musicians and
fuel Austin’s creative economy:
Below is a video clip with Ziggy and Stephen Marley
jamming on the street in Austin
http://austinmusicfoundation.org
In my opinion there are definitely some valuable
lessons to be learned from a greater level of
awareness and interaction among persons in the
Jamaican reggae industry and the Austin music
community, at both the state and private levels.
The Jamaican government recently announced a
significant increase in financial allocations for music
and entertainment industry development in budget
presentations for the financial year 2015 - 2016. This
is a good sign, and I would encourage the government
to explore the possibility of establishing a close
working relationship with the city of Austin. Both the
Jamaican government and the local music industry
can secure benefits from an appropriately structured
Jamaica/City of Austin creative industries development
relationship.
PAGE
10
Unlike the typical studio recording where the vocal can be masked
in the mix by the instrumentation, ACOUSTICALEVY is an album
that requires a nearly flawless vocal performance by Levy as each
track is constructed solely around Levy’s vocal.
Check for the new album Acousticalevy coming May 5th!
Link to Soundcloud
CHRONIXX
© 2015 Sista Irie Photography
Chronixx remains humble at a time when he has
swiftly become Jamaica’s most favored artist. With
the support of his team from Chronixx Music Group
Limited he recently presented the very successful
Capture Land Jamaica Tour. The tour featured five
shows across the Island with stops in Negril, Santa
Cruz, Kingston and Portland. All shows were well
attended, with sold out shows in Negril and Kingston.
The audiences represented all ages, from toddlers
to grandmas all waiting in full anticipation of a show
reminiscent of days gone by. Conscious reggae music
has come full circle in Jamaica, with a new vibrant
icon, a talented young man with the confidence and
fortitude of a lion.
The Chronixx “Capture Land USA Tour 2015” is
scheduled for May 23 to June 19 with stops at major
festivals such as Cali Roots in California and the
Governors Ball in New York. Chronixx fans in midwestern states will also get their first taste of Chronixx
and the Zinc Fence Redemption live during this tour.
The following is taken from an interview I conducted
at the end of the Capture Land tour. I met up with
Chronixx in the beautiful area of Jacks Hill overlooking
Kingston city. It was a cool, misty morning and
Chronixx was resting from the hectic tour just
completed two days before. My heartfelt thanks to
Lloyd Stanbury, Chronixx, Daddi Barnz and the
rest of the team for making it possible.”
Interview by: Sista Irie
Sista Irie: Tell me about the origin of the Capture
Land Tour, how it came about and why you decided
to do it in Jamaica. What were your objectives for the
tour?
And yet, it didn’t feel like a risk because of the
confidence level. We knew it was going to work
regardless of the physical elements we were
seeing.
Chronixx: The Capture Land Tour started as a
dream from when I was a little youth running
up and down, singing in my house, singing in
the bathroom. Even before I started to visualize
myself singing across the world for different
people, I always wanted to just go and sing
some music for the people in Jamaica.
Sista Irie: So on getting in touch with the people,
how did you strategically decide where you were going
to perform, and what were the differences you found
amongst the people?
Chronixx: We weren’t trying to do all parishes
in Jamaica at once, because of the amount of
time we had to do it. I don’t think there was
much strategy to it, more than just to pick some
parishes. We are not a very strategic set of
people, or let me put it this way; We are not as
strategic as we come off to be to the general
public. There is a thing called perfect timing.
We just always happen to be doing things at the
right time, with the right people for the right
reasons.
We find that there are a lot of things we are not
comfortable with as artists where the industry
is concerned. I feel that the only way to fix
anything is to act. In the beginning, in my mind,
the Capture Land Tour was something we could
either fail at or do very well. So we tried. It was
not the easiest thing but it was a very good
thing to try and I would do it again, and again.
Sista Irie: What did you learn from it?
Sista Irie: And you have an excellent crew. Seems
like you have all the supporting pieces that you need.
Chronixx: What I learned is there is no one way
of doing things. That the difference between
what you are doing and what the next man is
doing is confidence. The difference between a
man who experiences success and a man who
experiences a level of stagnancy is just how
brave you are and how confident you are in your
dreams. I saw that with a little confidence, there
is so much you can do. That is the main thing
I learned from the Capture Land Jamaica Tour.
The tour simply happened because myself, the
whole team and family was confident it could
happen. There was a time when logically it
seemed impossible, or not the best thing to do
based on what we could afford.
Chronixx: I have to give the most thanks for the
support and the family, because everything is
about them…EVERYTHING. Yeah.
Sista Irie: I noticed a lot of visual effects in your
work which I personally love, because it reminds me
of the seventies. The two shows I attended were in
Kingston and Portland. Who was the designer of these
effects, who creates the concept? Even your posters
and your marketing has amazing artwork, which is as
profound as everything else.
Chronixx: Well, as I said, just being around
the right people. It is not really a strategy. As
a matter of fact, most of these people came
about by ways that were different from my
Sista Irie: And yet, you took the risk…
PAGE
14
plan. The person who does the art or most of
the art ever since Dread and Terrible is a youth
named Andrew Cachia. I have never met him.
I have only spoken to him on Skype and over
the phone. We have been working together now
for 18 months. He is from Malta, an island near
Italy. The closest I have been to him is visiting
Italy and Sardinia, But we work together. JoJo
is from Paris, and he does most of the video
aspects of the show.
relatives. It may not be my Jamaican brothers
and sisters. It is with that open mindedness and
with great joy and hope that I will step out into
the world just hoping to meet that right person.
Sista Irie: So you have a lot of magic going on
around you, in addition to yourself.
Chronixx: Yeah- and that is a thing that I
celebrate the most - the magic. Magic is
underrated these days because planning is
overrated. So what happens is, magic disappears
whenever human control sets in. Human beings,
as people, try to control everything. Planning is
just for reference. But if you make a plan and
things happen to go better than you planned,
you should not be vex, and should not even
think about your plan any more. Just live in that
magic. Don’t spoil it by saying it’s going good
but it is not what I planned. If it is going good, it
is going good. You know what I mean? I try my
best to live my life like that. I have a brain and I
have an intelligence but I also acknowledge that
there is an intelligence way more experienced,
way more powerful, than myself. I have to be
humble and trust that intelligence also.
I am a very visual person. I think I am just as
visual as I am audio. I love music but I think
music is just one element in the great family of
art which also consists of movement. Everything
that has a sound, color, shape or vibration is art.
I am very appreciative of art. It is what creates
the life experience.
Sista Irie: I think that definitely sets you apart from
a lot of other artists, in addition to your message,
as well as your sincerity and authenticity. I think the
visuals speak to a larger audience too.
Chronixx: It was my first experiment and now I
am really into it. I think that is the main aspect
of the show that has my interest right now.
The visual production of it. It is a great thing
that you have Jamaican people who can do it
to a level. I am sure there are people around
the world who we will eventually meet and get
to work with and build a thing. I like to unite
Jamaicans with people from all over the world.
I have the knowledge from within myself that
my music is not meant for any one race or any
one group of people, so, I have to make even
the business aspect and all other aspects of
my music reflect that as well. I can’t get too
caught up in Jamaica or any one country in the
world. The earth is big and I believe that my
closest family and friends may not be my blood
Sista Irie: That’s good. I saw so many things in
the show, we could talk a long time. One thing that
really impresses me is your commitment to support
a positive change in the youth of Jamaica. When you
talk about your music onstage, you say it is for the old
and the young. What is the impact that you are trying
to make on the youth? Do you think it is heading in
that direction? Because right now you are a major
influence on them.
Chronixx: Let me establish that I am not trying
to make an impact. What happen is now I am
more conscious of what I was created to do.
The fact that I was created to do this means
PAGE
15
it is not my personal mission, you know what
I mean? So, this music we are making now is
meant to create a bridge. Cuz what happen…
the thing that destroys the world is the distance
between people. And as human beings we tend
to mend distance with telecommunications. We
create better airports to make traveling much
easier but people are still distant. It is much
easier to travel from Jamaica to China than it
was a few years ago, but you find that Chinese
people are still being discriminated against.
You find Jamaicans are still being discriminated
against and misunderstood by the whole world,
and that is caused by a level of distance. A
distance that first stems from education and
miseducation. Music can create a way to make
up for that miseducation by re-educating people
- meaning re-educating the young man about his
traditions, re-educating the old person about
the changes that are happening now, that it’s
nothing bad, it’s not scary, it’s just things and
times changing. You also have to tell the young
person your grandmother experienced certain
things which are very important to where you
are going right now, so you need to know, and
you need to respect it. So I think it is bridging
that gap. And then to a wider extent, outside the
family from a global perspective, let the Chinese
man know more about the Jamaican culture,
so when I go to China I have to bring some of
the Chinese culture home and make the people
say “yeah, this is how the Chinese people live.” The
more we start feeling like difference is normal,
the more we start feeling like our peculiar self
and our original self is normal.
re-introduce a love for diversity and also we
have to put the truth about our culture as
Jamaicans out there. Because we can’t leave
it up to people to tell our story. What happens
is the people who are bringing the Jamaican
culture to the world are not people who really
love the culture. It is media people. They are
writers who write in the best interest of their
career. You have to have somebody whose doing
it in the best interest of the culture. If there is X
happening in Jamaica, the person supposed to
say there is X is happening in Jamaica. You are
not supposed to go pretty it up for your article.
Don’t mis-educate people and then give people
a stereotype about Jamaicans that doesn’t exist.
If you are going to write about Chronixx, write
about Chronixx. You know what I mean? When
people misuse the word Reggae Revival they
make it look like every artist is doing the same
thing I am doing, and that is not right.
So, it is the same thing that happened with
music in the seventies, it happened in the
eighties and in the nineties again when
dancehall became predominant and they made
it seem as if it is the only thing happening in
music and because of that, the whole world got
a certain stereotype of Jamaican artists. You find
that even within the booking aspects, promoters
don’t want to book different artists differently.
They feel like it is the same procedure, that
every artist wants to stay in the same hotel, or
eat the same food, yet every artist is different.
So we have to make sure that when we bring
culture to the world, we bring it with truth.
And what we say and project is real about our
culture. What we find in dancehall, is talk about
some things that are not real about our culture.
We give people a perception of things like we
are some bling bling hype people, and that is
not true about Jamaican people. That is not the
Everybody has an original self which is unique
to him and to her. We have to re-educate people
that this is how the earth is. It is not like all
Chinese people are the same. We have to
PAGE
16
majority of people. The majority of Jamaicans
cannot afford to wear a diamond chain. So we
can’t make it seem like it is that Jamaicans live
for.
when I was unknown to the Jamaica masses.
I remember with the song “Behind Curtain,”
it just literally took off in Kenya. I was getting
tweets every day that I was getting airplay in
Africa when I wasn’t getting any airplay in
Jamaica at all. Like none whatsoever. I took
that as a sign and it resides in my consciousness
that these were the first people to be moved by
my music. That created in me a level of comfort
because I know the genetic link and the spiritual
link between Jamaican and African people. I
am saying if these people accept my music,
then I don’t have to worry about Jamaican
people accepting my music, because we are the
same people. The main difference between us
and them at the time was how much we were
being fed the music. So I knew once the music
was being played and it reached outside to the
streets, people would love it. It’s music that
makes people feel better within themselves. It is
like a medication kind of music.
The thing that stands out the most to me
about Jamaican people is the level of creativity
that exists within them. We are a people who
exist from a very unfortunate climate where
economics and social stability and social
structure is concerned. It is because of that, we
have to be overly creative. Which means day
to day life must include creativity. Right? You
will see a man on the street driving a car but
his car is not the one he wants, so he buys a car
and makes it look like the one he wanted. So
he buys a Camry and set it up like a Benz. Or a
man can’t buy the house he wants so he builds
one cheaper and try his best to make it look
like the one in his mind. So it turn out to be art.
Same with music. We want to create music but
don’t have the big pretty studio. We challenge
ourselves, so I think that is the thing most
beautiful about Jamaican people. I have been all
around the Caribbean and I feel that Jamaican
people are the way we are as a reaction to
oppression. Like I heard a song the other day
when I was in Portland and it said…”Come
mek we dance because it done gone bad already.”
And that is the attitude of Jamaican people.
Things done bad already so mek we try to mek
something out of something. I think that is a
very beautiful thing about Jamaican people.
So, with Africa now, I find that these people
have a special love for the music even before
my Jamaican family. So what happen is that
two years after that we were invited to Kenya
as Peace Ambassadors during the last election
by a youth political group. We were invited to
perform in Nairobi, in the middle of the city in
a huge square - it was their conference center,
I think ICC. I was invited to perform on tracks
because at the time they couldn’t afford to pay
for the whole band. It was a free show with
broadcast on national TV, so I said, alright, bring
half of the band. That is how I met Stephen
Coore because one of our guitarists was on tour
with Romain Virgo and the other didn’t have a
US Visa. We were going via JFK and we signed
off on the tickets within 24 hours of the show.
There was a lot of back and forth about live
music vs tracks. So we didn’t have a guitarist
Sista Irie: So let me ask you about Africa. Because
after your performances, I saw people from Africa
say “Chronixx, come home.” So when are you going
home?
Chronixx: Alright, well the thing is, Africa is the
first place that really accepted my music even
PAGE
17
and we had to get on a plane within the next
couple of hours.
where the music was bigger than the artist. That
is an ideal situation for me. That is my dream,
to see my music outlive my image. And that is
one of the things I found out in Africa, they love
the artists but it is the music they love the most.
Definitely is my dream. What I did in Jamaica
with Capture Land Tour is the same dream I
have for Africa.
We rehearsed in the plane and in the hotel.
We did an acoustic performance with Kelissa.
Kelissa was there because it was from those
times that I realize we should never force
ourselves to experience anything alone. When
you do things by yourself it is almost like you
don’t believe in the future. I believe that every
tradesman should have somebody there doing
what he is doing, learning what he is learning
because somebody has to be there to have the
full experience of what is happening. I believe
that Dre Island, Kabaka Pyramid and Protoje
all play an integral role in propelling each other
forward, and we are like each other’s engines.
It’s like you can’t go anywhere in a car and leave
the engine.
Sista Irie: That was Capture Land 1, what is Capture
Land 2. When, what and where?
Chronixx: We call it Part 1 because we believe in
progression. We believe in forward movement.
It’s also one of my philosophies that after
every great achievement follows an even
greater achievement and then even greater
achievements. So you can’t do something and
feel like that is it. So, I always leave room
for progression. I don’t know when or how I
will do what is next. When the universe points
something out to you, you have to do something
to show you are in agreement. I guess that is
what they call fate. Fate is the evidence of the
things you can’t see.
The very first time I left Jamaica to play in Costa
Rica, I played with Indiggnation Band. What
happened is at the airport the drummer and
the bass player from Indiggnation were denied
entry into Costa Rica and the show was the next
day. So literally the backbone of the band was
not there. So we had to use the drummer and
the bass player from Raging Fyah, and they had
to do the same thing, learn the music on the
way to the stage. It was myself, Indiggnation,
Raging Fyah, Jah 9, Kabaka, Sara Lugo and
Midnite at the Costa Rica event. That was my
first experience performing internationally,
and it was a great experience. From that time I
decided to always make an effort where other
people could get experience. So I went with
Kelissa to Africa and it was great. At that time
in Africa, nobody knew my face but the music
was huge. When they introduced me on stage,
nobody was clapping but as soon as I started
singing…PANDEMONIUM..so it was like, a case
Sista Irie: Is it divine intervention?
Chronixx: Yeah, but not as spooky. Because
divine intervention happens every second of
your life. Not like a ghost that comes and fixes
things for you. We are all divine creatures.
Everything in Creation has a divinity. When you
accept that, you don’t have to see everything on
paper to believe it. You don’t even have to see it
in front of your eyes to believe or even to know
that this something is possible. So when I say
Part I, it is just to say that Part II is possible.
PAGE
18
Chronixx and Kelissa ‘Capture Land’ Jamaica Tour
Chronicle & Chronixx ‘Capture Land Jamaica’ Tour
Click here for Chronixx Tour
Schedule
KABAKA
PYRAMID
KABAKA PYRAMID
and looking for new opportunities. I never really
had any specific thing outlined about what I
wanted to achieve but I knew I wanted to make
an impact on the people who were watching. I
wanted to make a good impression about the
mission and the music.
Interview and photos by: Sista Irie
Austin, Texas March, 2015
Kabaka Pyramid was one of many Jamaican and
reggae artists who participated in the SXSW music
showcases this year. Kabaka appeared on four shows
over the course of four days, making him a highly
featured reggae artist for this year’s festival. I sat
down with Kabaka Pyramid and his manager, Duane
McDonald, to chat about his SXSW experience and
other relevant issues related to current developments
in reggae on the Jamaican and international scene.
My hope as an Austinite is to rebuild the local demand
and awareness for reggae music.
Sista Irie: So when you say someone say someone
was interested in having you, who was that?
KP: Some representatives of the festival reached
out but it was up to us to find sponsorship.
Sista Irie: Well you know that is very special. They
don’t normally reach out to artists. There are so many
trying to get into the festival.
KP: We sent an application and they reached out
and invited us.
Sista Irie: Kabaka, I just saw you in Jamaica last
weekend, and at the Flamingo Cantina just a few
months ago, and thankfully ,now for SXSW. It was
great to have you come back to Austin.
Sista Irie: Tell us about the experience and whether
or not it met your expectations? What was the most
valuable aspect of being here?
Yeah man, I was glad to be back in the place. I
love the energy and the whole vibration.
KP: It blew my expectations because I didn’t
really realize what it is all about when we came
to Flamingo Cantina last year. I literally came
into the venue through backstage, performed
and went back out through backstage again.
The rest of the band and management walked
up Sixth Street, but I didn’t, so I didn’t realize
what kind of vibe it was, and how many different
venues and how live music was everywhere, just
crazy! It was an experience seeing the people
fill up the streets, the convention center, the
expos and the seminars. We went to talk with
some producers like Just Blaze, Guru and Mannie
Fresh. As someone who grew up listening to
a whole lot of hip hop artists and producers
and mixing hip hop with reggae, it was crazy
listening to them, especially about the machines
Sista Irie: Yes, Austin loves you too and hope you
make this a regular stop.
Definitely
Sista Irie: What made you consider coming and
performing at SXSW and what did you hope to
accomplish?
KP: Well I always heard good things about
SXSW. So when we heard they were interested
in having us, it was exciting to come experience
a conference around live music and the film
industry. We are always interested in expanding
our horizons, meeting people in the industry
PAGE
24
and the programs they use. That was really
enlightening for me. I initially thought this
was a festival, you know like a big show of like
20,000 -30,000 people in one setting. But it was
a different kind of vibe. It was maybe the same
amount of people or more but stretched out
over the whole of downtown. That was really
nice to see how many venues were involved.
We performed at three different venues, four
different shows. When I tell people I came to
SXSW and did four shows, they say “whaaat,
fi real?” Like normally, you would just do one
show. We always work as a team, so once we
knew we reached out to the people, the ones we
know in Austin, and we tell them to come to this
show or the next show, we just try to maximize
the whole thing.
That is one of my personal goals. You know
what I mean? Not only Black America but there
is a hip hop community in Jamaica too. They
are constantly being shunned because radio
doesn’t want to play the music. They say why
are you rapping and you are in Jamaica? And
that happens a lot and yet there is a lot of
talent from both the rappers and producers. So
one of my long term goals is to bridge that gap
fully and as you say in North America I want
to be doing songs with Mos Def and Common
and those guys so they can get our side of the
culture. The African American is one side and
the Caribbean side is another and they can even
bridge with African artists and go to Africa and
mix up in that scene. I say go to Africa and mix
up a little Afro Beat with the music. At the end
of the day, the message needs to get out and we
know the power that Jamaican culture has and
it is just something that take over. We have to
use it for good. A lot of people use that special
Jamaican influence and yet what they say in
the music is derogatory. We have that style and
flavor that everybody loves, but we must use
it for the positive messages because so much
things are happening in the world. What’s really
happening? We need to stress the message at all
times.
Sista Irie: There were many people there from other
parts of Texas and this was their first exposure to
Kabaka Pyramid. That experience for them can open
up the whole gateway to the midwestern portion of
the US.
KP: Definitely! That is one thing that we reach
them and has become one of our goals to see
how many people from the different areas are
interested in the music. Yeah man, yeah!
Sista Irie: You came from being a hip hop artist,
correct?
Sista Irie: The blending is really attractive. I have
been on my radio station 25 years and it has been
difficult to get African Americans interested in reggae.
But people like yourself, Damian Marley and other
people who have blended the music will help open this
market.
KP: I was doing both hip hop and reggae but
for some reason hip hop just kinda came easier
for me. The stuff I used to put out was mainly
hip hop up to a point but then I became more
confident about singing and dj’ing and things
like that. Then, I began to focus on putting out
my message with reggae but leaving hip hop
elements in it.
KP: Yes, and Ini Kamoze. It’s an exciting time.
When you see people like Chronixx doing songs
with Joey Bada$$, you know the doors and the
divides are being broken down. Looking forward
to great things!
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25
Sista Irie: Did you attend the conference sessions
during the day and what did you find valuable as an
artist? Were there any you would have liked to attend
that you were not able to get to?
they put themselves in a mind frame to come to
something like this. It is sowing seeds, investing
in your product and your musical talent and
performance. You come to learn, you come to
network. A lot of Jamaicans, we are not social
people, we tend to be anti-social. Artists kind
of feel like “me is a star and tings so I am not
going to mingle up with a whole heap of people
and dem ting deh.” That attitude will have to
go if they attend something like this. People
are going to want to talk to you and have
conversations and talk about you merchandise.
It is a real experience and I hope some great
things come out of it still.
KP: I attended one with the producers including
Mannie Fresh and the music expo, as well as the
technology expo. We saw some of the latest
developments. I remember seeing this digital
board, maybe one and half foot by one foot
and is like a full 16 track board that you, as an
engineer can take to a show. We need like a 100
of them in Jamaica so every engineer can have
one with personal settings for each band and
everyone can have their own mix programmed
and effects. So many shows you go to in Jamaica
and there are no effects in the board. You are
performing and it is dry and you sing out your
vocals so I am glad to see these things. And the
musicians in the band got to see so many things
like new guitars and keyboards on display.
Sista Irie: I want to talk about your music. I am a
social activist and really love your songs especially
“Well Done” and “We Don’t Want No Capitalists.”
Some say artists talk too much about what is wrong
with Jamaica and want to know what the artists are
offering as solutions?
Sista Irie: Are there any panels you missed that you
wished you could have attended?
KP: I think I saw the same thing as some
comments on the articles. But it is a sad thing
that we need artists to come up with solutions
for our country. What is the government
supposed to be doing? Are they just there to
create problems and we are supposed to fix it
as artists? There are so many things that can be
done. If you are not basing your whole national
system on self sufficiency, it’s a joke. If you
don’t plan to exist on your own and strengthen
yourself from within, is like an island of people
working to pay off debt. And that is all it really
what it comes down to.
KP: I can’t say for sure, if I wasn’t performing
and was only coming as a music lover, I would
go to three or four every day. But with four
shows in four days and walking up and down
and seeing different things, I wasn’t in the
frame of mind to attend all the seminars on this
run. It’s a lot soaking up the whole experience.
Sista Irie: So overall would you recommend SXSW.
You all don’t get paid and it is expensive to come.
Would you recommend this experience to other
Jamaican artists?
We don’t promote farming, we don’t promote
production. In pointing out these problems,
you are actually saying the solutions as well.
Promote farming, subsidize farming until we
reach a point where we can export. But the
KP: Definitely. It takes a certain type of artist
to feel at home in a situation like this. It’s not
for every artist, but every artist would benefit if
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27
people need food, good food. Look how much
mental disease is going on in Jamaica. It has to
do with food and the water, the quality of life
and things like that. We go to school for how
many years and we don’t know how to produce
anything? We come out and the best thing you
can get out of school is being trainable to go
work for somebody. You don’t know how to
create something, to make something where
you develop your own little economic system.
obviously could make a major difference. That, along
with what could happen (and I don’t know how you
feel about this because you don’t smoke ganja), with
the decriminalization and legalization of ganja. Do you
want to touch on any of that?
KP: Yeah, I mean, basically my view is I have
no reason to have any faith in the government
of Jamaica. So anything they do, I don’t see the
underlying reason behind it being to benefit
the people of Jamaica. When they implement
something, they are going to find a way for their
pockets to get fat. You know what I mean? By
whatever process it takes to get something
done, they will create barriers. When people
need something from a corporation, they tell
them that you are not going to be able to get
this permit unless you do what they ask you
to do. It is a hustling system, it’s an extortion
system, so we know they are going to extort the
people with the ganja. We know that. That is the
system how we are trained.
You are not taught to think economically in
terms of your community either. It is just
individualistic. That is why we burn capitalism. I
am all for sharing resources within communities.
Basically, what we find is these multi billion
dollar corporations, the whole system is set that
you work for them, you can’t BE them. Within
the system, the possibilities of that happening is
very slim. Something has to be done about that.
We don’t really see it.
When we sing these things in the music, that is
all we can really do. Artists can take their money
and do certain things, and that is probably not
being done a lot, but the onus is on the leaders
of the nation to lead. If we can call it out, all
Jamaicans should realize this and hold them
accountable. If I sing it in a song, you gonna
fight me because I sing it in a song? This is the
level of brainwashing that we are under in these
developing nations.
Basically we have not gotten rid of the colonial
system at all. We are still controlled by the
Queen of England through the Governor General,
the JDF (Jamaica Defense Force) is still their
personal mercenary army to do whatever they
want, not even the Prime Minister controls
them. Jamaican citizens are literally the property
of the Queen of England. These are facts. Until
we completely cut off from that colonization link,
then there is no reason to believe that anything
is done for the benefit of the people. Because
these are the same people who enslaved us. So
we can’t expect them to free us. We have to free
ourselves.
Sista Irie: How do you think that change can happen
in Jamaica? Even the Minister of Culture and Minister
of Entertainment, they are not paying attention to all
the recommendations that have been made that could
not only create economic stability for the country
but maybe even impact the crime rate. If they could
use the resources in Jamaica, and I mean talent, for
a more productive way of creating an economy, it
PAGE
28
We have to come up with our own systems of
economy. It is going to take, on a national scale,
billionaires to sacrifice their money and plunge
it into the economy of the people who don’t
have any. On a smaller scale everybody needs to
do whatever they can to make themselves self
sufficient. Even if you take a tire and put some
dirt in it so you can plant some callaloo. Or you
give a little to the people who live around you
so them can cook food in the morning. It is from
that straight to the top to create economies
within each community. Each community
should have something that they produce so
other communities can benefit, too, and have a
network to trade. We also need to move certain
communities out of Kingston. The city is overpopulated. It is polluted, look at all the garbage
and Riverton and them have to light these fires
and the polution. These are some of the things
that right now, we can’t expect to be enforced
by the government.
Sista Irie: So how are you going to make those
changes? Do you see a revolution, do you think music
can change it? Do you think people get so fed up that
(pause)….how do you break that system?
KP: Mi have a song say “Mi dunno, mi dunno
what it will take to change this world. Mi dunno,
mi dunno but the youth will have to save this
world.” The only thing we can do is educate the
youth because populations die out. That is just
the reality of it. Even if it take forty years, if we
get to the youth now, we have a chance for the
future.
Sista Irie: This is where the Reggae Revival …to
me… is much more than just a reggae revival , it is a
Spiritual Revival.
KP: It is a consciousness revival. Not only in
reggae music. That is why when Dutty come
to me with this term ‘Reggae Revival’ and ask
what I think about it, the first thing I say to
him is “it is just a revival in general.” You have
conscious rappers coming out, you have the
whole yoga spiritual community coming to the
forefront right now. Everywhere you look is a
yoga studio or a health food store. It is not just
music but the music is a symbol for it. The music
is something that accentuates it and speeds up
the whole process. That’s why we do the music.
It’s an overall thing.
have to set a precedent and give the youths a
standard. Because a lot of music has been made
but maybe people weren’t taking it as serious
as they could. Maybe they weren’t getting their
teams together and make sure they have their
marketing sort out and their videos and artwork
are up to standard. There was a time when it
was just labels controlled dem tings. Now is ‘we’
that control these things for ourselves. We are
looking at what the hip hop man do and we look
pon the R &B and POP people and say “how dem
set those tings so?” We want to set our things
like that so it can have the same impact.
Sista Irie: Speaking of Revival, you can only revive
something for so long. Has the Reggae Revival
come to a point where each of the artists are focusing
on their own careers and now one must look for
sustainability. When that happens, is it no longer a
revival?
Sista Irie: So my last thought is about the youth of
Jamaica. There are a lot of people in Jamaica that
have turned their attention to the Reggae Revival and
it is having an impact on the industry world wide. Do
you see that the youth of Jamaica are beginning to
feel the shift and want to become the shift as well?
KP: There has to be sustainability. I would
hope that is the aim of the whole experience
where artists can come up and have a platform
where people are looking for a product from
this area we call reggae music in the space of
the whole music spectrum. The more a Chronixx
gets exposure, and artist like Protoje, the more
the people who love these artists start look for
the next set of artists, the movement grows. So
what we try to do is set a precedent in terms
of how professional we go about what we are
doing. That includes our teams and how we
present our music.
KP: As it relates to the whole reggae scene
and the Revival as we call it…we are at the
beginning stages in Jamaica. Still very early.
A lot of Jamaican youths would only know a
Chronixx or only know a Protoje. They might
have heard there was someone named Kabaka,
and then, what I always try to stray from
in these arguments is speaking of it on an
individual basis. It is still a collective thing.
I don’t think in the minds of Jamaican youth
that there is this big vibe going on in reggae
music. Because reggae music and dancehall
music is an every day thing for these people.
Artists come and artists go. But it take a certain
thing to become a spearhead or a real popular
artist in Jamaica. A lot of us within the Reggae
Revival, we don’t break through to that main
kind of vibe where everyone know you. Even
if you are in the paper every day, because I
The Capture Land Tour is a ground breaking
thing. I heard Protoje on stage talking about he
is doing a school tour, him alone as an artist. In
Reggae music these are ground breaking things,
and I am not saying they have never been done
before. Maybe those things were happening
in the seventies or eighties but we have gone
through a spell where certain things just never
gwaan in terms of consciousness music. We just
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30
see articles that come out every day with me,
and I go stand up and people still just walk by
me. One youth might come up and say “yow
my artist” but fifteen other walk by. So it is
still an early stage. I am sure it is the same for
Dre Island and Jah 9. We want to reach a level
where we are the people we want the youth to
look up to. It is NOT an EGO thing. It is because
of what we say. I can say that for myself. I don’t
know if ego is driving anyone else of my close
bredrin. It is the message we deal with. It would
have been better off for the Jamaican youth if
the conscious artists are like the pop stars in
the country. It is a vision that I wish even the
government have too but we can’t depend on
them, so we have to do it ourselves.
that Revival, and I am going to keep my eye on what
is going on now with the hope that success happens
with this group of artists who are working so hard and
in such a beautiful way, I really think there is a strong
possibility that things can continue to move in the
right way. What was lost can be gained and what was
hidden can be revealed.
Sista Irie: So are you talking about the way Chronixx
and Protoje bring everyone on stage?
KP: I can say it straight…within the uptown
there is a consciousness of the whole vibes.
People come to a Kabaka show not just to see
me, but they know they will see a bunch of
artists. But if I perform in the ghetto or some
area in the country, they may not relate to that
or put that together. I don’t see that manifest.
It is more like they look to see who the youth
is onstage or if dem wait until they hear me
say “I got to give the Most High Praise, from I
see them….” they say “RHATID”, him sing that
song with Chronixx. There is still a lot of work to
do in terms of the mass of Jamaica. But I think
the association we have on stage and the unity
is doing a lot for the movement and even the
artists as individuals. Them thing is easy and
comes natural.
Sista Irie: Well, I just have to say, I have been here
since the beginning of the Regge Revival. Actually
I have been here since Bob and Peter were around,
PAGE
31
Island Stage
Artist
Spotlight
www.reggaereflection.com
Cham
© 2015 Reggae Reflection
Cham
...also known as Baby Cham has been a mainstay on
the Dancehall scene since the mid-nineties, achieving
international success with his Ghetto Story Release.
His third album, Lawless has a planned release date
in June. Now as Cham is headlining the Set up Shop
Volume 2 Tour which runs from April 9th through May
3rd, fans can expect to see a high powered show
backed by his new live band, The Mad People Gang.
The tour also includes Wayne Marshall, Jo Mersa
Marley, Christopher Ellis, and Black Am I, all featured
artists on the Set up Shop Volume 2 Tour, which is
the latest Ghetto Youth Compilation CD produced by
Damian Marley.
While Cham was in Boston, Reggae Robin had the
opportunity to chat with Cham about the tour with his
new band, his thoughts on the current state of Reggae
and Dancehall, and his upcoming album Lawless.
Thank you to Janet Davidson of Madhouse Records
and the Setup Shop Volume 2 team for providing the
opportunity to chat with Cham and photograph the
show.
For over 27 years, Reggae Robin has produced and
hosted Boston’s longest running Reggae radio show,
Raggamuffin International on the Boston College Radio
Station, WZBC, 90.3FM which airs on Saturday from
3PM - 7PMET. Robin also hosts a weekly show the VP
Records sponsored online radio station, Randy’s Radio,
every Monday 2PM - 4PMET. Follow Reggae Robin:
Reggae Robin: Welcome back to Boston Cham.
Cham: The new single, that’s the first single of
the upcoming album. The name of the upcoming
album is Lawless. The first single is entitled I’m
too Hot. The video is out. The single is out on
iTunes. Make sure you all go get it. No bootleg.
Purchase it, $1.29 is not going to kill your
pocket [ laughs].
Cham: Thanks for having me.
Reggae Robin: It’s always a pleasure to see you. I
have to tell you that I always say this on the radio.
You are the only artist that has ever held a door for
me!
Reggae Robin: Where can you get it?
Cham: [laughs] I’m always doing that for you.
That’s my thing. I’m the kid for the ladies. I’m
going to keep on holding the doors and making
sure that everything is ok.
Cham: You can get it anywhere. Google play,
iTunes, anywhere. You can even go to my
website which is Chamworld.com and you can
click on the link and that will take you to a
buying link also.
Reggae Robin: So what’s going on? You are on tour
right now with the Set up Shop 2 Tour.
Reggae Robin: It’s always good to support.
Everyone needs support.
Cham: Yes, it’s the Set up Shop Vol 2 Tour.
Myself, Wayne Marshall, Jo Mersa, Christopher
Ellis, Black Am I and the name of the band on
tour is The Mad People Gang.
Cham: Yes, Hashtag Support! [laughs]
Reggae Robin: What else has been going on?
Reggae Robin: Is this your band?
Cham: The clothing line has been doing well.
The clothing line is Lawless also. We came up
with the idea. To me, Lawless is not about
sticking up banks or sticking up shops or none
of that. Lawless to me is - directly is basically
I’m a citizen of a world without borders. So we
float wherever we have to float, we go wherever
we have to go, we do whatever we have to
do as long as we keep it our way and keep it
respectfully and lawlessly.
Cham: Yeah, that’s my band.
Reggae Robin: Are you going to do more band
tours? How about festivals?
Cham: For Sure, I’m touring strictly with the
band as of now. This summer we are doing a lot
of the festivals also. We are doing a lot of the
festivals here in the states, a lot of the festivals
in Europe and then for the Canadian tour also we
probably have 4 major festivals which is good
for Canada.
Reggae Robin: Where can we get the clothing line?
Cham: You can get the clothes at www.
chamworld.com. We have a few stores also
that’s just launched in Jamaica, probably two or
three. And that’s how we are doing it for now,
apart from that for the rest of the world you
Reggae Robin: Is there any music that we should
be looking out for? I know you have a new tune and
video.
PAGE
36
have to go to chamworld.com. Hopefully we’ll
get it into Macys or one of these big chains.
15 years old. And they have been supporting me
from day one. So when they purchase all this
stuff, cds, singles, when you go see them live
that’s when you tell them thank you very much
by delivering 200% or more!
Reggae Robin: Or you can just go and see Cham
when he plays and you can get it there at the venue.
Cham: At the concert, you done know. Where the
fans can directly purchase their t-shirts, hats,
tank tops, you name it. They can go all out.
Reggae Robin: And you always have every time I’ve
seen you. You’ve always just given your all.
Cham: Thank you very much and with this new
band, it’s fire! Real fire ! [laughs]
Reggae Robin: What do you see that is going on
with Reggae right now. People are talking all kinds of
things about it.
Reggae Robin: What do you think about American
Reggae?
Cham: Reggae is always Reggae, no matter
what people are always going to talk. You find
that it’s a genre that is really a culture. And a
culture can never ever die. The culture is the
people. The people will never ever die. That’s
just life. It’s like a cycle, it’s like the earth,
always moving, always rotating. Reggae will
always be Reggae. Dancehall will always be
Dancehall. It’s powerful, it’s the most powerful
genre of music in the world. If you really check
it, it gets the least amount of promotion, the
least amount of money spent on it, the least
amount of press , the least amount of radio, you
name it, media, but yet still if you check it and
break it down ratio to ratio we still outdo all of
them, no matter what. And especially with our
live concerts man, which other crowd is crazier
than a reggae crowd? And who can perform like
a Reggae or a Dancehall act. None! [laughs]
Cham: Music has no boundaries. And all of
us, that’s the reason we do the music. We do
the music to expand the music and so other
kids from different backgrounds and different
cultures can directly embrace the music and
that’s what’s happening now. We find that these
kids over here and not even in America alone.
We have European bands that are really in and
even speaking patois. It’s a compliment. And
it’s good and it keeps us, Dancehall and Reggae
artists on our toes to know that ok, this is ours
no matter what so we have to always keep
ahead of the game and lead the way.
Reggae Robin: Since you’ve been everywhere, is
there any place that you haven’t been that you want
to play?
Cham: Let me see. I would love to play in Egypt,
Israel, Afghanistan. These places that we’ve
read about in the bible from day one.
Reggae Robin: Tear up the stage. I mean tear up the
stage! And you have always done that.
Cham: That’s my thing. I just love performing
live for the fans. That’s the way you give back to
the fans. They have been supportive for so many
years. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid like
Reggae Robin: Israel is supposed to have a huge
Reggae scene.
PAGE
37
Cham: We get so much orders from Tel Aviv for
Lawless merchandise. Crazy orders so I can’t wait
to go over there. I know that it’s going to be fire.
Reggae Robin: Have you been to Africa?
Cham: We’ve done just two countries in Africa.
Hopefully with this album they are lining up a full
African tour. So hopefully everything can come
through. And we can get that done where we can
really hit the African market the right way and let
them see our live concert.
Reggae Robin: When will the album drop?
Cham: I am shooting for June. That’s what we are
shooting for. So hopefully we can get the single
up and popping. It’s already doing well. That’s I’m
Too Hot and by late May we can probably leak the
second single and then boom the album comes
right after. “They say I’m Too Hot [laughs]. The ladies say I’m
Too Hot. Can you hear me?! Good! [Wow Wow!]”
Reggae Robin: Is there anything you want to say to
the people while you have the opportunity.
Cham: If you give me that [opportunity], I’ll talk
all night [laughs]. I just want to tell the fans,
thanks for supporting and keep on supporting.
Now more than ever Reggae and Dancehall music
need the support. Apart from that, just support
the music. Stop bootlegging, please. Let us show
the strength of our real fan base. Just like how
they can see it in our hard core concerts and all
these things. Let’s show the support with going
on these medias and mediums by purchasing the
records. Not just my records, but your favorite
artist also. And even if he’s not your favorite artist
and you love the music, you should purchase it
just the same.
Apart from that, Big up to Madhouse Records.
Big up to Janet Davidson, David Kelly, the whole
Lawless Army and Team Cham. “Can you hear
me?! “ And remember the album is coming. The
album is fire. Shout out to my new backing band,
The Mad People Gang and if you can recall from
1997, I told you all we present on stage out of
Sherlock Crescent [St. Andrew, Jamaica] signed
by The Mad People Gang and we live to know
that my new band is called The Mad People
Gang. So Big up . Remember the new album is
called Lawless. Check us out on social media
(click the links below). Thank you!
“The road to success is not straight, there’s a curve called failure
A loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends And red light
called enemies, caution signs called family And flat tires called
jacks but if you have a spare called determination And an engine
called perseverance, with insurance called faith And the drive to
make it, you’ll reach a place called success Can you hear me”? Cham
Follow Cham:
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39
Kamila McDonald
Kamila McDonald Shares Her Story & Why We Should
Honor Our Bodies
Interview by: Maliika Walker
“We are all here to find our purpose in life, meanwhile we know
deep down we are not living to our full potential. That should be
the drive to get up off the couch. We are all meant to just live life.”
Kamila McDonald was born in Kingston, Jamaica to
parents who practiced the Rastafari way of life. She
is the oldest of five children. Two of her siblings are
roots artists Kelissa and Keznamdi McDonald.
Growing up she lived a fit and healthy lifestyle.
However, her life changed when she left Jamaica to
attend college in cold and brisk Norway. She was
suddenly in a foreign land separated from her friends
and family. Kamila eventually gained almost 200
pounds and became pre-diabetic. She conquered
her own struggle with obesity, winning Miss Jamaica
World Beach Beauty in 2009 and Miss Jamaica Beach
Bikini in 2013.
Kamila McDonald is a wife, mother, certified personal
trainer, nutritionist, TV reporter, and co-founder of the
10 Pound Pledge Program. This past January, she was
appointed the newest ambassador for Adidas Women.
Kamila holds a Bachelor’s degree (with honors) in
Communications & Media from Stanford University
and a Master’s in Journalism from UC Berkeley.
Kamila is committed to motivating others to live life
to their fullest potential. A few years ago I signed
up for Kamila McDonald’s No Salt Challenge. Kamila
provided all of the participants with a guide for
following the program as well as motivating emails
throughout the challenge. It was a tough challenge
and I am not ashamed to say that I did not finish
because I was not ready to make the commitment.
When I informed Kamila that I will not be continuing
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41
the program, she encouraged me to complete the
program when I was ready. Well today, I decided to
sign up for Kamila’s 10 Pound Pledge Program and I
will be sharing my progress throughout my journey on
the program. I recently had the opportunity to speak
with Kamila about her journey with healthy living
and why we should honor our bodies. Here is our
conversation.
experience was destiny for me.
It’s easy for a professional trainer or a nutritionist
to say, “Oh, he/she just needs to work out regularly or he/she
just needs to be healthy”. But when you live that, you
know how difficult it is to make a lifestyle change. I
needed to walk that path and overcome it so I can be
a vessel for others who may feel there is no hope for
them in living a healthy lifestyle. I understand that
it’s very difficult. As humans we are all creatures of
habit. It is very difficult to get over the habit of being
unhealthy when you don’t even realize it. So having
gone through that battle and overcoming it tells me I
was put on earth for this. I give thanks for health and
strength and the fact that I found that being healthy
is the best decision I have ever made. I looked in
the mirror and said to myself that I cannot do this
anymore. I was very depressed for those couple
of years, very different from what I knew and was
used to. So yes, I have been through the struggle
of weight loss and I am here as a beacon of hope for
people who may be going through a similar struggle.
It’s important for people to know that you do not need
these diet pills, these crash diets. Getting healthy
comes with consistency.
Maliika: Would you mind sharing your battle with
obesity, after growing up living a healthy lifestyle?
Kamila: I grew up in a Rastafarian family. That means
as a Rastafarian you embrace a healthy lifestyle. As
a youth I was lucky to have parents who raised me
in that livity. Rastafari is a lifestyle. My siblings and
I were blessed with that opportunity and we didn’t
think about it as youths because our parents prepared
good ital food and kept us involved in activities like
gymnastics and the swim team. I was very active
as a child and teenager. I then went to a pre-college
program in Norway and that is where I became
unhealthy. I became pre-diabetic. I went thru a very
difficult struggle because I became a prisoner in my
own body. I was raised in a healthy way of life; then
leaving home for the first time, had a profound effect
on me. When you start making decisions for yourself
the stress can lick you. Just think you are away at
college and you are striving to do your best, somehow
I lost myself in the process a little bit. For the first
time I became to realize that I didn’t know what was
healthy vs. unhealthy because I grew up that way
naturally. Having gone away to an environment where
it’s minus 20 degrees, freezing cold, away from my
land of birth, the land of sunshine, I stayed indoors
and hid from the cold, and the pounds just piled on as
a result. It is just so easy. When you’re going thru
it, you don’t really realize what is happening to you.
That was the moment of truth for me. It was a very
difficult couple of years. It was probably at my lowest
point of my life but I feel like going through that
Maliika: Consistency is a powerful word.
Kamila: Yes people think consistency means that we
have to wait until Monday. That they have to have
something written down and must follow it starting
that next Monday. But the key is to make little
changes and incorporate those changes into your life
until it becomes consistent. I do not believe you have
to completely overhaul everything at once because
look, we are only human. I mean I allow myself
two cheat meals a week. For those meals I throw
all of my rules out of the window because you have
to have balance. So if you know you want to have
cheesecake, you can still have it, just plan for it in
advance. For the rest of that week stay on your plan
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42
then when the weekend comes plan a little treat for
yourself but go back on your plan. Make sure your
plate is full of vegetables. Incorporate fruit into your
plan but limit it because remember fruits have sugar.
Be careful with a daily high consumption of fruit.
Remember that all carbs are not bad, just stay away
from processed foods. It’s the processed foods that
are killing us right now.
To see all of my hard work and contributions is a
benefit for me. To see something that I designed
being used by people in countries like Trinidad,
Zimbabwe, and France means a lot to me. That to me
is a measure of success.
Maliika: What message do you have for women who
find it hard to just get started, who find it hard to get
off the couch?
Diabetes is the number one killer in the world. Why
is it that people that are 30, 40, 50 years old are
dying of Diabetes? This used to be a disease that
grandparents, people of older generations deal with,
Hypertension & High Blood Pressure as well. You have
younger people dying of heart attacks. We all need to
embrace a healthy way of living, of finding that right
balance. It’s not about fitting in that bikini, it’s about
survival. It’s about living to your full potential because
if you are not waking up energized and you’re sluggish
during the day you are not living. You are cheating
yourself. It’s important to realize that you are meant
for greatness on this earth. It’s important to live your
life balanced. It doesn’t mean cutting out foods for
good all the time, it means balance.
Kamila: You have to honor yourself. We all have a
mission on earth. What is our purpose? You know
deep down inside if you are not living to your full
potential and so much of that is health. We are all
here to find our purpose in life, meanwhile we know
deep down we are not living to our full potential. That
should be the drive to get up off the couch. We are all
meant to just live life. Why be mediocre when we are
meant to be our very best. You know you cannot be
your very best if you are not feeling confident about
yourself. We all hear the voice inside of us, calling us
to be the very best we can be. When you hear that
voice get up off the couch and be the very best you
can be. The easy thing to do is to stay on that couch.
Don’t limit yourself. We only have one life to live so
why live it in a mediocre way. What legacy do you
want to leave for your children, grandchildren? What
amazing things are you dreaming? You can be super
amazing when you are healthy.
Maliika: Thank you. I love that you released your
workout program, The 10 Pound Pledge. How has the
program been received so far?
Kamila: It’s been great. I put my heart and soul
into this product because it’s a culmination of all of
the things I have learned and experienced to not only
help myself through, but others as well. There are
many reasons why we can’t get ourselves healthy or
can’t get fit. We feel we are too tired or too broke,
but getting healthy is the ultimate solutions to those
problems. It doesn’t take a lot of your time.
Maliika: I hear what you’re saying. We have to take
care of our bodies and love ourselves from the inside.
The Ten Pound Pledge is going well because it’s
changing people’s lives. People are becoming
healthier and that was the purpose of the program.
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43
Kamila: You know I’m a very spiritual person. I
recently watched a video where the person was
stating that we need to let go of our addictions
because we love ourselves. We also have to forgive
ourselves. We hold on to so much from the past.
Especially women, sometimes we hold on to so much
and then look for ways to heal that may not be the
best for us. We are our own worst critics. Let go of
that anger, of that resentment. Live in the moment
and love yourself.
Maliika: It’s important for us to feel we are worthy
of freedom from anger and self-hate. We have to feel
we are worthy.
Kamila: Yes, each and every one of us is worthy.
We are beautiful creatures of God. We all need to
love and respect our bodies in order to live to our full
potential.
Maliika: What else is in store for you? People know
you in Jamaica but I would love to see you have more
exposure outside of Jamaica as well.
Kamila: Yes I plan to travel more internationally
because I want to share my story. I want to inspire
people all over the world to live the life that they
deserve. That’s what I feel like I was put on earth to
do.
Take the #10PoundPledge:
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44
Rick Long
© Daniel Serrette
Rick Long
Fashion Week, for designer, Adrian Alicea. He was also
selected as one of the models for Circle of Sisters. He
also dances and performs for different artists on the
road, as well as providing choreography for concert
or show stage sets. 2013 proved to be a big year
for him, because he was selected as one of the 20
principal choreographers for Carnival Choreographers
Ball in New York City in the April and November
shows. Only a handful of working choreographers are
chosen, and very few have been selected in back to
back shows. In his spare time, Rick teaches swim and
dance class to autistic and special needs children.
Choreographer, Dancer, Model, Actor
With dance roots originating from Broadway
Dance Center, in New York City, Rick Long has
extensive training in the dance arts. Rick specializes
in Dancehall, Jazz, and Hip Hop styles. He has
studied with the most notable choreographers,
ranging from the likes of the recently late, Frank
Hatchett (legendary Jazz Choreographer) to Wade
Robinson (extraordinary Hip Hop Choreographer). He
is passionate about dance, because it’s in his DNA,
“It’s in my blood”, he has stated. He was born into
dance. It’s like part of his culture. His mother, as well
as many elders in his family, are all dancers. It just
seems natural. Rick Long has performed in over 50
major cities, some of which are international. He has
danced and choreographed for artist like Lisa Lisa, and
Daddy Yankee. He has performed on the same stage
for Salt-N-Pepa, Trey Songz, and SWV just to name a
few. Rick Long was also in Step Up 3D, the Movie.
In May 2014, Rick’s Dancehall Explosion dance class,
was one of near 80 dance groups that performed on
the New York City parade strip for Dance Parade NYC.
The parade ended in Tompkins Square Park. He was
one of seven dance instructors selected to perform
a 1-minute routine at the Parade Grandstand press
box with his group of dancers, and teach a 30-minute
Dancehall Reggae workshop at the Teaching Stage.
Rick was the only Dancehall Reggae group, at Dance
Parade NYC. His Dancehall Reggae workshop had a
couple hundred people in attendance, making his
workshop, one with the largest turnout. He recently
modeled at Harlem Week at Grant’s Tomb and taught
a Dancehall Reggae workshop at Grace Jamaican Jerk
Festival’s Family FunZONE. Grace’s Jerk Festival has
over 23,000 people in attendance. Rick’s workshop
gave a fun option to families that were there to
enjoy the concerts and the food festival. Rick is also
a resident judge at The Gifted Showcase, a talent
competition in New York City.
As a choreographer, Rick’s style can be described as
sensually artistic, yet with a smooth groove and a
Caribbean swagger. If you ever have the opportunity
to work with Rick Long, or ever see him choreograph
a dance segment or piece, you will find it to be quite
unique and creative; a magical mantra, if you will. It
is always radiant, filled with precision steps, and is
lined with a kaleidoscope of fluidity. When asked what
about dance motivates him, his response is simple,
“Dancing makes me tick, because it has always put
me in a joyful place, and it constantly reminds me to
sustain confidence in myself. I have complete control
over it, and peace of mind”. Currently, Rick Long
teaches his Dancehall Reggae dance class, entitled
“Dancehall Explosions” at Pearl and Ripley Grier
Studios. He also teaches at David Barton’s exclusive
fitness gyms in New York City. Rick was recently
selected as one of the models for 2013 New York
Island Stage: What got you started in dancing?
RL: I won a major annual talent show “Hartford
Heads Held High”, when I was in High School.
The show was in Hartford, CT.
Island Stage: Who has Inspired You?
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46
RL: My Uncle,
the late Frank
Hatchett,
who was a
choreographer
and my mentor.
He was legendary.
My mom is a huge
inspiration as
well. She was also
a dancer, and she
is my biggest fan.
won “Hartford Heads Held High”. We went from
there to the Apollo to compete.
Island Stage: Who are your favorite Dancehall artists?
RL: I loved Patra in the 90’s. My other favorites
are Mr. Vegas, Bounty Killa, Konshens, and
Shaggy.
Island Stage: What do you love about performing
onstage?
RL: I have had the opportunity of performing
with different celebrity music artists, and what
I love most is the adrenaline rush that I get
when I can look out in the audience and see
people reacting to what I love to do. It’s a great
feeling to see hundreds and thousands of people
pleased and happy, reacting to my talent as a
dancer.
Island Stage:
When did you know
that Dancehall
would be your
dance specialty?
RL: My favorite
genre of music
is 90’s R&B and
90’s Dancehall.
I trained in
different dance
styles; Ballet, African, Jazz and Hip Hop, but
naturally felt more connected to Dancehall. It
was something my family and my classmates
listened to, and so did I. I grew up in a city that
was heavily infused with West Indian cultures,
predominantly Jamaican. I lived in Hawaii for
several years but my foundation of Dancehall
and love of it came from my experiences in
Hartford.
Island Stage: Who are a few artists you would love
to work with and why?
RL:I would like to work with Shaggy because he
is an artist that was around when I was a kid
growing up and to this day he’s very relevant.
Shaggy introduced my dance group at Carnival
Choreographers Ball in New York City 2013, and
it was amazing, I truly love his music. I would
love to work with Mr. Vegas because he has
such a great body of work, and he’s an artist
with high energy songs. Working with him is a
dream of mine. Lastly, Konshens. He has a huge
fan base that is not just in the US, but in Japan,
Guyana and Europe and he has perfected what
dancehall music lovers want to dance to. I would
also love to dance with a couple mainstream
artists like Ginuine and Usher.
Island Stage: Did you ever dance in a group?
RL: Yes, twice. The “Hit Squad” which was a 15
person step team. From there I formed a dance
group together with my two cousins called the
“Nasty Boyz”, and it was with this group that I
PAGE
47
Island Stage would like to thank
the following people. Without their
contributions, this issue would not have
been possible.
Sista Irie
Lloyd Stanbury
Reggae Robin
Empress K - Reggae Reflection
Maliika Walker
Kizzy Riske

Link - Island Stage Magazine

Transcription

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