Catch Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica at Bassline Tonight!

After seeing the flyer by African Storm Sound System on FaceBook I started making some calls to see how I could snag an interview with Jamaican artists Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica. I eventually found out where and when but was given the wrong time for the press junket. I arrived late, when the formalities were done.  Embarrassment aside I still went into the venue hoping to at least get a picture. God did one better and I got the interview – my first press junket for the blog! Time was short and I got straight into it.

 

Queen Ifrica



Just to break the ice I started with what I considered a compliment to Queen Ifrica, asking her how she felt on being compared to Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba. Her retort was that she’s always loved them and the comparison is a great honour especially as they are such great jazz legends whilst she sings in a different genre.

I then asked them both their feelings on radio, how playlists the world over are starting to sound the same and if they think this is a good or bad thing.

Tony’s response in brief is that radio is a gatekeeper that is currently responsible for letting out negative energy into the masses. In Jamaica there is a music forum in place, asking radio stations to be more responsible with the music they play as children believe the negativity and conduct themselves accordingly. He feels radio jocks of the world need to change their attitude.

Tony Rebel

Tony also went on to say that music is the greatest influencer that can bring change in a day. Why is the positive music not being played he asked? There are artists that should not be getting airplay as they have a lot of negative messages but they get repeated airplay. When asked if he could name examples Tony said one need only turn of the radio and listen to the is being played, the list culprits could take all day to compile.

A summary of Queen Ifrica response is that there is a worldwide problem with how music is played: looking at Jamaica over the past 15 years the face of radio has changed dramatically. Jamaican music is only played because there is a legal stipulation. Currently anything will be played on radio as long as managers with money will pay for music that is to be played and music that is NOT to be played. She even questions whom the stations are taking instructions from... perhaps the Illuminati? She spoke about how there have been incidents in Jamaica where an artists’ manager will publicly boast that they in fact make the artists because they pay for them to get exposure.

I then touched on the topic of sexuality with Queen Ifrica as she has been accused of being homophobic because of her song ‘Keep It To Yourself’. This is her response in summary.

She states that her accusers are hypocritical and have not taken the time to listen to the song nor the message behind it. The song came about when a book on homosexuality was introduced into the Jamaican school curriculum without due process being followed. A lot of parents spoke out openly against this move and artists were put under severe pressure to remain tight-lipped, or risk expulsion from the island.  She chose to speak up through her song which talks about a safer society, the right to self expression and freedom of association. Also, how these rights should apply both ways i.e. to heterosexuals and homosexuals.

 

She also spoke about how when she was asked to be an ambassador for UNICEF before the public announcement a number of organisations called UNICEF to advise them against appointing a homophobic representative. She in turn asked UNICEF to analyze ‘Keep It To Yourself’, which they did and she was appointed ambassador all the same. Her involvement in community work also counted in her favour. She puts effort into taking sex workers off the streets and spends a lot time with victims of rape, abuse and those lacking self love.  What saddens Queen Ifrica the most is that a number of these victims fall prey to those who are tasked with looking after them. Some end up getting sexual diseases within the safe houses and yet they are still sent out to world to sell their bodies, thereby spreading diseases.

A playful Queen Ifrica

She feels part of the backlash is the fear that she will expose them for their hypocrisy as some of the organisation that spoke against her were perpetrators of human violations themselves. She says what she has gleaned from this experience and from her community work it that homosexuality is born out of abuse.

When I asked Tony Rebel his thoughts on homosexuality he responded that he doesn’t sing about homosexuals. He feels he doesn’t have to apologise to heterosexuals for being themselves nor will apologise to homosexuals. The Bible says its wrong and he encourages everyone talk to God about their life, not man. He concluded; we live in a world of freedom of expression and we should practice this.



If you miss them tonight you can also catch them at the Eldos Jazz Festival at Kremet park, Ext 3, Eldorado Park from 10am – 6pm on Sunday, 25 September.  Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica are here as part of the Johannesburg Arts Alive International Festival and are supported by the City of Johannesburg and African Storm Sound System.