Dear Etana “The
Strong One,”
Happy 50 Th anniversary to you and fellow Jamaicans
worldwide. I know you will be shocked to read this letter from a Kenyan fan (to
be honest I am sure you will not read it because you are back on the road
touring and performing). I am sure Kenyan promoters are the last people you’d
want to hear from right now, let alone see them or strike a conversation. Kindly
be patient as you read this.
I read on the papers, tabloids and over the
internet on how Dean Fraser, Etana, Tarrus Riley and the Black Soil band left
their Kenyan fans yearning for more.
How I wish I would have attended the event. But
because of some issues involving respecting my folks since I am under their
roof, I could not make it to the Carnivore Grounds.
I remember the first time I heard a song from
you was through the Silverstar Sounds radio show hosted by Randy and Gussy
every Friday night on Homeboyz Radio over here in Kenya
From then on, I went on a journey to find out
more about Etana and each time I came across tunes you have belted out like “August
Town”- a song that is a story of how a group of families from your August Town,
your Hometown were shot by police after someone alleged that there were thugs
down the river bed yet they had just set up a sound system and were partying. Tunes
like “Blessing” with Albarosie have been a great listen to your latest “wifey”
tune on the Heart and Soul Riddim. I have been blessed and inspired by your conscious
tunes Etana.
Even as I read the good stuff about your
electrifying performance right here in Nairobi
Infact, in one of Kenya’s most read
newspaper- The Standard, a pull out on the Eve gal/The Dude magazine, an entry
on Wednesday August 15th,2012 reads…
TOUGH SURVIVAL FOR FEMALE
REGGAE ARTISTES:
L
|
ike in several other
professions, in the music industry and especially reggae, a female artiste has
to work twice as hard as a male artiste. This is according to visiting reggae
songstress Etana. On Friday, before the Big Tunes Festival concert, Etana
tweeted:
“So my
representative had hell dealing with this Kenya Kenya
Although she did not mention
names, it was sort of clear she was referring to the other visiting artiste
Tarrus Riley being more of a star attraction than she was.
We learnt that the two were
having serious friction, to a point of not being able to be in the same room.
A joint press conference for
the two could not take place on Friday at the Sankara Hotel, and the media had
to be addressed by Tarrus first and then separately by Etana after Tarrus went
back to his hotel room.
On the day of the concert, as
there was only one room back stage for the star artistes to wait in, Etana,
accompanied by her husband-cum-manager, decided to go back to the car and wait
for her performing moment as opposed to waiting in the room together with
Tarrus and his team.
I have no idea whether all of what is written
above is plain gossip or not. And for that reason I choose not to argue without
the facts, but I take this humble opportunity openly to ask for forgiveness
from you on behalf of my fellow country men and lovers of your music and reggae
genre. At times, we get too- high headed in pride to stoop below and accept we
are wrong and in need of forgiveness.
Kindly find it in you heart to forgive us as
a whole! In that deep love for you Kenyan fans, include me. All the best in
your endeavours and as you carry the little one growing in your tummy. Xoxoxo!!!!
Your
fan,
Vincent
libosso
Email: bukhungubukhangaa@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment