Legendary Jamaican reggae singer Sizzla Kalonji (Miguel Collins) reaffirmed his stance against the LGBT community during last Saturday’s Kings of the Earth concert by regularly sampling the catch line of his controversial, anti-homosexual hit, Nah Apologise, throughout his hour-long performance.
At random intervals during his set, Kalonji sang the line “Rastaman don’t apologise to no…” and stopped to listen the crowd finish the lyrics, which they did. “…to no batty boy (homosexual man),” the line continues.
After singing popular hit Karate, he did lines from yet another controversial song, No Way, which is also anti-homosexual.
Kalonji headlined the experienced cast of Jamaican reggae crooners which included Caplteon (Clifton Bailey), Cocoa Tea (Calvin Scott), Louie Culture (Lewin Brown) and Kalonji’s son Meleku.
Joining the four reggae kings were equally-talented international genre queens Queen Omega (Janeile Osborne), Kushite (Tanesha Stowe) and Jalifa (Kalifa Alexis), all of TT.
Kalonji, who has produced over 40 albums and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2014, had the crowd lapping up every song as he belted older hits such as Praise Ye Jah, Dem A Wonder and No Time To Gaze.
He captivated women with favourites like Just One of Those Days, Words of Divine and Woman I Need You, while also maintaining his conscious brand with hits Solid As a Rock, Taking Over and then teaming up with Queen Omega for a unique collaboration of Black Woman and Child.
Kalonji, who visited Rose Hill RC, St Barb’s Government Primary and Morvant Laventille Secondary schools last Friday to spread a message of unity, extended similar sentiments at the show and called on gangsters to “put down the guns.”
“We will not tolerate no crime and violence in Trinidad. It does not matter your religion or colour, class or creed,” he said during his performance.
At 8 pm, Kushite opened the show and set the stage for a night of conscious lyrics for every artiste which followed.
Jalifa came next and was equally on point with the execution of her songs such as Hear Ye and Whereas.
Queen Omega followed and touched on some of her older hits like Hypocrites and Babylon Pressure and included newer songs Fittest, among others.
Omega called Kushite and Jalifa back to the stage to perform their recent collaboration Wise Queens which speaks of women empowerment in all walks of life.
[caption id="attachment_989025" align="alignnone" width="683"] Capleton (Photo courtesy @trini_lion) -[/caption]
Sweet Cocoa Tea came next and he carried the thousands present down memory lane with popular “old school” tunes like Rasta Don’t Work for the CIA, Tune In and Idiot Sound.
Cocoa Tea also sang renditions of the late Bob Marley’s Rastaman Chant and Heathen and also touched on another deceased reggae icon, Gregory Isaacs’ songs with Night Nurse and Rumours lifting the crowd.
Another reggae icon, Anthony B, was scheduled to perform but was unable to make it to Trinidad for the show.
Before Louie Culture performed, a video was broadcast a
