| "A fresh deejay is coming,
heading for the number 1". These words Turned out to be profoundly prophetic as Tony
Rebel burst upon the scene in 1987 (?) and quickly established himself as one of the
premier DJ's of the day. In fact of the many big names 'running tings' back then, his is
probably the one most commonly heard in the dancehall today. Tony inherited a proud legacy
of Rastafarian accomplishment in the dancehall arena. This began in earnest with the likes
of Father U-Roy, I-Roy, was passed on to Brigadier Jerry and now the spirit resides in
TOny Rebels soul. Yes, there have been many other great artists, but there seems to be a
mystic (undoubtedly natural) force which links these three in particular. Even their
voices have the same 'sweet' quality making their positive vibes especially easy for avid
listeners to enjoy. Tony has taken the 'singjay'
technique to impeccable levels. He remains a beacon, a solid rock upon which the opressed
can depend for love and support. Every time he speaks, those who are so often ignored are
heard; the mothers, children and youth man who struggle just to make it by each and every
day. Yet his message is not for no one group nor class, but for all to revel. Nothing
other than positivity, and livity emanate from his soul which warms those it touches. His
popularity and respect among both the deejay fraternity and dancehall massive more than
attest to this.
In 1993, Tony Rebel's popularity in yard led to a
contract with Columbia. Unfortunately, 'sign of the times' did not perform well in the
profit oriented US market. As always, it featured Rebel spreading nothing but conscious
vibes, but it seems that the US just wasn't ready for a 'cultural revolution'. Tony
Rebel's name was more apt five years ago; he was indeed a rebel, rallying against the
slackness and guntalk which permeated the arena. Now, however, due much in part to his
voice, not to mention that of the great Garnett Silk, a number of prominent artists such
as Capleton, Buju Banton, and Terry Ganzie among others have found Selassie I.One can only
hope that Rebel's continued presence allows this trend to expand.
Copyright Spider Consulting Inc Article
By Karim Kameka.
Visit His Site For More On Dancehall |
