TONY REBEL STANDS FIRMLY BEHIND “THE NEXT 50!”

By Davina Henry—–

Refuses to believe new single was inappropriate

Reggae artist Tony Rebel is standing behind his latest single The Next 5O. The veteran entertainer created a stir at the Grand Galacelebrations earlier this month after he performed this song.

Rebel’s song was met with mixed reactions not just because of the lyrics of the song, but there were questions about whether or not it was appropriate for the Grand Gala where it was premiered.

In the song, Rebel deejays:

Eternal Father please bless we land/ Help us to keep our old traditions/ When me go a wedding, a cake me go if nyam / Marriage must be between man and woman/ Please Jamaica don’t change that one/Miss Lou would turn in her grave right side a Mass Ron.

The song also states:

Everybody know say me and Portia a friend/ But what dem never know is that Andrew is my brethren/ But this no have nothing to do with brethren or friend/ A Jamaica me always deh yah a defend/ Prime Minister and Opposition must try to agree/ To reach the target for Vision 2030.

According to the entertainer, after being invited to perform at the Grand Gala, he decided to use that medium as a means of getting his message across.

“Whenever I see it necessary and can get the ears of the relevant authority, I’m always willing to say what I need to say. The Grand Gala was a necessary place to perform the song because we are celebrating Jamaica 50 and I thought about what I’d love to see in the next 50 years and the things that I wouldn’t want to see. As a citizen of Jamaica, I should be able to have an independent thought as a social commentator,” Tony Rebel told The Gleaner.

not a problem

The artist conceded that he did not expect the controversy that is now associated with the song, but insists that this is not a problem.

“I didn’t expect the controversy, but it’s not a problem. People were saying it was inappropriate because of our visitors, but the visitors agreed with what I said multiplied by 100,” he said.

The artist went on to say most Jamaicans were standing behind the song.

“People have been congratulating me for doing the song. People are standing behind the song, everybody love it. It’s my song, it’s me, it’s my thoughts. Whoever vex can choose the part whe dem vex bout. We are celebrating 50 years of Independence and if I can’t express my independent thoughts, then something is wrong with our Independence celebrations.”