Reggae artists arrive for holiday concert
They are among the fastest rising stars in reggae music but as News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports, while the two Jamaican artists visiting Belize this week are here to sing, they’re also hoping to do their part to curb the violence that dominates our streets.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
On Wednesday night reggae artists Alaine and De Marco will take centre stage in “Rise in Love”, a one night only concert at the Princess Hotel.
Troy “DJ Dalla” Flowers, Promoter, Rise in Love concert
“It’s not just a concert. We’re educating the people about violence in our street especially because nearly every other day somebody dead and we really fi stamp out pan the crime inna the city. So we wah educate them as well as we wah bash … they wah also get educated you know.”
This is Alaine’s second visit to the country but her first Belize City performance. The singer says she’s back to promote peace.
Alaine Laughton, Singer
“Anything that is positive and anything that is worth uplifting is something that’s worth being a part of. So definatley, the theme of rising in love and stopping the violence and turning to something that’s positive is definatley something that I want to be a part of and I want to champion. So it’s definatley something that I’m very, very happy to be apart of.”
DeMarco, Reggae Artist
“Me just sing some good song and mek dem know seh the violence fu stop. You can have a nice time by listening to music and enjoy unnu self and you know weh me ah seh. Go out and feel good with yoh girl and do your thing. You noh need fi have no gun play or nothing, just enjoy life, love God, yoh have your little woman and just settle down with your little woman and live life.”
The artists arrived in Belize City this morning and were thrilled at the warm reception.
Alaine Laughton
“From the response at the airport and listening to the radio …”
DeMarco
“Love it.”
Alaine Laughton
“Whoa! We excited so we gwein give one million percent. It’s going to be an incredible show, everybody have to come out.”
DeMarco
“And the food …”
Alaine Laughton
“The best food in the world.”
DeMarco
“The peppa, the peppa.”
Alaine Laughton
“The peppa; Marie Sharp right? The best peppa. He’s sweating.”
DeMarco
“Me ah sweat. The peppa, mein it wicked.”
Alaine Laughton
“The best peppa in the world. It’s hot and the show is going to be as hot as the pepper is. Weh yoh seh hot? Heineken and pepper.”
While Alaine and De Marco will headline the event, local artists and Crimestoppers will make up the pre-show entertainment.
Troy “DJ Dalla” Flowers
“The type of people weh go dah concert fu the violence, we wouldn’t want them dah the concert, straight up. But in terms of security, we have … security dah noh wah problem. We have outside, inside, the security wah be very strong. I mean we di deal with Heineken and if we noh have certain criteria set up Heineken don’t sponsor the event.”
Tickets are available at music stores countrywide, Karl H. Menzies and concert promoters. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
