12 August 2007
Lagos — Basking in a new found post Black Uhuru success, Junior Reid (the Jamaican star that replaced Michael Rose as the group's lead vocalist) is now planning to make his first trip to Nigeria for a concert scheduled for the garden city of Port Harcourt. The 42 year-old roots reggae apostle, who is back on top of his game, following recent successful collaborations with The Game, MMIS, Fat Joe and Fabulous has been confirmed as a major international star for a peace concert holding in troubled Port Harcourt later this year. Already, he has recorded a song 'Freedom' with a Port Harcourt-bred group De Indispensables with the aim of drawing attention to growing violence and insecurity in the Niger Delta region.
Port Harcourt has recently been the centre of increasing hostage-taking, with the situation deteriorating to the kidnapping of infants. Several gang clashes, often resulting in unresolved murders, have also been reported.
The concert, according to one of the facilitators, Larte Badom, is expected to feature Reid alongside major Nigerian reggae and hip hop pundits.
It is yet to be known if the famed reggae star will perform at any venues outside Port Harcourt.
'This is a good development', says Korkormikor, a Port Harcourt-based singer who is conversant with the violence that has taken over the city. 'It's so sad. You can't walk around freely and do your business. In the ghetto where I live, it's violence all the time. Gang clashes and day-time gun shots. I lost my brother to this madness. No one knows who's next. So I'm really excited that youths are coming together to demand for peace in our town. We want peace' he said. The rising singer chronicles the ills of growing up and living in a ghetto, in his now popular single 'something for you all'. It is expected that he will share the stage with Reid. Other artistes and a definite date have not been confirmed. But, Badom, CEO of Xcel Music, says the deal with Reid has been confirmed. 'You know he did a song with Indispensables...so the President of Grafton Mr Tonye has met with him and they have settled modalities we are looking forward to a great event and eventual freedom for our troubled region', he said in a telephone conversation with us.
Born Delroy Reid, on June 3, 1965 Junior Reid is not new to ghettoes and violence; having himself grown up in Jamaica's West Kingston Waterhouse district - a settlement notorious for being one of the moat dangerous places in Jamaica.
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