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February 19, 2008
African Theme for 'Smile Jamaica/Africa Unite'
By: Joseph Cunningham
African musicians will place an integral role on Saturday, February 23, at the James Bond Beach, for 'Smile Jamaica/Africa Unite.' Innocent Ujah Idibia, K'Naan and D'banj Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, will headline the show alongside Rihanna, Black Uhuru and the Marleys.
Better known as 2Face, Idibia, who hails from the Idoma tribe in the southern part of Benue State in Central Nigeria, is a hip hop musician/songwriter and was a member of the defunct R&B/hip hop group Plantashun Boyz Contents.
Another first-time performer on the Jamaican stage, Somalian-born K'Naan, at age nine was MC'ing for his friends and loved Nas and Rakim. He always wanted to be a successful musician.
Now based in Canada, his debut album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, has given him two Canadian Urban Music Award nominations, for best songwriter and best hip hop recording.
D'banj.Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, also from Nigeria, is a singer/songwriter and harmonica player widely known as D'banj. Described as "a harmonica master and a charismatic stage performer with boundless energy, he moved to London to further his musical career against his parents' wishes in December 2002. In addition to the featuring the music of the continent, Africa will be on display at the concert in various ways.
There will also be a tribute to the recently departed Lucky Dube, Africa's most popular reggae superstar, in the form of a video presentation.
According to Mrs Rita Marley, "First of all, we're trying to create an African theme on the grounds of the James Bond Beach, you'll feel like you're in Jamaica and Africa." She added that there will be African products on sale.
Jerome Hamilton of Headline Entertainment, explained, "We thought it was important to have authentic African items straight from Africa on display. So there will be a booth dedicated to selling arts and crafts as well as paintings and clothing."
The Africa Unite concert was first held in 2005 in Ethiopia. The concert has come to Jamaica, for the first time, to link with the "Smile Jamaica Concert."