Reggae’s iconic queen Rita reigns despite illness
Icons I-Three Judy Mowatt, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffi ths with
Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s minister of culture at right.
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Caribbean L BQ ife, March 15–21, 2019 11
Jamaicans attending the
Ash Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Jamaica Reggae Industry Association
(JaRia) Awards in Kingston
were privileged to greet
Rita Marley, the avowed queen
of reggae who suffered a setback
in her musical career two
years ago when a stroke ended
her singing career.
Making a debut since the
ill-fated health event hampered
her ability to speak audibly the
beloved entertainer spoke volumes
despite the fact she is
unable to articulate the sentiments
she once expressed with
ease and clarity.
Her circular, red, gold and
green earrings fashionably
amplified three words — “Black
Girls Rock.”
Her fingernails boasted
black, gold and red, colors on
alternate fingers.
And a shiny, gold fabric
across her forehead coordinated
with the gold-sequined adornment
that draped from neck to
waistline bellowed royalty.
With grace and elegance she
blew kisses to the crowd.
In turn, the privileged gathering
at the Little Theater
responded with expressions of
love.
They seemed ecstatic to see
the revered widow of reggae
king Robert Nesta Marley and
mother to his children—each
one acclaimed for winning the
most Grammy Awards for the
genre — and a singer in her
own right who despite adversities
joined her two longtime
musical collaborators Judy
Mowatt and Marcia Griffith to
accept the coveted Icon Award
during the annual Reggae
Month ceremony.
Focused on sending air kisses
to the crowd, the widow,
matriarch. Grammy nominated
solo singer, entrepreneur, African
nationalist, social activist
and author made her first
major public appearance there
since the debilitating health
trauma two and a half years
ago in order to celebrate the
culture she dedicated most of
her life to promoting.
Unable to steady her stride,
the Marley matriarch was
escorted by a cortege of assistants
who seemed to pamper
her through arrival onstage via
a wheelchair.
On seeing the beloved singer,
the crowd cheered her appearance,
many rushing forward
to applaud the courage she
braved by travelling to unite
with women she toured with as
a member of the I-Three.
The trio described in lyrics
by the world’s first Third
World superstar to being as
melodic as — Three Little
Birds entreated the crowd to a
glimpse of a tradition of more
than three decades they repeated
while providing background
accompaniment to the reggae
king on stages throughout the
world.
“This is indeed a privilege
and an honor — a pleasure
for us to be here. We thank
Almighty God that we are here,
so many have gone on before
us, but we are here and so we
give thanks. I am very, very,
happy that my sister Rita is
here with us,” Mowatt said.
The spokesperson for the
triumvirate explained: “It has
been a hard journey for us. We
worked tirelessly — pregnant,
coming off tour and just going
to the hospital to have the
baby, but here we are. I want
to thank JaRIA for presenting
us with this award. It has been
over 30-odd years, but today, in
2019, we are still being recognized,
and still being awarded.
We give God thanks.”
Griffiths punctuated the
statement adding: “Trinity
unbroken” to the testimony.
“Harambe forever to the
world,” she said.
Catch You On The Inside!
Inside Life
By Vinette K. Pryce
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