I-Octane ‘ready fi dem again’ at Rebel Salute
It’s been three years since I-Octane last performed in Jamaica, and in an effort to redeem the time, when he touches the Rebel Salute stage on Saturday his pledge is that “it nah guh nawmal”.
The ‘Hot Ras’, who has a bee in his bonnet as it relates to the importance that needs to be attached to Jamaican music, is burning to release all the pent-up energy at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in Priory, and his mission is as much to teach as it is to entertain.
“It’s 2023 and mi ready fi dem again!
Is long time Jamaica nuh get dem type a energy yah. I really want to contribute to the music in the performance area because we are lacking in that arena currently,” he told THE WEEKEND STAR.
I-Octane, as “one of the artiste dem who was not just popular, but who run di place”, feels that he has a lot to pass on to the new generation of artistes, but said that it will be up to them if they listen.
“I have been out there spreading my wings and I can tell anybody that reggae is the biggest music in the world. It is the most-listened-to music ... places that don’t listen to hip hop tune in to reggae. And reggae and dancehall give birth so many other genres, hip hop, reggaeton, Afrobeats. Rap music was created by a Jamaican, Kool Herc ... they all should be paying us homage, but the problem is that we don’t have any structure.”
He added, “Jamaica not lacking in talent, but we lack the cultivation and how we apply ourselves.”
He noted that the big reggae festivals in Europe as well as Japan “are getting smaller for us in terms of the number of Jamaican acts who are actually billed for these shows” because there are artistes and musicians there who are doing reggae and whose skills are comparable to those of the original artistes.
“I was one of the last ‘new youth’ to go to Japan and down there they don’t need to call us for their reggae festivals any more. They have their own I-Octane, their own Shabba Ranks and their own Valiant. So why would they buy so much plane ticket and hotel room and [give] per diem when dem can do it demself? The only way that we are going to be that artiste that they bring is if we have something special ... and that is performance,” he opined.
Emphasising that he is “not here to bash the new school”, the Lose a Friend singer is simply asking them to up their live performance game, always put their best foot forward on stage and learn from the critics.
“On Saturday night I might be facing some of my harshest critics, and I am prepared to entertain with all the electrifying energy that I-Octane represents. It’s the same set of fans who go to Sting who go to Rebel Salute. The only difference is that on Saturday they coming to hold a meditation and I will be singing all the songs that they will want to hear in that space. So come out and full joy,” he urged.