Features
Elizabeth Gonzales
INTERNATIONAL Grammy Award-winning Afrobeats singer Burna Boy’s presence in the Caribbean has a much deeper purpose than just another event on the Damini World Tour calendar.
So his headline performance at O2 Park, Chaguaramas, Trinidad on December 16, alongside Jamaican dancehall star Popcaan and soca’s Kes The Band, is one element of a larger project to connect cultures through music.
Over the past four months, Burna Boy has performed to thousands of people across the Caribbean. He first visited Barbados in July and then St Maarten, Tobago, Dominica, Curacao and St Maarten. He is scheduled to perform in Antigua on December 17 and in Jamaica the following day.
At a media launch at the Hilton Trinidad and Convention Center in November, event organizers Twisted Entertainment and Duke Concept said that within 15 minutes of the concert in Trinidad, all first-level general and VIP tickets had sold out. . At that time 35 percent of the 20,000 tickets for the show had been sold.
Duke Concept CEO Osita Ugeh said Burna Boy’s presence in the Caribbean will “open doors” for small island nations.
Ugeh, who has worked with Burna Boy since the beginning of his career and is working with other big Afrobeats singers, said there are talks of possible collaborations with soca and Afrobeats.
He said that continuous efforts should be made for music and cultures to meet.
“The project is not something that ends here. The project is something we want to continue. It helps culture and mixes the relationship between sounds from the continent and those from this side of the world. It’s about bridging the gap.
“Our goal is not just to accomplish anything. Our goal is to deliver quality. Most of the time what we see is these shows come together, some of them don’t represent the standard we want to see.
“It’s an ongoing process, but the first is the goal of wanting to make it the world standard. We’ve been able to do that all over the world.”
His company managed and hosted over 200 Burna Boy concerts worldwide.
“I started with Burna Boy when it was 300 capacity, 150 capacity, so to see him sell out stadiums is a big deal. And these are the kinds of things we want to have.
“It’s important to come in with the young guys and grow with them so that when they’re up there, you’re part of the conversation…
He said that this project will also give exposure to local and regional artists.
“You’re also supporting artists who are from here because the only way we can export anything is when the early adopters, who are the first to join, support the music. The word support is complex. We use it freely. (What) Most companies look for when they put money in, (is that) they get money. It’s not just about putting money in and getting it back, it’s about long-term investments.
“Let’s come together, partner, make this a success, not just for us, but for the entire music industry in Trinidad and Tobago. It will open the doors and during carnivals we will have more flow.
“If you notice that the carnival has changed, we will have more Africans interested in coming to the carnival. Before you have one Caribbean side, one side the African diaspora, another side African Americans.
“The best way to unite is through music and we must continue to strive to unite ourselves as a black race through music, through our outlook and through our culture.”
Dale Concept is an American-based event production and management company. Its vision, according to the website, is to export the best of African entertainment to the rest of the world by redefining it to meet the highest standards.
On November 17, Burna Boy posted a photo on Instagram with the words: “Trinidad 12/16.” He overpowered him “Finally!”
The event was originally scheduled to be held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, but was changed to 9 December. Twisted Entertainment spokeswoman Crystal Cunningham said the decision was made to ensure the “best customer experience.”
This concert is Burna Boy’s second live show in TT.
On October 27, Burna Boy headlined the five-day Tobago Music and Culture Festival (TOMAC).
His performance, both captivating and electrifying, automatically lifted the spirits of disappointed patrons who stood for hours at the Plymouth entertainment venue amid thundering rain to see the African giant perform for the first time in the country.
One of TOMAC’s organisers, Arlene Lyons, described the event’s completion, even in torrential rain and an orange-level weather alert from the Met Office, as “almost a perfect manifestation of the resilience and struggle of the African spirit”.
TOMAC was the genesis of a journey of rediscovery of what it means to be Tobagonian. He delved into the roots of the island’s African culture and practices associated with a group of settlers from the Igbo tribe.
Because the Igbo tribe of Nigeria is inextricably linked to Tobago’s history and cultural influence, Burna Boy, from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, complemented TOMAC’s message.
It is hoped that his performance in Trinidad can further connect culture and music even closer.
