Trinidad Officals Deny Jamaican Reggae Artist Bounty Killa Entry

After spending almost 12 hours at the gate under the watchful eyes of security personnel, Bounty Killer departed for Kingston, Jamaica at about 7.55 am yesterday morning on flight BW 416. A source close to the concert promoter, Jacho Entertainment, claimed that they were given no logical explanation as to why Bounty Killer was denied entry. The source said initially they were told that Bounty Killer failed to produce a work permit and then they were told that he was given no permission to enter Trinidad. Local artiste Ken Charles, also known as KMC, slammed the authorities for denying Bounty Killer entry to the country and said that the promoter should sue the State.

“The promoter should sue the State because that is just, no doubt, disrespectful. After they spent all that money in advertising, it is unfair for Bounty Killer, when he actually reached into the country, should be told that he will have to return to Jamaica. The authorities could have told the promoters that he was not allowed into the country from the very beginning, don’t wait till last minute,” KMC said.

“There was no reason given. The concert was geared towards bringing peace again in the country, to show the young men and women that violence is not the way and that what they sing was just on an entertainment basis and not a lifestyle but the authorities prevented this from happening. ‘Fire bun’ the man behind this, who call the shot on Bounty Killer,” KMC added.

The “Warlord” Bounty Killer was denied entry by Trinidad and Tobago immigration officials. It was not immediately clear why Bounty Killer was denied entry, however his former protégé now arch-nemesis – Vybz Kartel – did not suffer the same fate and was reportedly allowed to enter the country.

In 2004, Bounty Killer was taken off the stage at Summerfest 2004, a concert staged at the Queen’s Park Savannah for using obscene language during his performance. He was arrested and charged under Section 51 of Trinidad’s Summary Offences Act, which makes it a crime to use language considered profane, indecent or obscene in a song. He appeared before a Port-of-Spain magistrate who granted him bail in the sum of TT$25,000. His passport was subsequently seized by the authorities, preventing him from leaving the island.

Reggae Newswire

Ethiopian Rocker Swaps Prison Cell for Spotlight

ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – When Teddy Afro leaps onto the stage the crowd goes wild, clapping in the air and singing along with the man seen by many as the voice of Ethiopia’s conscience.

Fresh from his prison cell, the singer known as Ethiopia’s Michael Jackson delighted tens of thousands of fans with his benefit concert for street children on Sunday.

“He was in jail for more than a year because of his songs. He wants democracy and freedom for us the Ethiopian people. We love him,” shouted Alorachew, a student attending the show at the capital’s sports stadium.

“Last time we saw him it was two years ago. He’s a great artist, different from the others. He comes always with new things,” enthused Sammy, a computer engineer who came along with a bunch of friends.

“He’s talking about topical issues. Most people say there is a political message in his lyrics. I think his message is not always political, but when there is a political message, it is obviously against the government.”

Next to him and slightly the worse for wear, Fredo, a young Ethiopian living in the United States, confided: “I missed Teddy a lot. He’s the best in Ethiopia”.

The singer, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun and who is seen as close to Ethiopia’s opposition, was sentenced to six years in prison and a heavy fine for manslaughter after a 2006 traffic accident left a homeless man dead.

The Supreme court reduced his sentence on appeal in February and he was freed in August. He has always protested his innocence, saying he was not even in the country at the time of the accident.

For his return to the stage Teddy Afro decided to take up the cause of street children and beggars, who throng the streets of Ethiopia’s cities in their thousands.

All proceeds from the concert will go to an Ethiopian NGO, El Shady, which looks after several thousand street children.

“There are a lot of people. It is even more successful than we had hoped,” Addis Legesse, Teddy Afro’s manager and one of the organisers of the concert, said at the event.

Asked about his protege’s political dimension, Addis said: “Whenever you do something for the good of the people, people talk … but we have no political agenda, we just want to help that’s all”.

Teddy Afro’s goal is to ease the hardship of tens of thousands of the country’s poor children, he said.

“200.000 people are begging in the street in Ethiopia, people able to work, so we have to organise them and take them out of the street. We don’t want to be seen as a begging nation,” said Legesse.
TEDDY AFRO IN CONCERT

Community Bulletin

This is a new section that will highlight the various events going on within the African community in Minnesota. We will also feature African and Reggae concerts and tour information.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Malian singer Habib Koite will perform at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on Tueday, March 30th. For more information, Thecedar.org
AFRICAN HOLIDAYS IN FEBRUARY
February African Holidays

February 1
Heroes’ Day
Celebrated in: Rwanda

February 3
Heroes’ Day Anniversary of the assassination of Eduardo Mondlane.
Celebrated in: São Tomé and Príncipe

February 4
Start of Liberation War Anniversary of the outbreak of the armed struggle against Portuguese colonialism.
Celebrated in: Angola

February 5
Unity Day
Celebrated in: Burundi

February 5
Chama Cha Mapinduzi Day Birthday of Chama Cha Mapinduzi.
Celebrated in: Tanzania

February 11
Armed Forces’ Day
Celebrated in: Liberia

February 18
Independence Day Celebrates the anniversary when the British West African colony became a self-governing commonwealth in 1965. Also known as Republic Day.
Celebrated in: The Gambia

February 19
Constitution Day Anniversary of the proclamation of the constitution in 1959.
Celebrated in: Gabon

February 19
Martyr’s Day Honors the many Ethiopians killed in the Italian invasion in the 1930’s.
Celebrated in: Ethiopia

February 22
Unity Day
Celebrated in: Egypt

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