The 7th Annual Peter Tosh Legacy Celebration Ram Jam Rub-a-dub Session
By Zwelethemba Sastri Twalo
On Friday, 26th October 2018 from 5pm till 5am, the lovers of reggae and music of legendary and revolutionary Peter Tosh shall gather together on the dancefloor at Tijuca Café in Bruma, Johannesburg,to enjoy the great vibes of one of the highly suppressed reggae scribes, but duly respected by radicals, raggamuffins and Rastafarians. The occasion will be the 7th edition of the annual Peter Tosh Legacy Celebration Ram Jam Rub-a-dub Session.
Produced by Sounds of Edutainment, Tijuca Fire Flames, Culture Designs and Empress Pro Music, and presented by MC Kayalinks; this year’s tribute concert shall feature a line-up of various artists and DJ’s active in the Jozi reggae scene. The DJ’s are namely: Bobotikal, Selecta Jahyut SA, Ras Aubrey, Ras Maloney, Daddy P, Sweet Vines, Temple Fire, RasZwesh fi Kush as well as DJ Fanta Jozi of 5fm and Metrofm fame.
Those in the audience will also experience musical performances by: RasMenzi, the lead vocalist of Men Of The Past Future band, Spirit Wall better known as Elder Blue, Mzansi’s champion poet Prince Shapiro, Soweto’s soulful songstress Empress Pro and Tabla Jewel, representing both Malawi and South Africa. And there shall also be an open-mic session to give up-coming artists an opportunity to showcase their talent on stage. The symbolic donation at the door is only R20, and the entrance is free for ladies before 6pm.
Deeply concerned about the fate of Africans during the heyday of Apartheid; Peter Tosh did not only picket the South African Embassy in Jamaica; he also composed a number of songs to support South African freedom fighters such as: Fight On, Arise Blackman, Get Up Stand Up, Equal Rights and Apartheid, which was re-released as Fight Apartheid. His music became the soundtrack of activism for international social justice and Africa’s crusade for liberation and unification.
In the pan African circles, Peter Tosh, just like his breden Bob Marley, is celebrated as an icon in the mould of MuziwakheLembede, MangalisoSobukwe, Bantu Biko, Malcolm X, Walter Rodney, Thomas Sankara and Nkwame Ture. Due to his abundant love for his motherland – Africa, he penned such anthems as African, redone locally by Slaves aka Free At Last, and Mama Africa, later covered by Buju Banton and Bushman.
Regarded as the figurehead of the radical component within the Rastafarian movement, in addition to writing about Africa and the Most High, Tosh pioneered and championed ganja legalization, which has now resulted to various forms of ganja decriminalization in Europe, America and lately South Africa. His songs like Legalize It, Bush Doctor, Nah Goa Jail and many more became rhythms of free ganja campaigns worldwide.
In 2015, Niambe MacIntosh – his last born daughter, an electric engineer, teacher, administrator of the Peter Tosh Estate & Brand and founder of Peter Tosh Foundation – reckoned that April 20 (global Ganja Day) should be celebrated as International Peter Tosh Day, in honour of his “philosophy of responsible cannabis consumption for medicinal and spiritual health benefits”.
The 7th Annual Peter Tosh Legacy Celebration. Event Details Here.
