For decades, reggae artistes from Marley to Sizzla, have portrayed Africa as the Motherland, the seat of black repatriation.
Fittingly, the continent has become a happy hunting ground for Jamaican artistes and this trend picked up pace during 2011.
As traditional markets like the United States and Europe falter due to economic challenges, Africa and Latin America have emerged as viable alternatives.
This year, some of the biggest names in contemporary dancehall and reggae have performed in Africa.
They include Sizzla, Queen Ifrica and Tony Rebel, Busy Signal, Cocoa Tea, Elephant Man and Fantan Mojah. Gyptian is scheduled to close the year with dates in Nigeria.
Kenya Don is CEO of the Stepping Razor television show in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2004, he has been the link for African promoters keen on having Jamaican artistes perform in their countries.
“We’ve had countless reggae artistes in Africa in the last six years. It’s like a revolution,” he told Splash.
Fans in The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe have seen a variety of acts through Stepping Razor’s growing network.
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Beenie Man, TOK, Ce’Cile, Christopher Martin, Alaine, Kiprich and Turbulence have also taken their act to Africa. In recent months young acts including Mr Vegas, Elephant Man, Mavado, Denyque, Wasp and Konshens have performed in Africa.
According to Kenya Don, one country stands out. “The government in Zimbabwe has really embraced Jamaican culture.
“Promoters from outside that country prefer to do shows there because there’s a lot of leeway,” he said.
Reduced taxes on promoter and artiste fees are the most attractive of the concessions in Zimbabwe which has an historic bond with Jamaica and reggae music. Bob Marley was an inspiration for rebel fighters during the 1970s when the country was known as Rhodesia, and ruled by the racist Ian Smith.
Marley performed in Zimbabwe in 1980 in recognition of its independence.
Cocoa Tea and Fantan Mojah, who performed in the cities of Harare and Bulawayo in November, were the most recent dancehall/reggae artistes to perform in Zimbabwe. Sizzla is the biggest name there, performing to as many as 50 000 fans.
Kenya Don credits his Stepping Razor show for introducing Africans to the new wave of reggae music.
The 90-minute programme, which debuted in 2007, features artiste interviews, music videos and live events. The show is produced in Nairobi and has viewers in 34 African countries.
There were several reggae package tours to Africa during the 1980s and 1990s, but artistes complained of being ripped off by shady promoters.
