KUCHING: UK’s most influential dancehall toaster and festival goers can work up a serious sweat during his most anticipated performance – Macka B will be one of the highlights at Rainforest World Music Festival.
A British-born Jamaican reggae artist, performer and activist with a career spanning nearly four decades in the United Kingdom and Jamaica. He also has built a career on his insanely unique delivery and stage presence, with rough and gravely vocals, complete with a voice unline few others on this planet, Macka B instantly indentifiable sound – rich and emotive. Moreover, He has used his music to push dancehall back towards Rastafarian political consciousness, while bringing elements from other branches of the reggae tree like roots, dub and lovers rock.
Jamaica’s music influence has spread throughout the world and almost everyone is familiar with this island’s reggae that is situated in the sub oceanic basin of the western Atlantic Ocean feature African musical elements that formed the basis of Jamaican music.
Dancehall reggae is described as modern Jamaican music and is a sub-genre of reggae. Often referred to as reggae’s rebellious counterpart, dancehall music first emerged as an underground genre attracting large crowds on street corners, thus resembling a dance hall, hence its name.
A Rastafarian with political consciousness, his songs are devoted to spiritual and social messages. He has many songs hit the No. 1 spot on the Reggae charts, won numerous awards and produced albums that display an ability to move between serious and lighter hearted subject matters. Earlier albums like the landmark Sign of the Times (1986) and Looks are Deceiving (1988) are marked by dark political undertones with a constant eye on the struggle and strive of everyday life.
While fans know him for his music with impressive fan base sprouted following his popularity, the currently on-going “Medical Mondays” web series where he shares his ever-growing knowledge of bodily health and veganism that spawned a surprise smash hit when his raps on the health benefits of cucumbers appropriately titled Cucumba went viral, racking up over a million views.
At Rainforest World Music Festival Macka B will take over the DJ set on the After Party Stage on the Friday night.
MACKA B
The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place on July 12-14 at the Sarawak Cultural Village and is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board, endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth & Sports Sarawak.
