'Mama P' makes Rebel Salute

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

On the night of December 29, 2011, when the fact and magnitude of the People's National Party victory in the general election was clear, party leader Portia Simpson Miller included popular song references in her victory address.

Two of the songs she referred to, and recordings of which were played, were Tony Rebel's Teach the Children and Tarrus Riley's She's Royal.

With Simpson Miller's January 5 inauguration still fresh and Rebel and Riley both performing on Saturday's Pepsi Rebel Salute 2012 at the Port Kaiser Sports Club, St Elizabeth, she was given honourable mention in their lyrics.

Rebel came onstage at midnight to celebrate his 50th birthday, performing after his children paid their respects. Teach the Children came after he celebrated Sweet Jamdung and reinforced that "reggae put Jamaica pon top".

"I am called a Rebel because I rebel against things that are not right. Sometimes we predict things," Rebel said, moving into deejay mode as he asked members of the large audience if they remembered when he said "careful what you teach the little children/make sure a no something to hurt them/mind what you say to mi sister/she could be the next prime minister".

The tumultuous response indicated that they did remember.

Performing later in the morning, Tarrus Riley saved She's Royal for his penultimate song, between Stay With You and the uptempo close with Good Girl Gone Bad. "Mi nuh mix up inna politics, but I am happy that Jamaica got a queen," Riley said, transitioning easily from speech to song. Again, the audience voiced its approval.