Shabba Ranks Promises “Straight Shabbaology” On Jamrock Reggae Cruise
Dancehall icon Shabba Ranks says fans should prepare themselves for “straight Shabbaology” when he takes the stage at the seventh Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise, for the first time ever in December.
“Ranks di Emperor will be there to shake the ship. With the authentic vibes of the real one,” Shabba is quoted as saying in an interview with Vibe Magazine.
Shabba was listed among the headliners for the official line-up for the cruise which will set sail from Miami, Florida to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios in Jamaica, from December 7 to 12.
Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, who is the founder of the cruise named after his Grammy-winning album of the same name, will headline the performances, alongside another iconic first-timer, in the form of Burning Spear, who, like Shabba, is a two-time Reggae Grammy Award winner.
Of his former Specs/Shang stablemate, the four-time Reggae Grammy winner Junior Gong, Shabba said that he always knew Bob Marley’s youngest son, was a huge superfan of his.
“Most certainly, I knew he was more than a fan. He was an air condition!” he quipped.
“The young Jr. Gong was very curious, with a keen sense of willingness to listen when I was talking to him about music. I told him, in order to be great in music, him haffi go to school. He had a sponge attitude where I could see he was soaking up the information that I was giving to him about dis music yah. And a dat mek him so great,” Shabba said.
Other artists who will be performing on the cruise, are Damian’s elder brother Stephen “Ragga” Marley, Bounty Killer, Cham, Sizzla, Tarrus Riley, Cocoa Tea, Maxi Priest, Kabaka Pyramid, and Etana.
Others from the Dancehall realm include T.O.K and Ding Dong while other Reggae acts include Johnny Osborne, Morgan Heritage, Christopher Ellis, son of the late Rocksteady singer Alton Ellis and Naomi Cowan.
According to Marley, the return of the Welcome To Jamrock Cruise, after two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a stitch in time for authentic Jamaican music.
“It comes at a time when we need examples for the culture, especially for the authentic part of the culture. We need some things to help prop it up. We need to have platforms like this,” he explained.
Damian also said that to have Shabba, whom he described as a “hero”, making his debut performance performing on the cruise for the first time, was very is a major accomplishment for him.
“For one of my heroes to come and experience something that I was a part of building is a great feeling. This man has influenced me and here he is now performing on a stage that I’ve helped to build. I feel that with all the artists, really, but Shabba Ranks kinda special to me.”
Shabba Ranks, 56, emerged in the 1980s and would go on to garner global success as a household name. His biggest hit single outside of Jamaica was the reggae fusion smash Mr. Loverman and Slow and Sexy with Johnny Gill, which is certified Gold in the United States for sales of over 500,000 units. Other big tracks include Housecall with Maxi Priest, Respect, Pirates Anthem, Trailer Load A Girls, Wicked Inna Bed, Caan Dun, and Ting A Ling.
Ranks won the Grammy award for Best Reggae Album in 1992 for As Raw as Ever and repeated the feat the following year with X-tra Naked. Both albums are certified Gold in the US.
The first Welcome to Jamrock Cruise set said in 2014 from Miami to Jamaica, with a star-studded lineup of Jamaican Reggae and dancehall stars on board, as well as many of the world’s top sound systems. Damian had described it then, as a historic moment, for the Reggae genre.
The Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise has become one of the most in-demand Reggae gatherings in the world and has sold out every year since it was initiated. Reggae lovers from more than 25 countries have booked the cruise each year to immerse themselves in Reggae and Jamaican culture.
The Welcome to Jamrock Cruise is a complete festival with musical performances, entertainment, food, fitness, and wellness activities, which completes part of Damian Marley’s mission which is to ensure the cruise to embodies Jamaica’s rich culture.
The last cruise took place in 2019 with performances by Koffee, Popcaan, Buju Banton, Stephen Marley, Tarrus Riley, Bounty Killer, Julian Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Capleton, Morgan Heritage, Mighty Diamonds, Pinchers, Sister Nancy, Everton Blender, Christopher Martin, Skip Marley, in what was a sold-out musical trip, just before COVID-19 reached pandemic proportions.