Some Jamaicans Upset After Soca Star Machel Montano Honored On Independence Day

Some Jamaicans are up in arms after the Government presented the Keys to the City of Kingston to Trinidadian Soca artist Machel Montano at the National Gala on Independence Day, many contending that while it was a good gesture, it was done at the “wrong place and at the wrong time.”

The firestorm started after sports television personality Oral “The Maverick” Tracey posted a monologue on YouTube which he titled “Presenting the keys to the city of Kingston to Trinidadian Machel Montano on Jamaica’s Independence Day was not a good look”.

Contending that he felt “disrespected and insulted,” Tracey said he did not see the rationale for the gesture on a day and at an event that is reserved for celebrating “Jamaicanness”, and that Montano ought to have been presented with the accolades during Carnival season instead.

“Right away it click inna mi head seh: ‘but dis nuh look good’.  What would be the thinking fi yuh guh fi a Soca singer from Trinidad an gi him di keys to Kingston on Jamaica’s Independence Day? Is a foreign singer, with a foreign music.  A nuh dat alone in isolation; Jamaica has one of the most vibrant music industries in the world.  Pound for pound probably a di most impactful music we have in a industry weh emanate outa Jamaica: Reggae and Dancehall music,” Tracey stated.

“And, on Independence Day when wi a celebrate 61 years of independence you take a foreigner from dung a Trinidad; a musician enuh.  Is almost a competing brand to our brand enuh; an yuh guh fi Machel Montano an come gi him key a di city?” he added.

On Friday, two days before Independence Day, councilors at the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation had given full approval to a request from Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange, that Montano be given the keys to Kingston for “his sterling, awesome and iconic career in music, which has positively influenced many adoring fans across the Caribbean and the world, including many Jamaicans who continue to enjoy his enduring legacy”.  

However, at the same time, according to media reports, some councilors had also complained about the issue of “approving last-minute requests from government bodies for their approval.”

Tracey, in his lamentations on Monday, took Grange to task for allowing what he described as a ‘travesty’ to take place at the National Stadium.

“An yuh know mi particularly upset wid Babsy too, cause Babsy is a Reggae and Dancehall functionary enuh.  Babsy was a music producer, an agent and a manager.  Suh Babsy intertwine wid our music.  An she siddung deh – mi nuh know if a she dweet or some committee – But Babsy, if yuh appoint a committee and dem carry Machel Montano name come, yuh nuh tell dem seh ‘oonu mad?  Yuh know how much general wi have inna our music yah suh  weh underappreciated inna Jamaica?’,” he questioned.

Tracey also, in trying to fathom out how Montano got pride of place at the Independence gala, was also wondering whether Trinidad’s Government would have done the same for a Jamaican artist at their own independence celebrations.

“It looks conflicting to me. Is there some kind of reciprocal cultural arrangement between Jamaican and Trinidad weh dem gi Bob Marley di keys to di city dung deh, or Beres Hammond or Buju Banton di keys to di city dung a Port of Spain, suh we compelled fi gi Machel? Mi nuh understand,” he said.

According to Tracey, there were scores of Reggae and Dancehall artists who have not been honored in such a manner by the Government.

“Wi gi Bounty Killa di key to di city?  Wi gi Capleton di keys to di City?  Wi gi Beenie Man di keys to di city? Why oonu neva fly Shabba Ranks from New York and come gi him di keys to di city?  What about Freddie McGregor right now? Inna him little illness stage right now?  Why oonu neva carry Freddie come inna did emotional moment based pon wha a gwaan wid Freddie now and do something  like dis fi Freddie?  Mi flabbergasted, almost upset,” Tracey added.

Continued Tracey: “To how Machel Montano obviously feel awkward, him couldn’t even come yah inna him Trinidad and Tobago colours enuh.  But him couldn’t wear di Jamaica colours (because) a mock him woulda a mock wi.  Wha happen to Jimmy Cliff?  Wha happen to Shaggy an Sean Paul weh a blaze trail internationally?  Wha happen to dem?”

He then added: “Mi coulda find a hundred Jamaican artiste to gi di keys to di city of Kingston before yuh look outta Jamaica, guh look a Soca artiste from dung a Tridnidad, Machel Montano, di king of Soca or calypso or whatever dem call it dung deh.”

Jamaicans who have received the Keys to the City of Kingston include late reggae pioneer Frederick “Toots” Hibbert and business mogul Gordon “Butch” Stewart, posthumously.  The Jamaica Military Band, the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble, the National Dance Theatre Company, and the Tivoli Dance Troupe are also recipients.

However, for Tracey, there are countless other Jamaicans deserving of Independence day accolades.

“Pon big independence Day, when wi a celebrate our Jamaicanness is  a foreigner wi a give di keys to di city?  A big eediat sittn.  Big fool-fool sittn.  Mi nuh business weh nobaddy waan seh.  Mi si it as one big fool-fool insult especially inna di context a di vibrancy of our music industry.  Wi have too much superstar, ambassador outta reggae and dancehall to guh give Machel Montano di Keys a di city pon wi Independence Day,” he emphasized. 

“Wha happen to di man dem weh give 20, 30 years a yeoman work inna Reggae music a blaze di trail internationally?  Wha happen to Burning Spear.  Burning Spear come from dung a St Anns Bay.  Oonu couldn’t give Burning Spear di keys to the city of Kingston” he asked.

Tracey’s followers joined him in bemoaning the presentation, many pointing out that whenever Jamaicans are given the keys to any city, it is never on the Independence Day of the presenting country.

“Yes, he could have gotten it during Carnival Time. Portia Simpson Miller has the key to the city of Port of Spain, but it was not done on independence day,” one commenter said, while another added: “I thought I was the only one who finds that insulting, especially it’s our Independence Day. We have more than enough Jamaican regae artists we could give the key to the city. I felt the same way Oral, you talking the truth”.

“Totally agree with you. Certain Jamaicans don’t seem to like promote their own culture; music and sports, preferring just to jump on the bandwagon when people achieve international recognition. Some of them are the same people that keep pushing Trinidadian carnival in Jamaica,” another pointed out.

One Trinidadian follower sought to agree with Tracey, noting that she would feel the same way of the shoes were on the other foot.

“Maverick, I am a Trini and I agree with you. Not on your Independence, that is for your heroes. Maybe some other time at some other function. I would feel the same way if our government did that on our Independence with a foreigner, even if it was a Caribbean brother or sister,” she said. 

Others lamented the fact that Montano was given more plaudits and time at the ceremony than Reggae’s Morgans Heritage, who also received an honour.

“I was there and was perplexed about the same thing but especially about the 10 minutes long citation read before the presentation. I wondered why the group who had been honoured shortly before, Morgan’s Heritage, was not deserving of even a 3 minutes reflection on their contribution to our music and their accomplishments but a foreigner had his whole life story read to us. He was even given more time to perform than Morgan’s Heritage. Just a big blunder overall,” one man said.

“When I saw it I had a similar thought and was left very confused. I said I would investigate if he had deep Jamaican ties that would validate him being awarded with the key to Kingston… You are also correct in saying that this gesture will likely NOT be reciprocated,” another stated.

“Tho many JA’cans have embraced soca and calypso, it was certainly the wrong occasion to honour Mr. Montano. And worse, it was a slap in the face of our own icons, some of whom have not been officially recognized by Govt for their iconic work. It would’ve been an opportune time to honuor Mr. Freddy McGregor in the stadium in front of JA’cans. Babsy & Co “fumbled the bag” here,” another added.