Universal Message Tour: Anthony B, Norris Man, Chrisinti & Donovan Bonanza
Chicago, IL @ Wild Hare 3/3/03
By Steve Serpiente

CHICAGO - Tending to the flock who ventured out on a snowy Monday night to nearly fill up the Wild Hare, artists on VP Records' Universal Message Tour served as ministers of consciousness, delivering tidings of love, respect and redemption over righteous reggae riddims

Headliner Anthony B, a Bobo Ashanti Rastafarian who wraps his locks tightly under the trademark turban of the Bobos, is the embodiment of the conscious entertainer, spouting militant lyrics condemning the Babylonian forces of racism, oppression and violence as well as singing uplifting songs of love and unity. (To hear Anthony B expand on the concept of "conscious entertainer," listen to his cut by that name voiced over Peter Tosh's "Buk-In-Hamm Palace" riddim on his Seven Seals album [VP].)

Aside from Sizzla and Capleton, no conscious deejays on the reggae scene today are as prolific as Anthony B. A quick scan through stacks of 7" wax coming out of JA the past few years reveals Anthony checking in on both 00's dancehall riddims such as "Diwali," "Party Time," "Mud Slide," "Belly Skin," "Famine" and "Bust Loose," as well as on updates of vintage riddims like "Real Rock," "Answer," "Mr. Bassie," "Tempo," "Money In My Pocket" and "Ballistic Affair." Unlike the catalog of some other extremely prolific artists, Anthony B's work suffers no loss in quality due to quantity. 

Asked about keeping his bountiful output within the conscious realm, Anthony told this writer, "Well, we just have to stand up and represent. True slackness is coming on so hard. We gotta keep culture out there, keep it coming, flowing, flowing to keep this generation loving the thing. So that's what we're doing, yunno? There's good, good, good ability in culture. They (deejays and singers) can be versatile and still be conscious. They can be hot like the other (slack) ones and still sing conscious lyrics."

As for the source of inspiration for his songs, Anthony told African TV Chicago during a post show meet and greet backstage that routine activities like "smoking a joint" could become the subject matter for a tune.

During his one hour show at the Wild Hare, Anthony jumped, danced and otherwise blazed through some of his most popular joints and previewed a couple numbers not yet released on CD.

Appearing onstage at 1 a.m. clutching an African staff, Anthony opened with Bob Marley's "Real Situation" before firing into his attack of originals starting with "One Thing" (So Many Things, VP - an album alternately released by Greensleeves as Real Revolutionary). Among his anthems which the massive received most enthusiastically were "Good Life" (That's Life, VP), the landmark "Fire Pon Rome," "Raid Di Barn" (both from So Many Things), "Give Thanks" on the "Baba Tunde" riddim (the track appears on the J&D label's 3 Wise Men compilation with Anthony B, Luciano and Sizzla) and the encore "Prophecy Ah Reveal" (So Many Things), chanted over Glen Brown's much versioned "Youthman" riddim.

Resurrecting the "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" riddim (originated in 1973 by that reggae star from Hibbing, Minnesota, Bob Dylan), Anthony promoted safe sex, warning against the risk of AIDS and urging amorous men to "wrap it up, bag it up, tuck it up" on "Don't Wanna Be." On "Cut That Out," done over a lively version of Prince Buster's "Pressure and Slide" riddim (see classics like Sugar Minott's "Oh Mr. D.C.," Yellowman's "Two to Six Supermix" or Beres Hammond's "What One Dance Can Do"), Anthony lashed out against the "clash" mentality in the music business, advocating unity among sound system men.

On "Mr. Heartless" (Seven Seals) and "Good Cop" (included on the various artists 5 Blazing Fire release on the Fire Ball label), Anthony chided the wicked men of Babylon for their greed and corruption. The deejay toasted about the human spirit's abilitity to resist evil temptations in "Hurt the Heart" (So Many Things).

From his upcoming "Street Knowledge" album (street date 4/29/03 on VP), Anthony performed a catchy soca cut which seemed to be commercially oriented enough to garner airplay and thus promote Jamaican tourism with the line, "When you come to Jamaica, you take a marijuana vacation." (Could the tune become another marketing piece for the Jamaican Tourism Board like Marley's "One Love?") Anthony followed this new track with the red hot "Water Pumpee," over Gregory Isaacs' "Night Nurse" riddim, which, as of this writing, is available only on 7". (The 7" recording is a combination tune with deejay Seeed backed by a wicked dub well worth your three bucks on the B side.)

While Anthony B is indisputedly one of the genre's top conscious deejays, singers Norris Man and Chrisinti offer up consciousness as two of reggae's rising young roots singers.

In a half hour set beginning at 12:30 a.m., Norris Man covered material from his two albums (Persistance on VP and Better Your Soul on Jah Scout Records) as well as from his 7" releases.

The energetic singer came sprinting out of the gate, running through quick versions of "Bright Days," which included a hip hop interlude, and "Woman Have Patience" (both from Persistence). Also from Persistance, Norris Man did "Heathen Pt 11," the spiritual "Everliving Soul" and the title track.

Behind hard driving, thunderous basslines courtesy of the Star Trail Band's Samuel "One Drop" Richards, Norris Man observed that, despite all of humankind's vanities, we all still answer to Jah at the end of the day on "When Dem Ego Done" (Better Your Soul). Over Gregory Isaacs's "Tune In" riddim from, Norris Man sang "She Never Knew It" (Calibud 7"), pleasing dancing patrons in the process. 

Judging from the crowd's reception, Norris Man will be welcome back to Chicago stages any time.

In his second Chicago appearance (the first was with Bushman and Norris Man on the King of Kings Family Tour at the Hare on 10/30/01), the talented youthman Chrisinti handled himself with a charming humbleness yet cool confidence at once.

While the singer's 2002 debut album, Comfort My People (VP) is superior both musically and lyrically, it has been somewhat underplayed in clubs and underappreciated by the reggae buying public.

Questioned if he would trade quality to achieve more hype (and hence sales) on par with a Sizzla or a Capleton, Chrisinti said, "Everybody got their different role. I'm not saying I wouldn't work a little for the hype in that sense, but I'm at a level to where I'm gonna stay continuous - the same past, present and future - just as long as it's dealing with righteousness, educational, spiritual, holiness and concsciousness."

Noting that different artists cater to different audiences,  Chrisinti said, "Life is made up of different races, different nations, and everybody is from the Almighty. The spice of life is really the variety. Some of the people - you can reach them with an uptempo beat but with conscious lyrics. And you have a different set of people you reach more with the one drop vibe."

Tour organizers planned well by including Chrisinti, whose laid back approach provides the perfect foil for the rapid fire, sometimes in your face delivery of Anthony B.

While a followup album to "Comfort My People" is not yet in the works, Chrisinti has focused his efforts on recording singles for release on 7", some of which he said will eventually be collected for a new record. Look for the upcoming singles to be voiced over both original riddims and classic Studio One type riddims.

Starting his 25 minute set just after midnight, Chrisinti first proferred a brief a cappella rendition of the Melodians' "Rivers of Babylon," followed by the powerful "Say Jah" over Isaacs' "Tune In" riddim (Calibud 7"). From Comfort My People, Chrisinti sang "No More Rain," "Shine Your Light," "In Due Season" (for an alternate vocal on this riddim, check out Luciano's "Long Story" on his 2003 release, Serve Jah on VP) and "Mightier Than Dem."

Up and coming young singer Donovan Bonanza got the evening moving, showcasing his talents on a four song stint including "Serious Man," "Old Soldier" (over a militant groove), the slow, gospel style "Rise Up" and "World Power."

The tight Star Trail Band brilliantly backed the four artists for the two and a half hour show with no breaks.

The mighty DJ Cojoe B served as MC of the event.

Contact reggae addict Steve Serpiente @ serpiente97@yahoo.com

*note from chicagoreggae.com: we apologize for lack of pictures of this event.  we tried to get our photographers in, but were told  by the promoter "we already have enough photographers" ? oh well. maybe next time....