Entertainment
Richard Johnson Sunday, September 01, 2013
IN his song Music Lesson, reggae king Bob Marley declared: “Music gonna teach them one lesson.”That has been the experience of Brother Jimmy, a media personality from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.The dreadlocked presenter of a cable television magazine show, says reggae music has been an influential force in his life. He says growing up in the French department, he was not exposed to the teachings of black leaders.“I was 12 years old when I first started listening to reggae. Man like Jacob Miller, Burning Spear and of course Bob Marley,” Brother Jimmy explains.”I hear them sing about people like Marcus Garvey, (Ethiopian Emperor Haile) Selassie and other black leaders. I start to ask myself, ‘who is Garvey’? It force me to go and learn about my black history. Reggae music is the story of my culture, it help me find my way,” he asserts in a thick French accent.This sense of black identity comes over in his television show, BWorld Connection (which means Black World Connection).“The concept of the show is simple — to highlight examples of excellence in the black world, not just in music and sports, and also to show how reggae can teach us valuable lessons,” Brother Jimmy notes.He has lost track of the number of times he has visited Jamaica, and is a regular at major music events such as Reggae Sumfest, Sting and Rebel Salute.His current reggae favourites are I-Octane, Sizzla and Bounty Killer.“I like artistes who have something to say — a positive message, fight against corrupt politics, message of love, culture and redemption. I really don’t have the time to listen to music that is really not saying anything.”Reggae music is the story of my culture.BROTHER JIMMY… reggae music is the story of my culture.
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Meet Brother Jimmy: reggae student
