By Francis Anthony Govia
Greetings and blessings are sent to Winston Rodney, otherwise known internationally as Jamaican reggae sensation, Burning Spear. Just in case you missed it, Burning Spear has been involved in a controversy and legal battle with MegaForce/MRI. The reggae artist contends that Megaforce/MRI owes him approximately $500,000 for the destruction of 14,000 copies of his compact discs, including back payments, and 5000 compact discs that the distribution company has been selling behind the scenes. Much of this matter can be heard directly from the artist himself at his website. The artist contends that when she could not have her way with him and his wife, she went as far as to have his wife arrested claiming that his wife threatened her. “She,” obviously, is a representative of MegaForce/MRI.
According to Burning Spear, no true lovers of music destroy music. I tend to agree that music should not be destroyed, but loved. Let us hope that the artist’s struggles will engender new creative fervor, and more accolades, and that he and MegaForce/MRI will come to terms.
Burning Spear began his music career with the help of the late Bob Marley, another artist from Saint Ann, Jamaica. He won two Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album; the first in 2000 for Calling Rastafari, and one for 2009 for Jah Is Real. He has been nominated for a total of 12 Grammy Awards.
Burning Spear’s Grammy Nominations for Best Reggae Album:
• 1986 Resistance
• 1988 People of the World
• 1990 Live in Paris Zenith ’88
• 1991 Mek We Dweet
• 1994 The World Should Know
• 1996 Rasta Business
• 1998 Appointment with His Majesty
• 2000 Calling Rastafari
• 2004 Free Man
• 2005 Our Music
• 2008 The Burning Spear Experience
• 2009 Jah Is Real
Tags: Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Jah Is Real, Marcus Garvey, MegaForce MRI, MegaForce/MRI, Music, reggae, Slavery Days, Winston Rodney
