Stars march forth for charity

By KIUNDU WAWERU

Like other celebrities before them who have turned Kibera into a tourist site, two international reggae artistes recently visited the slum during the Easter weekend. Walking along an open field, they came upon a gospel crusade that had only attracted a handful of people. The musicians could not resist the itch to jump onto the stage for an impromptu performance of a few gospel songs. Their antics immediately drew a larger crowd than anticipated.

Few of those who attended the religious crusade knew the musicians were London-based Tippa Irie — who has collaborated with music greats like Black Eyed Peas, Pato Banton and Maxi Priest — and Dr Ring Ding, whose song, The Needle, is a hit in Kenya.

Indeed, Ring Ding is surprised by the popularity of the song, which has the famous lines: I am not a qualified physician/And I don’t want to give this injection...

L-R: Dr Ring Ding, Tippa Irie and Oneko pose at JKIA. [PHOTOS: MBUGUA KIBERA /STANDARD]

The two musicians are visiting for a charitable cause, with an invite from March Forth Kenya Kids, a non-profit organisation that uses music, education and the arts to enrich the lives of Kenyan youth living in less economically endowed areas.

One of its founders and the Director of Programmes Oneko Arika says: "We are looking to use positive community role models to teach the youths and during the launch of March Forth Kenya Kids, we decided to invite Tippa Irie and Dr Ring Ding, whom I met during my tours in the USA." March Forth pilot project started is Maringo Estate, where Oneko grew up. He knows of the estate’s history of crime, with youths starting with pretty crime and slowly graduating. Oneko chose a different life, as there were social halls that featured acrobat shows, traditional dancing and even boxing.

Script writer

Indeed, Oneko would become a TV advert scriptwriter, bringing some of the most remembered ads like the Safaricom somersaulting granny. While in the US, Oneko met Tippa Irie who introduced him to musician Pato Banton. Oneko soon joined Banton’s Band as a percussionist and he felt the need to give back to the community, starting with his birthplace, Maringo.

"March Forth Kenya Kids will be using positive role models to teach youth lucrative skills such as drumming, acrobatics, and jewellery-making. We aim to lead them to lives free of crime," says March Forth Kenya Kids President Lynn Rossetto, who is also Oneko’s girlfriend. The name of the organisation is derived from a play on March 4th, her birthday.

Dr Ring Ding and Tippa Irie performed reggae and dance hall hits on Easter Sunday during the organisation’s launch at Jevanjee Gardens, Nairobi.

Born Anthony Henry, Tippa Irie emerged from England’s Saxon Sound International, a star-studded travelling sound system that has been at the forefront of the UK reggae dancehall scene for the past 25 years. He was part of the new generation of British MC’s who developed the "fast talking" style chat common with modern day rappers like Busta Rhymes. He has toured extensively with Pato Banton. Tippa Irie has a new record label, Lockdown Productions, based in London.

Dr Ring Ding, whose real name is Richard Jung, was born in Germany. He is widely known as a ska trombone player as well as a reggae, dancehall vocalist. He played the trombone in the German ska formation El Bosso and Die Ping Pongs from 1987 to 1993. In 2002 he founded the Senior Allstars, a successful ska band. His notorious voice and toasting abilities made him successful in dance hall music and he has toured widely around the World.

So does the song, The Needle, have sexual connotations? "Be the judge. You can translate it any way you want. But really, that is the beauty of calypso songs, from where the original Dr Kitch by Lord Kitchener is drawn. It is a Caribbean genre notorious for double meanings," he says.