Entertainment Year In Review
Charly Black's 'Ask Spice dat', and other memorable moments in 2022
Published:Friday | January 6, 2023 | 12:52 AM
No long talking, we are going straight into these memorable moments of 2022.
1. Charly Black's epic response
The month was June. The date was the 24th. Charly 'Trelawny' Black had a sit-down interview with Canada's Brandon Gonez Show. It was Pride Month and the interviewer seemed interested in hearing Charly Black's take on Queen of Dancehall Spice performing at a Pride event. Traditionally, dancehall and 'Pride' are like oil and water.
Gonez: "I want to talk to you about Spice. It's Pride Month here in Toronto ... what do you think about Spice, who is a huge dancehall figure, coming to play and to perform at a Pride festival?"
With an expression that couldn't be any more deadpan, Charly responded thus: "When yuh see Spice, yuh ask her that." (Did a Bounty Killer soundalike just utter "People dead!"?)
"Are you guys friendly?" Gonez quizzed.
"Yes ... is my big sister. But that question that yuh ask mi, when yuh see her, you ask her," Charly reiterated.
We totally agree with Foota Hype who declared at the time that this answer “should be placed in a dancehall museum”.
2. TikTok TikTok, nuh dat we seh to, Queen
Conscious reggae artiste Queen Ifrica had her rather pragmatic TikTok moment in July when she appeared in an interesting video wearing a little romper, with Beyonce's Brown Skin Girl blasting in the background.
"Yeahhhh! Dem seh TikTok TikTok, nuh dat we seh to? Mi nuh give a (expletive) how dis look. TikToking all the (expletive) way. Who nuh like it, bite it. Different meds after 2022, 23, 24 25 ... who nuh like it, come join it. Don't care!"
It seemed like a lot of people did 'bite it' while many opted to join. By the way, tattooed on the Rastafarian singer's hand was the word Serendipity, the title of one of her latest songs.
3. Beenie Man and Bounty Killer's fake fight
Out of nowhere, an online spat developed between dancehall enemies-turned-friends Beenie Man and Bounty Killer. They decided that the stage at MECA, where they were both billed for a charity performance that night, would see the settlement of all arguments. Well, it sounded like Sting in July, and, needless to say, hordes of clash-loving dancehall fans found themselves at MECA at Marketplace waiting. Wait in vain they did, because, as it unfolded, the two were simply pulling a stunt to get support for the charity event.
4. No more scamming and molly songs
In October, the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) caused quite a ruckus when it placed a ban on any audio or video which promotes scamming, abuse of drugs, or any form of criminal activity. “The use of the public airwaves to broadcast songs that promote/glorify illegal activity could give the wrong impression that criminality is an accepted feature of Jamaican culture and society. It could also unwittingly lend support to moral disengagement and further normalise criminality among vulnerable and impressionable youth, and the young adult demographic,” the release read. The Media Association of Jamaica said it was never approached before the regulator announced the measure and pointed to sections of the ban it claims show an "overreach" in the BCJ's ban. Artistes and producers also vented against this ban and howled about their "freedom of speech" being encroached..
5. Jamaica 60 celebration a vibe
The year 2022 was the year of Jamaica's diamond jubilee celebration, commemorating 60 years of Independence. There were many highs, but the drone show took the Jamaica 60 celebrations to another level of spectacular at the Independence Grand Gala at the National Stadium on August 6. For 12 mesmerising minutes, the dazzling lights from 300 drones lit up the night sky to carve out the Coat-of-Arms, the clock at Half-Way Tree, images of Bob Marley and Usain Bolt, and spelled out words 'Jamaica 60' and ‘Reigniting a Nation for Greatness'.
6. 'Starstruck' cabinet ministers fined
The 'starstruck' Cabinet ministers who appeared to flout the Disaster Risk Management Act while attending Shenseea's album launch were ordered to donate $100,000 each to a charity or assist Jamaicans currently before the courts for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act. Dr Nigel Clarke, Dr Christopher Tufton, Floyd Green, and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang were among those who did not have on masks in pictures published from the event. In his contribution to the Budget Debate in Gordon House on Thursday, March 17, Prime Minister Holness had this to say: “Some people were starstruck and forgot their senses; I believe they should be fined. And so Minister Grange, who is used to being among stars and kept her mask on, I am appointing you, Minister, to collect $100,000 from every minister who was there and make a donation to a worthy charity.”
7. Popcaan and Toni-Ann Singh
Not only did they give us, Next to Me, the collab we never realised that we needed, the Unruly Boss and Miss World 2019 - 2021 have been fuelling some serious relationship rumours. Actually, some persons on social media are so loving the idea of them as a real couple that they have already married them off and refer to Toni-Ann as "Miss Rhona daughter-in-law". Are they or aren't they?
8. Emmy and an OJ for Sheryle Lee Ralph
At the 2022 Emmy Awards in September, Sheryl Lee Ralph won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Barbara Howard, Abbott Elementary’s resident kindergarten teacher and woman of God. The second black woman to win the Emmy in that category since 1987, her acceptance speech was memorable. “To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like, and don’t you ever, ever give up on you. Thank you, thank you!” she said, as the people stood as a mark of the highest respect.
On October 17, Sheryl Lee Ralph, accepted the Order of Jamaica during the Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards at King’s House. "I thought it was a feeling of elation when I won the Emmy, but to be conferred with the Order of Jamaica [after] my mother [Ivy Ralph] had been conferred with the Order of Distinction … . I feel so proud,” she told JIS News.
9. Capleton and Beenie Man in separate accidents
Capleton met in an accident in St Thomas when his high-end vehicle overturned and had to be written off. The Fireman, however, has since acquired a brand-new one.
And Beenie Man met in an accident and injured his ankle. Being Beenie Man, he was still up and about, until his medical team instructed him to keep quiet or run the risk of losing his foot.
10. Presidential Medal for Mis Pat; Shaggy honoured by Brown University
Patricia 'Miss Pat' Chin, co-founder and president of VP Records, was honoured in June with the first Presidential Medal from York University. The author of Miss Pat: My Reggae Music Journey said she was "truly honoured" and thanked President Eanes, faculty and staff.
In May, Brown University, the highly respected Ivy League institution located in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, conferred Orville 'Shaggy' Burrell with an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts degree. A diamond-selling artiste, Shaggy also served four years in the US Marines. After delivering the oration to the Class of 2020 graduates who had missed their in-person ceremony owing to the pandemic, Shaggy filled the auditorium with the sounds of reggae and dancehall music as he performed a medley of his hit songs that had the graduating class out of their seats and singing. It was a moment.