Cocoa Tea - ap

Since the mid 1980s when I first heard Cocoa Tea's version of Ray Charles' Crying Time (on the same rhythm as Pincher's version of For Your Eyes Only) I have loved Cocoa Tea's voice.

When I got older and started going to shows, I grew to also appreciate his spontaneity on stage, as well as the fact that he sounds as good in person as he does on a recording.

In the current 'barackmania', though, most will be associating Cocoa Tea with his song of support for the president-elect of the USA, the first man of colour to hold the most powerful and prestigious office in the world. And although the song of support was done long before Obama's landslide victory on Tuesday, there will be those who think that Cocoa Tea is trying to take advantage of a hot situation.

First Iraq invasion

They should be aware, though, that Cocoa Tea sang about the US under the other Bush, condemning the first Iraq invasion with "dem fighting over dis oil ting" in the 1990s. So it is not as if his decision to sing about the pressing issue of the day is new, even in the face of potential US retaliation (blocking someone from entering the country does not take much, does it).

So respects to Cocoa Tea. He is getting his just desserts of publicity for a timely tune.

Pretty disappointed

I must say, though, that I have been pretty disappointed that more Jamaican performers did not get musically involved in the US, Bush and the antics in Iraq and Afghanistan before this. After all, this is the country that (as Jimmy Cliff sang) "reggae down apartheid".

But then, with performers making most of their money from just that, performing, and the US being the closest and largest market for the modern-day Jamaican singer or deejay, it would take a very brave (or don't care) performer to have spoken out against the George Bush administration.

Is so it go.

So now we are sure to see a slew of recordings in support of Barack, when it is safe to pick a side. Not that there is anything cowardly about that. Bruce Golding showed his hand for Obama when it was all over, bar the voting.

I do hope that the performers and politicians will remain supportive even if miraculous things do not happen with Obama very quickly.

President-elect Barack Obama waves after giving his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night.