Reggae Mix Online
In the minds of many young Jamaicans, the only way out is a career in music…
Thinking of Jamaica usually conjures up an image of peace-loving Rastafarians with thick dreadlocks surrounded by even thicker clouds of hash smoke who play reggae tunes and sing the praises of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.
Argentine director Luciano Blotta’s self-conscious documentary RiseUp provides ample support of that cliché, but he simultaneously shows that behind the clever export product that reggae has become, a world of poverty and underdevelopment is lurking.
In the minds of many young Jamaicans, the only way out is a career in music, but the competition is overwhelming, so everyone tries to display their talent wherever and whenever they can.
Over a four-year period, director Blotta followed Turbulence, a charismatic lyrical master from the ghetto; Ice, the privileged songwriter from uptown Kingston, and Kemoy, a shy angelic songstress from the country.
The documentary also features veteran music insiders and aims to offer inspiration and homage through true spirits of reggae music, including legendary producers Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare.
The documentary was the winner of the “Best Music Documentary Award” at the AFI/Discovery Channel Silverdocs film festival.
Excerpts: International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, The Tribune
Rise Up Documentary Website: www.riseupmovie.com
