Blakk Rasta features in Amsterdam's biggest reggae festival

Ghana's reggae icon, Blakk Rasta set to thrill fans in Amsterdam

Ghana's reggae sensation, Blakk Rasta, performs live in Holland, on a platform which has for years been the preserve of Western and American reggae artistes.

The concert, which comes off at The Sand in Amsterdam city, is the most popular reggae event in Holland.

Blakk Rasta rubs shoulders with some of the world's biggest reggae and dancehall greats from Jamaica, including, Capleton and Elephant Man.

Two of Holland's top reggae stars – Kalli Bwoy and Zed – are also on the bill to make one of Holland's biggest music festivals this month.

In an exclusive interview with Myjoyonline on Thursday from his hotel in Amsterdam, Blakk Rasta said he would mount the stage with his hit track Barack Obama which scored a number-one hit in several countries around the world last year – the song was in support of now president of the United States, Barack Obama.

Next in line will be Selassie I Live, followed by Chukwu Laryea and Letter from Babylon, in that order – events on stage could alter the arrangement though.

Blakk Rasta indicated that organisers of the show had earlier doubted his ability to “live up to the task” citing his background as an African. But he tells Myjoyonline, he is set to thrill his expectant fans in the European country.

The artiste is also billed to perform at another live concert on September 26, a day after the commemorative concert, at Almere, a big pub with a 1000-guest capacity. Blakk Rasta will be the main performer there but alongside a standing band.

Asked what is next after the shows, the music icon intimated he will return to Ghana on September 27 but is likely to enplane his crew to Jamaica to perform on the Coronation Day which falls on November 2, alongside artistes such as Rita Marley, Mutabaruka, Etana, I-Three and the Bob Marley Family.

The Coronation Day commemorates the day the leader of Rastafarianism, Haille Selassie, was crowned king of kings in Ethiopia in 1930.

It is celebrated each year around the world with big concerts but this year's edition will be the most thrilling, organisers say.

Also later this year, Blakk Rasta flies back to Amsterdam to perform at the Miss Ghana Amsterdam 2009 event.

Indeed, this year has come with a great fortune for Blakk Rasta but he insists his career is still far from hitting the peak.

The musician's Barack Obama track seems to have been the main factor that has given him the thrust onto the world reggae music arena.

The song enjoyed airplay on international media networks such as the BBC, CNN and Deutsche Welle, as well as reviews in New York Times and hundreds of tabloids across the world.

Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana