Machel performs at Tidal concert

Machel Montano is once again causing a stir, this time over his recent performance at the charity concert, Tidal-X: Brooklyn, organised by JAY-Z’s streaming service Tidal. The video has made the social media rounds, with many Trinis expressing pride over seeing Montano on stage with American record producer and radio personality DJ Khaled.

Montano was one of the billed acts at the third annual Tidal X: Brooklyn concert. Other performers included legendary singer Stevie Wonder, rap mogul JAY-Z and singer Jennifer Lopez, among over 40 other performers.

The concert took place on October 17 at Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, and was in aid of disaster relief. In the two-minute-50-second video, DJ Khaled is seen at the beginning saying, “If you followed my career from day one, you know I love Jamaica, you know I love Haiti, you know I love Bahamas, you know I love Trinidad…I’m representing love…”

Then the opening strains of Montano’s Mr Fete come on and the crowd reacts as DJ Khaled tells them to “make noise for Machel Montano.” Montano is then seen jumping alongside Khaled, waving a red, white and black bandana. Khaled then takes the bandana from Montano and waves it as Montano performs his 2012 hit, and is also seen dancing with Montano in the video. He then does an acapella version of It’s Carnival with the crowd singing along before Destra Garcia’s vocals for It’s Carnival are heard.

Montano then asks if anyone is from the West Indies/Caribbean islands and says who he is and that he is representing TT. Garcia’s vocals cut in again and the crowd screams. Many on Facebook expressed their joy and pride at Montano’s performance. Some such as Donnette Dickson said “love it,” with the thumbs-up emoji and Nelisha Singh said, “WE GET THRUUUUUUU.”

The Facebook video received over 4,000 reactions and 714 comments. It has had over 84,000 views and been shared thousands of times. Cardi-B, the popular rapper of Trinidadian parentage, also performed at the concert.

According to Billboard.com, Tidal, the popular JAY-Z-owned streaming service, which teamed with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Empire State Relief and Recovery Effort, was able to ship 500,000 pounds of goods to hurricane-hit Puerto Rico early in October.

Variety.com said of the concert, “Tidal X as a cause is completely unimpeachable. A giant benefit concert with both superstars and lesser-known performers donating their talents to raise money and awareness for charity— this year hurricane and disaster relief for the southern US, the Caribbean and Mexico. Likewise, the company’s relief efforts even before the show — it raised money and collected donated goods and has chartered four planes (and counting) to fly them to Puerto Rico — have been exemplary and may well have set a new standard for work by a music-industry business.”