Concert to honour Bro Resistance's memory

EMANCIPATION DAY morning with its Kambule procession was one of the happiest times for the late Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) president Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba.

So said some members of the rapso fraternity who got together to honour him at the Emancipation Support Committee of TT’s concert, Remembering Brother Resistance, at the Lidj Yasu Omowale Village, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday.

Those artistes also felt it was fitting that any event honouring him be done at Emancipation time.

There were 13 rapso artistes paying tribute to him, singing covers from his large music compendium.

Omari Ashby, Oba Dread, Curious Ringo and Nefta Kojo were among them.

Brother Resistance died on July 13 last year. His funeral was held virtually as there were covid19 restrictions in place at that time.

Although it was scheduled to begin at 5.30 pm, the show did not get started until 6.20 pm with artiste Knocker doing the prayer and a drum call.

Co-host Omari Ashby called on the small but appreciative audience to repeat an often said Brother Resistance refrain, rapso time in a call and response manner. The audience happily responded and some danced as the performers sang his many songs.

The second performer, Sernia did chants that she and Brother Resistance would do during the Emancipation morning procession.

She engaged the audience by repeating phrases and sayings Resistance often shared with her such as, “Don’t forget who you are.”

“People died just for you to speak,” she added, telling them of the importance of Emancipation and Brother Resistance’s work.

The performers did covers of his songs such as Tonite Is De Nite, Advantage, Can I Get a Witness and Nation Time. At its 8.05 pm end, all of the artistes came together to close the show with one of Brother Resistance’s most popular songs, Ring De Bell.