Majah lives up to the Hype

Performing for the Jamaican public for the first time, social-media personality-turned-stand-up comedian Majah Hype did not disappoint. Last Friday night at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium in St Andrew, the expert 'accent impersonator' performed at the first of two comedy shows as part of his ongoing 'Are You Dumb' tour, proving that his humour is bigger than Instagram, and can turn a disgruntled crowd to raucous laughter.

Though the audience members were tickled to tears during Dufton Shepherd's opening act and throughout the main event, some elements of production were lacking. True to local entertainment customs, the showtime of 8:30 p.m. was pushed back by at least an hour.

After the late arrival of the event's catering service, some VIP patrons who were entitled to free pickings were unwittingly made to pay.

Many patrons were still trying to get fed when the host, Dutty Berry, hit the stage. Dutty Berry was off to a good start, moving off the stage and into the crowd - highlighting popular patrons and spiking the audience's often-lulled energy. Agent Sasco, DJ Bambino, and Alaine were some of the noted individuals seated in the VIP section, but it was Member of Parliament Lisa Hanna who had the bullseye on her back.

Starting off the chuckles, Dutty Berry rehashed the pageant winner-turned-politician's recent social-media fracas, in which her foot violently connected with a dog.

He also took the opportunity to comment on Hanna's recent participation in a panel discussion with dancehall star Spice commenting on the prettiness of a woman's derriÈre.

Comedian Dufton Shepherd and social-media personality Quite Perry were the opening acts of the night. Shepherd successfully waxed anecdotal about days at Wolmer's Boys' School, crushes on girls, diarrhoea, and the familiar Caribbean beatings many remember receiving from their mothers. Quite Perry's set was on the temperament of Jamaican people how they are when travelling, among other things. It was not well received." How unu suh quiet? Smile nuh," the comedian encouraged. The audience did oblige, in politeness.

Quite Perry would have been the act to precede intermission, but when Dutty Berry made the announcement, the audience demonstrated their impatience to see the main act with a resounding 'no' emanating from all corners of the hall. They wanted to see the headliner, intermission be damned.

Headliner Majah Hype first took the stage as himself, and proceeded to drop joke after joke. Haitian, Trinidadian, Bajan, and even a generic African accent weaved their way through the comedian's storytelling. He took a few jabs at a couple of his favourite reggae artistes (Jah Cure and Gyptian), commenting on their transformation from young and conscious, to older and more worldly.

Where they wouldn't accept an intermission from Dutty Berry, the audience accepted the break time from Majah Hype, as he went backstage to transform into one of his beloved characters. "Who you want to see?" he asked. The demand was split, with many men shouting for "Di Rass", and many women shouting for Mitzie. Majaha Hype returned in dreadlocks wig, African garb and a red, green and gold scarf as the cantankerous Rass. But it was the arrival of Mitzie that sent the audience reeling. The tour was sponsored by LASCO iCool, Iberostar, LiveStush, SkaanMedia, Nirvana Group, Stewart's Auto, KFC, Pier 1 and others. Music was provided by DJ Narity.