Rains not enough to stop ‘Grateful’
Published:Tuesday | December 31, 2024 | 4:25 PMKenrick Morgan/Gleaner Writer
According to veteran dancehall entertainer Agent Sasco, when he looked through his window on Sunday evening and saw the heavy rains, he began feeling “weak in the knees”.
And who could blame him? The Grateful singer was in a celebratory mood, and anything poised to hinder that would put a damper on anyone’s spirits.
The night started off calmly as the inclement weather looked as if it was taking a break. And although the grounds of the UWI Mona Bowl in St Andrew were damp, traversing the space proved manageable for most patrons while the infectious melodies of opening acts Qyor and Panicmuzik created the perfect atmosphere.
Thinks quickly got turned up a few notches when the rains returned during the set of reggae artiste Ras-I, who, while caught a little off guard at first, quickly caught his bearings and continued to deliver a passionate performance.
But it was during the set of a another fast-rising reggae star, Samory I, that all of heaven came down.
Patrons dashing for what little shelter they could find, quirky salesmen charging upwards of $2,000 for an umbrella, production crew rushing to cover expensive sound equipment, the event’s venue quickly transformed into a battleground against the elements.
Desperate for a return to normalcy, Samory I decided to do what he does best: entertain. And so in the pouring rain, before dozens of umbrellas and fans soaked from head to toe, the Outside singer delivered one of the most enthralling performances of the night.
Samory I’s performance successfully completed its goal of rejuvenating the audience while preparing the way for a slew of artistes to follow in his steps, including the star of the show: Jeffrey ‘Agent Sasco’ Campbell.
With the audience in a jubilant mood, Campbell took to the stage and reminded the audience that there was a reason he had managed to stay among dancehall’s elite for 25 years.
From Hand Inna Di Air to Ruffest and Tuffest and everything in between, Campbell had the audience singing word-for-word to some of his biggest hits stemming as far back as before his well-known name change.
But as he told the audience while the rain continued to pour, Agent Sasco is much more than just an artiste. It is an amalgamation of all his experiences and influences.
These influences include the likes of dancehall royalty Spragga Benz, Bounty Killer, and Professor Nuts, all of whom took to the stage to share their love and appreciation for Campbell. His experiences include those moments in life that changed him as a man, including the birth of his first daughter, Allyana.
Campbell's second daughter Lauren, joined her father on stage to not only celebrate his achievements as an entertainer, but to also pay tribute to her late grandmother, who would have celebrated her birthday on December 29 – not coincidentally, the date chosen for Grateful.
After two hours of stellar performances and legendary guest appearances, Agent Sasco brought the curtains to a close by expressing his gratitude to fans who had withstood the harsh weather.
“If that isn’t an expression of gratitude, I don’t know what is,” he said before ending the show with the title track of his critically acclaimed album Banks of the Hope.
A night well spent, Gratitude served not only as a celebration, but as a love letter to Campbell’s mother, the community he grew up in, and the friends and fans that have supported him for 25 years.
Editor's Note:
A version of this story previously stated that Agent Sasco's first daughter's name is Lauren. His first daughter's name is Allyana. We regret the error.