Garnet Silk

Garnet Silk

He doesn’t just sing this song in dedication to his mother but he actually died holding his mother in his arms protecting her. He was in his home and someone shot the gas tank outside his house, igniting it and burning the house to the ground. He had gotten out along with two brothers and two friends. When he realized his mother was still inside he went back in to rescue her. Unable to get out he cradled his mother in his arms trying to protect her.

You can hear this song on the post below.

Garnet Silk, born Garnet Damion Smith, was just 28 years old when he died. The year was 1994. He had a wife and three children with one more on the way. His career had recently taken off to a new level. He had just signed his first major label deal with Big Beat/Atlantic Records. In Jamaica he was hailed as “the next Bob Marley”. He was singing conscious dancehall when most everyone else was singing ‘big panty’ (sexual) dancehall songs. As with most Island children, music was cherished by him. Before he reached his teens he was a “toaster,” or deejay in many of the dancehalls. Instead of boastful raps and challenges, Garnet, known as Little Bimbo at the time, incorporated spiritual and social themes in his lyrics. In the late 1980′s Tony Rebel turned him on to the teachings of Rastafari, a religion practiced by about 15% of Jamaicans. These spiritual teachings inspired him to write songs such as “Zion in a Vision” and “Kingly Character.” His “Love Is the Answer” celebrates the “true love of the Father.” My two favorite songs are “Mama” and “It’s Growing”. In 1992

I went to Jamaica with my 8 month old son and his father (Starbo). My dad gave us a free trip he had won which included a 5-day stay in Ocho Rios. We were in this fancy hotel that had what seemed like a million people waiting on us; all the servers had white gloves on. It felt very strange-the white glove part. We met a taxi driver that seemed overly friendly. He kept saying he was our friend so we thought great, now we have a new friend in Jamaica. He offered to take us to a concert that was happening that night and we gladly accepted; later finding out he was charging us, which we should have assumed. I have no regrets paying the man, as it was a concert not to forget.

a million servers

We waited an hour in line just to get in. My son, Juma, was sound asleep. We took turns holding him: his father, the taxi man and me. I was surprised I had the longest holding time when you compare my arm muscles to theirs. We were near a beer stand and I saw these stacks of beer cases next to it, so we just put the baby blanket on top of them and Juma on top of the blanket. Of course we stood next to the cases but what a relief not to hold him. It would of made a great picture.

Tony Rebel came on and he was pretty incredible, he could chat some lyrics, and chat some more lyrics. He has a rap/dancehall style. He also has an astounding memory because everything he said was about something and there was not much repeating. There were many more artists but not much that really caught my attention. All the sudden I heard this amazing, silky voice, but what was even more amazing was what he was singing about, finally someone who did not sing about ‘big panty girls’. It was so inspiring and beautiful. I told Starbo to watch the baby and I went up close to the stage, I stayed there the whole time till Garnet Silk finished his set. That was all I could talk about for the rest of the week.

When we went back to the Virgin Islands, to our Rasta store that we had ran and owned for more than 12 years, I made sure I played lots of Garnet Silk. Lots of smiles came out when the silk entered the air.