Paula Lindo – Our histories, stories, present, future.

There were tears, laughter and music in abundance at the celebration of the life of rapso artiste Derek “Benny J.” Jones on January 8. The artiste who passed away on December 21, was a founding member of De Network Riddum Band, one of the most popular rapso bands of the 1980s and beyond.

Friends and family gathered to pay tribute to the rapso king, including Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba, Everard “Brother Shortman” Romany, Omari Ashby, Karega Mandela, Norbert “Mickey” Moore, Ulrich “Knocker” Francois, Lennox Lopez, Oba Dread, Mark Nottingham, Isaac Blackman, Judith Laird, Akilah Jaramogi, Philip “Black Sage” Murray, and Krisson Joseph, among others.

In opening the proceedings, Masimba said Jones was an icon who lived his life for the music, for the Band, for the cultural works, without asking for recognition. He said the Network Riddum Band felt it was therefore important for his community to gather to celebrate his life, even as they were saddened by his passing.

Rapsonian Karega Mandela reminisced about eating redfish cooked by Benny’s mother and learning to play drums. He said Benny would over-prepare for shows and was serious about whatever he did. His favourite memory of Benny was when Benny played him a recording he had made in the studio, because he couldn’t believe Benny had done it on his own. Mandela thanked Benny for his investment in him.

Moore said Benny was a persistent person who was a brother to everyone in rapso and was loved by everyone in the village. Ashby, half of the rapso band Kindred, said Benny had given the group advice and paid attention to them in a way that many older artistes did not do for younger artistes. Murray said he used to play cricket with Benny, long before they began playing music. He said his best memory of Benny was in 2019 when he went out of his way to help Murray fix his car.

Oba Dread shared a story about Benny being detained at customs in England because a dog followed them after they had been eating fried fish and roti on the plane. He said Benny loved to cook and talked about adding flavour to food. He said Benny always made sure everyone was alright, and he was all about the music.

Benny’s brother, Earl Jones, said people used to say he and Benny were knitted together because they were always together. He said Benny was always positive and used to say the word “can’t” shouldn’t be in the dictionary. Roy Pierre said with Benny’s death, the world had lost someone who cared about people.

Isaac Blackman said Benny was always a good brother and a master on the steel pan. Abo Nyekumbah said while he and Benny had what he described as “a relationship of vex”, Benny was a really caring person, and had gone all out to find medication for a cold that had brought Nyekumbah close to death. Ulrich “Knocker” Francois of the Cultural Robbers group said Benny was a brother in music who urged him to record his singing, but he stuck to his drums.

Sista Ava said Benny was her musical director and gave thanks for his guidance throughout her musical career. She reminisced about attending a Santeria Festival in Venezuela where Benny taught a workshop without understanding the language. She entreated the crowd to gather and acknowledge people when they’re alive, so that the community doesn’t see each other only at funerals. Sister Sernia said people should learn to appreciate the people in their lives because they never know when they will leave, and that Benny would live again through the memories of those present, as people only really die when their memories are lost.

A contingent from the Klassic Ruso Calypso Tent, including Shirlane Hendrickson, Mark “Contender” John, and William “Dr. Will B” Bannister, paid tribute to Benny. Hendrickson said it was always a pleasure to have him perform at the tent, as he was often the only rapso artiste to perform, and brought something special to the stage. She said he was always smiling and encouraged her as a woman in the business. John said it was traditional for he and Benny to coast on each other every season and he would miss him, and Bannister reminisced about working with Benny in the 70s at Pandemonium on the Avenue.

Two of Benny’s colleagues from the Ministry of Works and Transport, where he worked as a plumber for many years, shared their memories of him on and off the job. They said he was a hard worker, a remarkable friend and they would miss him.

There were performances by Ashby, Isaac Blackman, Brother Shortman, Wolde Darwit and Jobo, Oba Dread, Abo Nyekumbah, Ulrich “Knocker” Francois, Sista Ava, Sista Sernia, and Shirlane Hendrickson, among others.

In closing, Masimba said in honour of Benny, the Network Community Organisation, the Network Rapso Riddum Band and the Rapso Nation, would support Benny’s daughter in continuing her education, put together an album of Benny’s work, and finish the documentation of the story and history of the Network. He said the Rapso Explosion showcase, scheduled for February 18, would be dedicated to the works of Benny J.