By Sharon Gordon

new york:

The New York premiere of the Jamaican film Better Mus’ Come was a tremendous success. With rumors of the show being sold out days in advance, it was no surprise to see a throng of eager New Yorkers scurrying feverishly to buy tickets on the big night.

The who’s who on the New York Reggae scene including traditional and new media types, seasoned industry insiders, as well as a good mix of Jamaican expatriates were front and center for one of the most anticipated event on New York’s Black History Month Calendar. The event celebrated the arts with “cinema and music for the people” with the works of Jamaican-born film and music stars Storm Saulter and Mr. Vegas respectively.

The excitement was palpable from the moment popular Bajan-born broadcaster, Dahved Levy of WBLS 107.5 Fm, introduced Reggae/Dancheall artist Mr. Vegas on stage.

In an acoustic set backed by Tony Bone on guitar and Courtney Panton on Congas with harmonies from Simone Gordon and Stephen, Mr. Vegas presented a sweet selection of songs ranging from ska to roots reggae to dancehall including a remake of Toots and the Maytals, humungous hit, Sweet and Dandy which caused a member of the audience to break out in an impromptu ska routine.

He was quickly beckoned on stage by Mr. Vegas and the excitement went up a notch when a female from the front row joined in on stage. This proved to be quite entertaining and soon others in the audience were out of their seats dancing and singing along. It was a seminal moment. Mr. Vegas was in rare form as he introduced the audience to his soon to be released double album, entitled, SWEET JAMAICA, a tribute to Jamaica’s Golden Anniversary of Independence.

explosive

Better Mus’ Come is an explosive journey into the life of Ricky, a gang leader who tries desperately to navigate the challenges of life in a Kingston ghetto while taking care of his young son. He along with “Dogheart” are leaders of two warring political factions who use bloodshed to disrupt the By Elections of 1977, unleashing political turmoil and terror on the streets of inner Kingston. The film journeys from 1977 and ends in the early days of 1978 during the infamous Green Bay Massacre.

Better Mus’ Come actors Ricardo Orgille, Nicole Grey and director Storm Saulter were on hand to discuss the making of the film. Joining the discussion via Skype from Jamaica were actors Sheldon Shepherd who plays “Ricky” and Everaldo Creary who plays, “Shorty.” Moderating the conversation was Imagenation’s Moikgansti Kgama. Also participating were Dr. Rodney Ptah -Shabazz author of Black To The Roots and Sherman Escoffery, editor at Largeup.com.

During the post screening reception, guests were treated to a scrumptious assortment of patties from Miss Lilly’s in lower Manhattan as they interacted with the director and actors of Better Mus’ Come. Visual artist Jason Auguste whose artwork was on display sums it best when he says, “It was a great night. People were feeling the healing vibrations, with the movie, the art and the performance by Mr. Vegas, it was a symbiotic experience.”