‘No Long Talk’ gone abroad

‘No long talk’ is a phrase used in Jamaica to reflect our impatience and, sometimes, arrogance. But, in another place and time, ‘No long talk’ simply means ‘let’s chill, let’s eat, let’s dance’. The place is Miss Lily’s in Manhattan, New York, and the time is from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Before this summer, the session was a biweekly party but, from June to August it has been a special weekly summer edition. Music by resident disc jockeys Khalil and/or Sounds of Reality starts at 9. The party runs just like how a traditional Jamaican party would, with different segments for different ‘types’ of dancehall. There might be a special guest or two. The session winds down by 2 a.m. “And I usually leave Miss Lily’s feeling like I’ve done my moral duty for the week,” Rhea Prendergast recently shared with The Gleaner.

Prendergast, a Jamaican, is a New York University honours graduate who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in global liberal studies, with a concentration in art, text, media, and a minor in dance performance. Her thesis is titled, ‘Our Bodies Don’t Stop At Our Bodies: The Global Evolution of Streetwear’. Through this work, she examined the role of the subculture in three major cities: New York, London and Tokyo.

Being in New York City for university from 2018 to 2020 also involved time spent “learning about, actively observing and participating in Manhattan’s live entertainment/nightlife scene”, she said.

And then COVID-19 happened. It meant moving back to Jamaica where restrictions were in place. “I realised how seriously I was being affected by the sudden disappearance of the live entertainment industry, and how much participating in this, at that time as just a patron, meant to me,” she recalled.INSPIRATION

Something was acutely missing from her life, but there was also an inspiration to do something, to fill the gap. A return to NYC to resume school in February 2021 was met with a similar lull in the entertainment industry. Yet, there was a buzz in the winter. And, a close friend, Silent Addy, a Jamaican DJ, gave her the opportunity to host a party called Hot Gyal Thursdays at Piano’s in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. “That was the No Long Talk origin story, I just didn’t know it yet,” she said in retrospect.

Another inspiration came when Prendergast was invited in June 2022 by NYC promoter Mark B. Esq to do a test run of hosting his Yard & Abroad Thursday night party at Miss Lily’s. “And, after the success of that night, Max Glazer offered me Wednesday nights at the spot. After a bit of back and forth, me being scared to start something new all by myself, as well as trying to find a name for the party, No Long Talk was born on September 14, 2022 at Miss Lily’s 7A Café & Rum Bar.

“For more than a decade, Miss Lily’s has been a vessel for the celebration of our Caribbean culture in Manhattan, New York … . The space has also been used to host underground performances from some of the biggest musicians from the region over the years … the perfect venue to accomplish what I was trying to do with No Long Talk. I was able to add a refreshing and renewed feeling to Jamaican culture in the city while also adding to a piece of history,” Prendergast said.

BUILD COMMUNITY

She regards No Long Talk as “an ode to the celebration and preservation of authentic Jamaican music and entertainment culture in New York City” as “it aims to provide an up-to-the-time look into Caribbean culture”. She said, “No Long Talk also aims to strengthen Caribbean representation and pride in Manhattan where I feel it is the weakest. I have done events outside of the city but my focus is to continue to maintain the energy and build community there.”

No Long Talk is a stepping stone to the creation of “an international music festival in New York City that showcases Caribbean music and dance culture at the highest quality possible”. “I would like to be a part of the generation that changes the way the rest of the world views Caribbean live entertainment culture … .For now, I’m trying to figure out how I want to continue to fuel my community and build No Long Talk, all the while working towards that goal,” Prendergast said.

And, what has been the general feedback so far? “People have been really appreciative of me taking the time to start and build something that supports the mission it does, because they, too, have felt the lack of authenticity in how our culture has been being represented for some time. Most people are just thankful, happy, and show me a lot of love and support,” Prendergast replied.

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com