BLACKATLAS.COM – KINGSTON, JAMAICA
“Kingston, Jamaica has a tough reputation that dates back to the bloody political turmoil of the ‘70s and the crack wars of the ‘80s. Even dancehall, the hot music that has replaced traditional reggae as the island’s chief musical export, has a deservedly edgy vibe. Before I headed down to Jamaica’s capitol I had all kinds of stereotypes about Kingston in my head.” This is how Nelson George started his blog entry about his trip to Jamaica for the new Black Atlast website. What is is interesting is where he goes from there. Read more on Nelson George’s Blog
If you are an avid watcher of either MTV or VH-1 you would likely recognize Nelson George immediately. He’s the one usually bringing balance to the discourse by injecting in some historical context for what is being featured. In other words if you happen to find pop culture.. or black popular culture interesting but you like to delve a little bit deeper below the superficial he’s the guy that grabs your attention. It’s not that everyone else isn’t funny it’s just….well you know.. you have sense. He usually gives his well thought out and cogent perspective on any number of topics primarily having to do with African American culture.
He is an Author, screen writer, producer and cultural critic with more than just a short list of credits to his name. For starters he is the executive producer on BET’s American Gangster and the fifth airing of VH1’s Hip Hop Honors. George is the executive producer of the Chris Rock’s feature documentary, Good Hair, a look at hair weaves, relaxers and the international black hair economy. It is currently out in theaters nationwide .
He takes this insightful and nuanced way of looking at life with him to the streets of Kingston Jamaica. Refreshingly, this tour of Jamaica shows Jamaica the place rather than Jamaica the concept.. the ideal which is often depicted at beach. For the record there is nothing wrong with the beach or beach resorts… However there is more to the Jamaica. As Damian Marley puts it in his song Welcome to JamRock “’cause Sandal a no Back To ” ( ie., Sandals isn’t anything like a notorious very impoverished area in Jamaica known as “Back to”). That isn’t to say that Jamaica is either beach resorts or Ghetto there is a lot in between. It is after all an island the size of Connecticut with two major cities and at least two more up and coming ones. There are moutainous regions as well as rural. Jamaica has a history that stretches even as far back as the 15th Century.. one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Nelson George take a stab at this by offering a view not often scene and from a view point rarely heard from. That is from a perspective of a very cosmopolitan American who also happens to be African American.
This is no Nelson George’s first spin at hosting a travel show. He was the host of Soul Cities, which aired last year, 2008 , on VH1 Soul. He visited places like LA, New Orleans,Philly, and Memphis to name a few highlighting the African American’s travel experience in each of these places. It was a natural extension to take it even further and certainly more international. Jamaica is not a bad place to start. This is the great place for a native New Yorker to go for it is the land of Marcus Garvey .. and every New Yorker knows him… Just go to the top of 5th Avenue north of Central Park in Harlem and see what I’m talking about.
His trip takes you to places most visitors are unlikely to explore like emancipation park in Kingston, Hope Botanical Gardens, and even Trenchtown the urban stomping ground of Bob Marley. He has time to even stop into famed Cricketer Courtney Walsh’s Cuddy’z Sports Bar and introduce you to what Ital is at Ahsanti Oasis restaurant.
This is for certain a tour of Jamaica rarely shown.. it is no surprise when you consider Neslon George is a native Brooklynite.
His memoir,City Kid: A Writer’s Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success
Which takes a look at the connections between childhood in Brooklyn and his adult career in Manhattan, Los Angeles and Detroit came out in April of this year. (2009)
City Kid: A Writer’s Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success
