Entertainment

Twin of Twins address Beenie's grouse

By MEL COOKE, Freelance Writer

The comical duo Twin of Twins performing at the Backyaad and Ellis International event "Backyaad Crack Up Comic Controversy", held at Backyaad, Constant Spring Road, St Andrew on Wednesday night. - Winston Sill

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE TWIN OF Twins addressed Beenie Man's grouse with their imitations of him at Backyaad Crack-Up Comic Controversy on Wednesday night.

The 126 Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew, venue was chockfull ­ all seats taken and many standing ­ for the May edition of the every last Wednesday serving of humour, despite sporadic drizzling.

And from the howls that started when the night's host, Elva, said "the next act, they are the hottest thing on the market" and she said "oonu know a who", the Twins were a huge draw on a night that featured Tubeless, Amina Blackwood-Meeks, Dance Xpressions and closing performer Wacky News.

'My God!'

Twin of Twins, performing before Wacky News on the second half of the programme, opened with a 'my God!' from behind the curtains and Backyaad erupted. Then they appeared, moved to the front of the stage and one said "so Mr. Mutabaruka ..." ­ and the distinctive voice answered "yes, we deh ya people". There was another round of cheering.

True to their recordings, which have caused a storm on the streets, one half of the duo played oftentimes incredulous host and occasionally very effective quipper to the other, who spoke predominantly in the voice of poet and talk-show host Mutabaruka. And while there were outbursts of laughter throughout, there was as much careful listening to serious issues and the Twins made something clear very early, that "the most important ting to Twin of Twins is the message dat is being sent."

Message

The message was delivered without even a hint of the strong language which peppers their recordings.

And the messages were strong. Mutabaruka's voice was used for their take on the business shutdown that took place the same day, to overwhelming approval ("when dem kill de seven year-old no weh no lock dung. De priorities about who is important in dis country is wrong. Seventy per cent of the country is suffering. An is sufferers build dis country"). Adams' voice intoned the take on crime ("the govament tek police fi idiot. Yu cannot send police out wit 38 to confront gunman with AK assault rifle"), to another huge forward.

There were smooth transitions between the voices, the king of reggae brought in for a take on homosexuality. "My father white and my mother black, so me come brown. But I get dark when a guy a come impose some tings pon people. A guy mus' remember, is not poison I poison the sheriff."

Again Backyaad, which they renamed 'Frontyaad', erupted.

Bounty Killer's voice also weighed in on the homosexual issue, which got extensive attention, the host saying "Mr. Bounty Killer, you and Sizzla have been banned". And the voice of 'the cross one' came in with "well, I already told you ... " - and the 'Frontyard' again erupted. And that was before they went on with "we Jamaicans are homophobic, we don't want to see no man in tights dancing aerobic."

Michael Jackson and his court troubles also came in for some treatment, singing his favourite song 'Jesus loves the little children'.

But it was Mutabaruka's voice that was employed to address Beenie Man ­ respectfully, but definitively.

"We respect Beenie Man. Dis is not a retaliation against Beenie Man. This is a reasoning to what Beenie Man said about the CD... Beenie Man sey Twin of Twins dis 'im, cause we neva mek him win no argument ... If yu notice de CD is a ting where it talk life itself. Realistically, we neva see Beenie win a argument yet!" And there was applause.

They mentioned Bounty, Capleton and Sizzla among the persons he has had arguments with and said "dis gangsta Beenie, we cyan portray. And we are not saying he is a fool".

"What really is the problem? We respect him. Him is one a de greates' artiste walk pon two foot. Some obstacle weh me see yu overcome, nuff odda artiste woulda drop dung. Yu have bigga problem dan Twin of Twins right now!"

Again there were cheers.

"Yu seh wi no fi hail yu. An we nah hail yu. We nah hail yu, but we no hate yu."

And the other Twin said "we have always put on our own pot".