‘Final hurdle’ for Capleton as manager to be buried today

Reggae singer Capleton is learning how to cope following the passing of his manager and second mother, Claudette Kemp, who will be laid to rest today following a service at the Boulevard Baptist Church, Washington Boulevard, St Andrew. The service will begin at 2 p.m.

"Wednesday will be the final hurdle ... may her soul rest in peace. Losing a loved one is not an easy task. It is unbearable, but yuh jus haffi go through... more time words not even deh deh fi explain it. We a humans, we have emotions and we have feelings," Capleton told THE STAR while at a set-up for Kemp at the Police Officers' Club on Monday night.

Kemp's family and the music fraternity were well represented at the celebration which saw tributes from many of the persons whose lives Kemp touched. Producer Lloyd 'John John' James told THE STAR that Kemp was someone who he would call if he had and problem "and we would talk on the phone for more than an hour".

"Miss Kemp was one of the real people in the business," he said. Leading the tributes was Capleton, who exuded super high energy when he touched the stage and hyped up the crowd with a freestyle "Come on everybody this is Mama Kemp time ... hands in the air!" He also shared some of the gems that she passed on to him.

"Unnu know one of the things that Mama Kemp teach mi? Never to be selfish, never feel like yuh more than nobody and like the world revolve around you. It nuh go so! No one is indispensable and no one is indestructible," he said. And then he got emotional when he requested a minute's silence and said that he was going to "do one of Mama Kemp favourite songs".

"Mi kinda a learn how fi cope still, 'cause she wouldn't want me a stress out myself ... her soul is at rest, she nah feel no pain. She is at peace," Capleton told THE STAR after exiting the stage as he expressed his gratitude to all who showed up.

"Miss Kemp ... she is a stalwart in the business. Whole heap a years she deh yah a do it. True me is a man who don't do certain things and go certain place, Miss Kemp woulda always go and represent for me. Miss Kemp is just a wonderful human being. Mi get call from Europe, Africa, the Caribbean ... everywhere people dem a send condolences. Dem know seh Miss Kemp a like mi second mother ... me and she deh pon the road all over the world. And she have a passion fi travel. She like visit new places and see dem culture and dem sum'n deh. She just full of love," Capleton added.

Kemp, 76, passed away on June 9. She had been diagnosed with kidney disease last year and was being treated at The University Hospital of the West Indies.