King Jammy to get ‘fiery’ Sumfest tribute

Lloyd 'John John' James, the son of the legendary King Jammy, is ecstatic and humbled that his father, who had a serious medical incident 18 months ago, will be honoured on Saturday by the organisers of Reggae Sumfest, and he is promising that it will be "fire on stage".

John John, who is notorious for guarding his privacy, shared how he had to delve deep into his spirituality to strengthen his father during his illness, and how much the entire family is looking forward to the tribute, which he is coordinating.

"A year and a half ago mi nearly lose mi father ... him do a triple bypass. Three times the doctor dem go in him," the producer told THE STAR.

"Me never shed a tear when him sick and my father tell me that a me strengthen him. Mi hold him and pray for him. King never see that side of me before, so is like him shock. One morning, I was going to visit him and mi tek up a bottle of water and mi a pray. Mi nuh know wah mi a do. When I reach him seh 'John, yuh know seh the doctor dem seh dem haffi go back inna mi'. And him start cry. And I said to him 'King, look pon mi. Yuh see mi a shed no tears? Yuh a one strong man ... yuh a guh go through this and believe me, you shall not die'. A so mi a talk to him and a God words mi a use. Mi go deep ... mi pray fi di doctor dem... mi hold mi bredda dem and pray," said John John.

King Jammy, given name Lloyd James, the record producer, legendary dub mixer known for the clarity of his dubs, and the baddest selector of all time, lived to play more dubs following his surgery. And he will be front and centre of the Reggae Sumfest stage when Leroy Gibbon, Admiral Bailey, Lieutenant Stitchie, Pinchers, Chaka Demus, Bunny General, Chuck Turner and Aza Lineage line up to pay tribute to him. He will also be doing what he does best around the turntables.

"So on Saturday night, mi don't want nobody talk to me. A fi him night," John John emphasised.

"If dem come interview me, to how mi heart full, mi coulda end up a cry. But me just a beg God fi strengthen me because that moment is going to be so nice ... a fire a go reach pon the stage. This a go different. Memba yuh a go get the '70s, the '80s and the '90s. The young ones have nuff to come learn," John John stated.