By Claudia Gardner
The Unruly Boss Popcaan says he is highly excited about his first-ever performance in The Gambia on the African continent, in January next year.
“My Gambian people get ready!! The Unruly Boss will be there with my full band LIVE on January 15, 2022 at the Bakau Independence Stadium! Big up to Absolute Entertainment! More info soon forward!” Popcaan had first written on a poster he re-shared of himself, announcing the event.
“Yow Gambia we ready unruly Bomboclaat state!!!!! going to be a movie,” he added in another tweet regarding the event, which is being promoted by Absolute Entertainment.
For his fans, in the West African country, the feeling is mutual, as in response to the announcement, Gambian fans said they would ensure the Numbers Don’t Lie singer sees the 40,000 capacity Independence Stadium being jam-packed.
The excitement came from many males as well as female fans.
“Too much unruly Gwrls inna Gambia, Any latest of your song Gambian can sing it in full me nah lie you don’t need a microphone inn ah Gambia Love. Unruly,” Nyanku Bojang replied.
Yaya Jabang put a literal spin on Popcaan’s “more than a movie comment”, promising him an explosive reception when he arrives in January.
“More than a movie Mr boss. Don’t be surprised or amazed by the Gambian people’s nothing can cool the fire. You will see and know why we are call the Smiling Coast of Africa,” he noted, while Saul Jallow added: “Popcaan, I swear on everything I love in this world, Popcaan, you gonna witness something you never expect ever to see in Gambia… Like you said it’s already a movie…. Best show ever.”
Others like Muhamed Manneh and Jobajouba, said they were waiting with bated breath for the arrival of the St. Thomas native.
“We have been waiting for this day,” Muhammed wrote, while kobajouba stated: “Yow Poppy we ready Fi uno man..We can’t wait to come massup the area man…Peace be upon you…”
The excitement about Popcaan’s upcoming performance in the Motherland did not stop with Gambians, as Kenyans rolled out in their numbers to plead with him to come to their country ASAP.
The Kenyan who got the Way Up singer’s attention was Kareokey1, who urged him to: “Come to Kenya king”, to which Popcaan responded: “Soon fwd a Kenya know unruly people out there.”
Seeing that Popcaan had responded to their compatriot, the Kenyans flooded the post. Many of their comments were highly witty or outright hilarious, with some stating that they would sell body organs to attend the concert.
“Me after selling my kidney to be at popcaan’s event,” was the response from sensei, whose meme was later shared by Popcaan himself.
“Imma sell my kidney to see you perform. Unruly till the day I die,” travours wrote.
Another commenter nduraayango1, promised that Kenyans would l
ight up their spliffs in honor of Popcaan, the day he arrives in their country.
“Come we show you weed is illegal but that day everyone gon smoke #unruly4eva,” he wrote.
One woman, Llamak Shazzy, also expressed her romantic interest in the 33-year-old artist. “Ama be ya escort … Me very very unruly Andre Hugh … Check DM,” she wrote.
As the comments rolled in kemboykennedy promised that he and his compatriots would also ensure the venue at which Popcaan performs is filled to capacity.
“Unruly King, we will fill the stadium for you. Unruly Bossman Mad Sick,” he wrote.
Lines from Popcaan’s songs also featured in some of the entertaining comments, one of which came from Kenyan Kartel, who declared his love for Popcaan’s 2015 ganja anthem Weed is My Best Friend.
“I love dat tune where you seh …….’Mi nuh friend mi nuh people …Weed is my best friend’ I listen to it everyday before going out to meet dem bomboclaat people,” he wrote.
He was followed by coloco who drew for Popcaan’s 2012 hit Clean to state the manner in which he would appear upon Popcaan’s arrival in Kenya.
“Yeeessss…. On that day we shall, clean up, cleeean up, cleeeaaaan up, cleeeaaaaan up,” he quipped.
Mina Ndegwa was not to be left out. However, his joke took a different twist.
“If you come to (Kenya) my girl will leave me for u…please don’t poppy”, he wrote.
Popcaan, who has been domiciled in Ghana for the past several weeks, is due to return to Jamaica in order to appear in court on November 4 to answer several traffic charges slapped on him by the St. Thomas police.
The other contemporary Jamaican artist, who is known to be well-loved in Gambia, is Sizzla Kalonji.
On his first visit to Gambia in 2008, the President of The Gambia, invited the Reggae/Dancehall superstar and his delegation to his Juramba Farm in Kanilai, where both men spent the day, among other things, harvesting rice and discussing issues regarding repatriations, reparations and education, according to media reports.
At the time, Sizzla also expressed his desire to become an honorary citizen of Gambia and made a commitment to be a musical ambassador for Gambia and to serve as a bridge between Gambia and the Diaspora. He also advocated that the President establish a Gambian Embassy in Jamaica.
Sizzla Kalonji was also invited to be guest of honour at the wedding of Minister of Information and Communication, Honorable Fatim Badjie and was presented with an award by the Major General of The Gambian Army during an official meeting with Sizzla and his delegation.
Sizzla had later released an album titled The Gambia in 2012, under his Kalonji Records imprint. That 12-track album comprised tracks such as Gambian Girls, Welcome To Africa, Make A Visit, Blackman Rise, Feed The Children, Woman Of Creation, Planet in Peril and Where is The Love.
In May 2014, Sizzla Kalonji was honoured by the government of The Gambia when he performed at a series of events there and served as cultural ambassador for the 11th staging of the Gambia Roots International Festival in Banjul.
