DADDY ROOTS aka ZKING OF HEARTS
Happiness Manga
THE ADVENTURES OF ZKING OF HEARTS Aka (DADDY ROOTS)
**WHAT ZKOH BEEN UP TO SINCE JULY 2005?**
**WHAT ZKOH BEEN UP TO SINCE JULY 2005?**
When I left Anguilla for Ghana early July, 2005 upon PANAFEST's invitation to perform at their Emancipation Day and other events, I was excited beyond words to be able to step foot onto Motherland, to MAMA AFRICA, to fulfill one of my many dreams of going "HOME".
Upon arrival in Ghana via Germany, I was embraced like a long-lost, much loved son coming back. My Africa promoter, DJ Prime and a representative from PANAFEST was present as well as a couple more Deejays. I stayed with DJ Prime and his mother who is an active UNICEF member who called me her new founded son.
(Note: DJ Prime of Papa Annan Management, interviewed ZKOH at his radio station in Little Rock, Arkansas when Roots was touring the U.S. in 2002-2004 and was impressed by his performances and message which is of PEACE and LOVE ).
I practiced with my supporting local band for a week before we embarked upon our tour of coastal venues, villages and British Consulates before culminating at the week long PANAFEST/EMANCIPATION DAY at Cape Coast. Things were a tad chaotic and the sound system(supposed to be the best in town) left much to be desired but it's all good because everyone got entertained irregardless and once the music got started and I started dancing it's party time all night long. I meet a lot of people from the States and UK who came for PANAFEST and only one person heard of Anguilla and she is from Washington, D.C. Luckily I was interviewed on Metro 3 TV, a very popular talk TV show, somewhat like TODAY NBC in the morning, in Ghana; another TV show called “Thank God It is Friday”-Ghana’s version of MTV and 3 different radio stations so a few hundred thousand people in Ghana saw and heard me. The show also brought to light that I am from Anguilla in the Caribbeans and not ANGOLA of Africa.....so many Ghanaians were enlightened by that.
A total of 6 weeks were spent in Ghana before l left for London to lay some roots there as well. I got to meet up with some UK reggae greats like the Twinkle Brothers, Tippa Irie, Pato Banton and Neil Perch of Zion Train who also produced one of UB40's albums. From these encounters I got more vocal trainings as well as shows with them.
(Note:You can buy Zion Train EDUTAINMENT track of Daddy Roots "Dogs Amongst Doctors at www.wobblyweb.com.)
In September my empress and I went to Paris for a week to check out the Louvre to identify with the Da Vinci Code, to ride the elevator all the way to the top of Eiffle Tower, to feel the the vibes of Notre Dame Cathedral(another one of my dreams is to vibe with all religions) and to ride the batobus on Seine River.
Came October and we were headed out to Malaysia for a few weddings and special gatherings during the Festival of Lights season to perform some songs for friends of friends and their relatives. All the rastas we meet here were indigenous Malays. Very peaceful people here. Again I got to experience some more variety of religious vibes. Malaysia being a multi-religious country, we were able to visit the biggest and most expensive Muslim Mosque in Asia with a big real GOLD roof , a Hindu Temple in a hilly bat-filled cave with some 900 steps to climb and a Buddhist Temple by cable car up another hill. Yes, I loved this clean and lush-green country with some of the healthiest and tastiest food and religious, warm and friendly people.
Bangkok, Thailand was over-crowded. We didn't get a chance to go to the beach, food was so-so as it wasn't easy to get ital food besides mango sticky rice as most dishes are with fish/shrimp sauce or meat stock base so we have to be careful when ordering food. Other than that the people were soft-spoken and charming, rasta items shopping was great and the Chiropractic Thai massages were refreshing as well as affordable for everyday, like US$10 for 2 hours. Yes, you read it right. Singapore is a CONCRETE JUNGLE and Bob Marley was right on all counts.
A trip to Kathmandu, Nepal and not the Kathmandu Club in Philly was the highlight of our Asian Trip as everywhere we showed up we were greeted with Rastafari Live! On the road, in pubs, in the market, even little kids knew who was Marley and what is Rastafari. People were peaceful otherwise although there were many armed militia on the roads for fear of the Maos rebels. Shopping is even better here for hand crafted stuffs like jewelery with natural stones, pashimas, embroideries, carpets, paintings like mandalas,, etc. Unbelievable prices for Rasta shirts, beads, bags, everything....
Besides climbing hills to be in caves and to the Boddhi Tree Buddha sat under and visiting different LAMAs and Rinponches we bonded with 6 little monks and ended up contributing to the temples to help support their education for a year.
Also in Nepal our group of 14 friends went to Nagacourt to hike up a few trails to see the beautiful sunsets and sunrises for a few days. After that we were driven halfway to Sarangot where I performed some reggae classics at River Side Springs resort where there were lots of athletic tourists from Europe there for the crazy white water rafting at the Ganges River. The manager of the resort loved my vibes and we were invited back every year for the season. That ended November very sweetly.
Zion Train invited me to Germany, Slovenia and Croatia the last 2 weeks of December for some shows and recordings. COLD, COLD, COLD. How to perform in sweaters???? Got to do what I got to do. Other than that the sound system was fantastic and the hall was packed tight with gorgeous people loving the music.
( Note: Immigration between Slovenia and Croatia were very, very tense between their people, but I got back to UK for New Year 2006 unscathed with our Croatian promoter showing the proper work permits.)
Another dream came true when I got to do a 2 shows in Luxor, Egypt after I made friends with a club-owner visiting London. People from the UK visits Egypt just like Anguillians visit Puerto Rico. So the only drastic difference I saw at the clubs was that there were hardly any local females at the shows. The club goers are mostly English, heavy-smokers and drinkers....same vibes as in London. However on the street, young kids and men will always call out "Rasta Never Dies", rather interesting how the old cultures in these old countries embraced us so much.
The touristic part kicked in when we took off to Giza and rode the camels, went into the pyramids and saw King Tut at The Museum in Cairo. We also made the empress dream came true when we went up on a hot air balloon over the River Nile and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens and Hachepsut Temple.
My heart was moved when I was visiting all the different cathedrals, temples, caves, mosques; meeting with people of all nations; watching sunsets and sunrises by the sea, ocean, mountains, on a hot air balloon; cruising down River Nile on a felucca, a boat on River Thames, a batobus on Seine River, wetting my feet at Ganges River; travelling in all forms of transportation by horse and carriage in Luxor, on a ferry through the Vancouver Island channels, train in Thailand, MRT in Singapore, trishaw in Malaysia, camel rides in Giza, buses, kayaking and whale watching in Victoria Island…….
Now I am more inspired than ever in my quest for peace and love because it is possible within ourselves....I have seen it in the monks and in the poor ....and if it is possible for them and within ourselves then we can teach it to others..through music, through deeds, through education....
(Note: In between travels ZKOH is constantly writing and on the lookout for musicians and producers to link with).
