Alpha Blondy makes Fortaleza his home! Find out all about the "prince's" visit here on Surforeggae!

Alpha Blondy's visit to Fortaleza was beyond triumphant. His years of success on the international scene (the first reggae artist outside the Jamaica-Inglaterra axis to conquer a legion of fans on the Caribbean island, with packed shows and songs on the charts) announced that a true living legend had arrived in the capital of Ceará, receiving from fans, artists and local productions the treatment of Head of Estado. Isso, all until we observed the idol's own attitude, who was completely at ease since his arrival on the eve of the event. The next day, the day of the presentation, he woke up early to make the most of his first moments on Brazilian soil. Surrounded by his entourage and accompanied by the best-known faces of regional reggae, with the biggest name of the genre in these bands as translator, “garoto prodígio” Andread Jó, he walked through the streets and alleys of Praia de Iracema, serving fans with autographs and photos and chatting with people from all over the world on the phone as he walked, as if he were one more in the crowd. In one of these calls, there was a relaxed chat, in French, with friend Fauzi Beydoun, leader of the Tribe de Jah and who previously lived in his country, Ivory Coast (West Africa). This joyful atmosphere throughout the day led to increased expectations surrounding the most anticipated moment, show time. The event hadn't even started yet, and a lot of people were already gathered outside the arena set up on Praia do Futuro. Muita, beautiful people and a friendly atmosphere made it clear that the night would be one of the best. A radiola mounted next to the entrance contained the anxiety of the farmers as they waited for the gates to open. When the first people started to enter, one of the three attractions of the night, the band Kayangaço, started its performance, and at the end of its performance, almost all of the more than 7000 people who attended the place were already present. Then, the highly anticipated local idol Andread Jó and his band Guardião de Sião entered the scene, who moved the crowd with their renowned songs in addition to four pleasant new songs, which in addition to surprising with the sound quality demonstrated, reveals the artist's evolution and commitment to his work and the Jamaican rhythm, a sign of who is here to stay. Finally, the most awaited moment. When he had already been announced by the masters of ceremonies and his band The Solar System was already ready, Alpha Blondy, still without appearing on stage, drives the crowd crazy with a prayer in verses, until the first chord makes the ground shake: "Jerusalém", his biggest hit, is the first in a series of hits to come. The show continued and the fans, ecstatic, sang all the songs, until in the middle of the show, Alpha Blondy decided to stop to draw attention to the tribal wars that plague several African countries, criticize the oppression of rich countries, and call for a more just society, a moment for meditation and enthusiasm for the public, as Alpha Blondy called Andread Jó to the stage to convey his words to the immense audience present. From then on, the show continued and at various times, his satisfaction was reflected with words of love for Brazil and the audience present, declared in English and even in Portuguese. A lesson in reggae, professionalism and life. Unforgettable!