Online Reporter
Charles Mushinga in WOLVERHAMPTON, England
THE last time Jah Prayzah came to England for a show, he left a disappointed man.
He had planned to perform for two hours but barely got thirty minutes on stage.
That Leicester show proved to be the last straw and, since then, Jah has not worked with Y2K Entertainment.
This time, Jah decided to take matters into his own hands.
He waited two years, ensuring everything was meticulously planned before staging a show on his own terms.
And, so, he came to Wolverhampton − and gave the UK crowd a show-and-a-half.
About 3,000 fans thronged the venue, with tickets sold out days before the show.
Most fans bought their tickets at £74, but general admission prices eventually rose to £84, with VVIP passes going for as much as £315.
Some fans even resold their general admission tickets for up to £150.
In fact, he called it two shows.
“Today I will give you two shows − today’s show and another one to compensate for the last time I came here,” he told the Wolverhampton crowd.
Then, for nearly three-and-a-half hours, he serenaded the cosmopolitan audience.
“This was our show. We planned everything ourselves. It is an international show with a difference because we (JP Entertainment) handled everything,” he said after the show.
“I was afraid because this was a huge undertaking that we were doing for the first time and in a foreign land. But the fans came in huge numbers and their support has given me extra confidence.
“Now I can move on knowing my fans will always be behind me, no matter the situation or circumstances.”
Jah said the way the crowd responded to his new music genuinely surprised him.
“The sing-alongs, especially to the new songs like Necessary and Sori from the new album, came as a pleasant surprise to me.
“It showed me that the album has penetrated the market and has been well received. I do not take this for granted,” he said.
Jah explained why he performed for nearly three-and-a-half hours.
“I first announced that I was giving the fans two shows because I told myself I needed to compensate the UK crowd for the disappointment in Leicester two years ago.
“Although it was caused by issues outside my control, I felt the England fans deserved better than what they got and I needed to pay back. I wanted them to be satisfied. I wanted them to see that, as musicians, we always want to fulfil our fans’ wishes.
“This is a great takeoff, to start a world tour like this gives me great energy.”
Jah is set to continue his World Tour with upcoming shows in Dusseldorf, Germany on Saturday, Washington DC, USA on July 4; Dallas, USA on July 5; Toronto, Canada on July 11; and Japan on July 15.
The tour then moves to South Africa, with performances in Johannesburg on October 3 and Cape Town on October 4, before heading to Australia in November (dates to be announced) and concluding at the HICC in Harare on November 29.
