Shabba Ranks Gives Touching Tribute At Mother’s Funeral
International Dancehall superstar Shabba Ranks showed another side of his persona as he paid tribute to his mother in a touching sendoff.
The deejay, whose real name is Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, was in rare form when he declared his love for his mother, Constance Christie aka ‘Mama Christie’, and love for Jesus as God. Christie, the mother to seven children, passed away after a long battle with illness at 81 years old on February 23.
In a 5 minute tribute, Ranks started out by saying, “All I can tell unuh about this woman yah is just love, she nuh teach I nuh more than just love, she nuh give I nuttn more than love and the greatest weapon or the greatest machinery in order to I’ve life, and face life and defeat the struggle of life. My mother give me the blood of Jesus Christ me seh, you cyah survive, you cyah live without Jesus innah yuh life”
He then went on to evangelize that everyone should get to know God.
“So you see today over mi modda body me want unuh know seh if unuh nut know God unuh fi get fi know God,” he said as the small crowd cheered on.
Ranks declared that he is the product of God because his mother raised him in that manner.
Shabba Ranks who has always declared the love he has for his mother coined the now legendary slogan “Mama Christie Me luv you Muah Muah Muah”.
In 2012, when Shabba returned to Jamaica to perform at Reggae Sumfest, the first place he went after leaving the airport was his childhood community, Seaview Gardens, Kingston 11.
“From me know my modda my modda never cooked a pot a food and her seven pickney alone eat dat…she said give to all the people you can as long as you can however you can” Ranks said with a cracked voice, as he alluded to Mama Christie’s benevolent spirit.
Mama Christie, who was iconized in the popular Dexta Daps song Shabba Madda Pot, was known to cook for the community.
But it was the motivating “Drama” between him and his mother that he says is responsible for him becoming a superstar.
The two-time Grammy award winner said, “When I was about 14/15 years old there was prominent people within this music that tried to stop I…I walk from Jammy’s to Seaview(Gardens)…and when I reach to I house I look at I mother and say hear mi nuh man me done with music a straight kill people and badness.”
He said his mother then replied “What? Make me tell you sumn, nuh murderer nuh innah me generation, nut blood nuh deh pon me generation hand and to how me love you as a son don’t mek me cry. Yuh see anyweh you did come from and a talk bout kill go back deh go wuk harder because when God open up fi yuh door nuhbaddi can close it.
She then said “Siding yah suh cry if you wah cry, bawl if you wah bawl, holla if you wah holla, but remember seh is only love a God can bring you through”
Shabba ended the tribute saying he loves his wife because he loved his mother first and his mother was his first girlfriend who taught him how to love his wife. Then he said “Fi all the church people Dem innah the mighty name of Jesus me love unuh”
Shabba Ranks was one of the most popular artists in the world at the height of his career. He won two Grammys back to back in 1992 and 1993. He is known for the hit songs Mr. Loverman and Ting A Ling which gave him global recognition.