Kabaka Pyramid Resumes US Tour, Doubles Down On ‘Anti-Vaxxer’ Stance
Following his return to action on the Rebelution-led Good Vibes Summer Tour of the United States, after a two-week withdrawal, Kontraband artist Kabaka Pyramid had a mouthful to say about the COVID-19 pandemic.
On August 16, Kabaka Pyramid announced his temporary withdrawal from Rebelution’s tour where he and his band served as opening acts. On Monday, two days after returning to action, Kabaka took to Instagram to update his fans and restated his claim that the Coronavirus was manmade.
“Nah tell no lie, being on stage makes everything worth it. The last 2 weeks have been very challenging for myself and the team, but we couldnt let covid stop the mission in front of us. I have to say that things could have been a lot worse for us, so we are grateful to be healthy and doing what we love again,” the Reggae Revival said.
“My thoughts are with any and everyone that has dealt with or is dealing with this terrible virus that is very real (and very man made),” he added.
Like he did earlier this year when he contended that the pandemic was something that was planned, and that “the COVID-19 numbers were being ramped up with “false numbers fi mek sure seh di false vaccine ‘necessary’”, Kabaka doubled down on his stance.
“Thank you to everyone that reached out to us with concern for our situation after we announced that we had to pause our activity on the tour, we apprecilove you. Big up to @rebelutionmusic @keznamdi @pacificdub and @djmackle for holding everything together in this crazy time. And thank you to #JacksonvilleOregon for a wonderful reception on our first show after our break. Eat healthy, live healthy, stay positive. Rastafari blessings,” the Campion College Graduate added.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNNnw0FJdu/
Kabaka’s withdrawal had come two weeks after British Reggae veterans Steel Pulse withdrew from the tour ahead of its commencement, citing the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant and “high-risk health concerns” of band members.
The tour, which also features fellow Jamaican singer Keznamdi, got underway in Fresno, California, on August 5 and will run until October 2, where it will end in Virginia Beach, with performance in-between panning cities such as Phoenix, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Spokane in Washington; Eugene, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah, Las Vegas, Nevada; Austin, Texas; Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Steel Pulse had posted on its Instagram page, that due to the ever-evolving COVID-19 Delta variant and the high-risk health concerns to its band and crew, they had “come to the difficult decision” to cancel their participation” in The Good Vibes Summer Tour.
Kabaka’s stance is unlike that of Bounty Killer, who, in early March, in what could be considered an uncharacteristic move, urged his fans to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Bounty’s stance was also in stark contrast to the anti-vaccine sentiments of Sizzla, Buju Banton, Spragga Benz, Tony Rebel, Chronixx, even the late Reggae legend Lee ‘Sratch’ Perry, and Kabaka Pyramid himself.
Bounty had categorically told his fans to get inoculated on a post he made of a flyer of the Sunclash meets Shutdown show scheduled for Ibiza, Spain from October 1 to 4 2021, which will feature himself and Beenie Man in performance.
While many of his fans cheered and posted fire icons, there were many who took him on for his seeming variance in favor of the “system”. At the outset of the pandemic last year, he had avoided wearing masks in public, and later relented.