Anthony B Calls For An End To Knife Violence In The UK, Defends ‘Windrush Generation’

Rastafarian firebrand Anthony B has called for an end to knife crime during his concert in Brockwell Park in South London earlier this week.

Pausing to address the thousands of patrons in the venue, he intoned seriously, saying: “We don’t love talk, but I have to address this topic. Dancehall music and Reggae music is not about violence and we hear say the youths love stab up each other in London, they love use knife and kill each other.”

“Listen to me brethren, we don’t want that.”

The crowd cheered on his social commentary waving Rastafarian flags in the air.

Anthony B was the headline act at this year’s Lambeth Country Show, held in Brixton on Sunday. Sunday was Roots Day at the popular two-day Lambeth Country Show,which saw performances by the Twinkle Brothers, Macka B, Tippa Irie and a special musical tribute to the late sound system pioneer Jah Shaka.

Known for his extensive music catalogue addressing social issues and he has released over 30 albums throughout his successful career.

The Mr. Heartless singer instructed the audience to raise their hands for peace and as a way to show “you don’t support violence.”

“Where are you going with gun and knives? We don’t want it around here,” he said.

The crowd roared its support enthusiastically. Knife crime has become a thorny issue in the UK, with more than 100 serious knife crimes are committed every week in Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, figures show.

In the year ending March 2022, there were around 45,000 (selected) offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales (excluding Greater Manchester Police Force). This was 9% higher than in 2020/21 and 34% higher than in 2010/11.

In the year ending March 2022, Home Office data shows there were 261 homicides (currently recorded) using a sharp instrument, including knives and broken bottles. This meant sharp instruments were used in 40% of the 594 homicides that occurred in 2021/22.

Political campaigners have claimed that in the UK, carrying a weapon had become as “normalised” among young people as using a mobile phone. Since last year, UK police across the country have been conducting coordinated operations aimed at tackling knife crime.

Anthony B also delivered a moving tribute to the Windrush Generation, who he called “an inspiration”. The Windrush generation has lived in the UK for decades, but have been persecuted as they have had to meet impossible requirements in recent years to prove their residency rights, causing life-altering losses.

Not one to shy away from tough socio-political issues, the Raid the Barn singer poured cold water over the idea that nothing positive came from the the Windrush generation or their descendants in terms of their contribution in rebuilding Britain after World War II.

“No man, don’t say that, man. We Lillie [little] but we tallawah,” he shouted tr.

“So if you don’t believe that we have brought nothing to this beautiful land of the United Kingdom, look around you!”.

“Look at the culture, look at the music, look at the food, look at the dressing, look at the dancing, look at the style.”

He brought the show to a rousing climax on this poignant note.

“We want to close the show and show the whole world that we are a part of this message. Give it up for the Windrush generation, give it up for our ancestors, our grandfathers and grandmothers,” he said.

“This is what they leave, it is called a legacy, it’s called an inspiration.”

He closed the show with a reggae cover of ‘I Wanna Know What Love Is’.

On May 17, 2018, then-prime minister Theresa May apologized for the scandal, in which Black Britons who had arrived in the United Kingdom from the Caribbean after World War II were required, after living and working in the UK for decades, to meet impossible government requirements to prove their UK citizenship or residence rights. As a result, they lost jobs, homes, health care, pensions, and benefits. In many cases, they were detained, deported, and separated from their families.

Anthony B, born Keith Blair, is known for hit records including ‘Freedom Fighter’, ‘Hurt Di Heart’, ‘Mr. Heartless’, ‘Ganja fi Bun’, ‘Raid the Barn’, ‘Fire Pon Rome’ and the dancehall chart-topper ‘Tease Her’.

Last year, Anthony B celebrated over 19,000,000 Spotify streams for his 2005 album Black Star, produced by Maximum Sound.

In March, he released his new album entitled ‘Bread and Butter’.