Capleton rolled up to a recent Toronto show in a fire truck, and apparently people still haven’t stopped talking about it. Now the artist known as King Shango and The Prophet is bringing that heat to Newark, where he’ll share the bill with Tarrus Riley at Reggae Giants Live! over Thanksgiving weekend.
The concert lands at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Friday, Nov. 27. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the music starts at 8 p.m.
The fire truck entrance caught fire of its own on social media, but Capleton insists there was more to it than a stunt. “This is not a physical fire, this is a metaphorical fire,” he told Caribbean Life. “If the fireman is in the fire truck, the fire can’t out.”
He sounds pretty pleased with how it landed. “You know, they’re still talking about that entrance right now,” Capleton said.
The Newark date also follows a run through the United Kingdom, where he played to packed audiences in Bristol, Birmingham and London. So he arrives in New Jersey with real momentum behind him.
The show is presented by RoadblockRadio.com, Roadblock Radio 101.1FM HD3 and CCB INT’L. Kacy Rankine, the Jamaican-born CEO of Roadblock Radio, spoke with Caribbean Life on Monday, Oct. 19, and framed the pairing as two very different strengths sharing one stage.
On Capleton, Rankine pointed to a career built on “commanding vocals and music rooted in Rastafarian spirituality and social consciousness.” He credited songs like “Tour” with carrying that sound to international audiences.
Rankine also highlighted the Def Jam years, when the albums Prophecy and I-Testament bridged reggae and hip hop through collaborations with artists including Method Man and Q-Tip. “His distinctive delivery has made him a recognizable voice across generations of reggae fans,” Rankine said.
Riley brings a different flavor to the night. Rankine described him as “celebrated for his expressive vocals and songs exploring love, cultural identity and social issues,” which sits in a softer, more melodic lane than Capleton’s fiery chanting.
Riley was born in the Bronx and raised in Jamaica, and he’s the son of veteran reggae singer Jimmy Riley. His international breakthrough came with Parables, the album carrying his signature hit “She’s Royal.”
Since then his catalog has grown to include Contagious, Love Situation and Healing. Rankine says that body of work reflects “a musical range grounded in roots reggae and rich vocal melodies.
Put the two together and NJPAC gets a night that swings between conscious fire and smooth roots singing.
With the Toronto entrance still circulating online, the question heading into Thanksgiving weekend is how King Shango plans to arrive in Newark.
