PRESIDENT OBAMA THANKS TONY REBEL FOR GIFT!

By Howard Campbell–

 Producer of the single Blackman Redemption, Donovan Germain (left) and deejay Tony Rebel at the Jamaica Observer’s headquarters on Beechwood Avenue in Kingston. (Photo: Antonio Graham)—

UNITED States President Barack Obama has thanked deejay/social activist Tony Rebel for sending him a copy of his song, Blackman Redemption.

In a letter dated June 11, Obama said, ‘I was moved by your generosity’.

Throughout the three-paragraph letter, the US leader refers to the veteran entertainer as ‘Patrick’ (Rebel’s given name is Patrick Barrett).

The letter bears his signature.

Rebel left a copy of the song at Jamaica House in Kingston where Obama — the US’s first black president — held bilateral talks with Jamaican government officials on April 9.

Inspired by Obama’s historic victory in the US presidential election on November 4, 2008, Rebel and producer Donovan Germain recorded Blackman Redemption at the latter’s Penthouse studio in Kingston.

Set to the music of Bob Marley’s song of the same name, it also features singjay Queen Ifrica and singer Nikki Burt.