A POIGNANT farewell was held last Saturday in honour of six-time Calypso Monarch, ‘The Mighty Rebel’, as he said goodbye to competitive singing and embraced his retirement plan. The event was held at the National Service Sports Complex, on Carifesta Avenue, north of the city, and among those in attendance was Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Hinds, who, besides remarking upon Rebel’s proclivity for controversy, encouraged him to continue singing, as his contributions have not only brought Guyana tremendous recognition in the field of culture, but also changed the entire meaning of calypso.
Born Geofrey Elementon Phillips, ‘Rebel’, as he is widely known, was presented a $50,000 pledge by Mr. Roshan Khan, proprietor of RK Security Services, and numerous gifts from family and friends.
As the evening progressed, the merriment was evident, as close friends and acquaintances traded jokes about Rebel’s victories and his losses, all in good fun. Relatives also encouraged him to consider taking up Gospel singing, now that he is done with calypso.
But the iconic Calypsonian said in closing remarks that though he has decided to call it day with Calypso, he might very well make a comeback sometime down the road. He also touched briefly on the subject of controversy.
“Being the most controversial Calypsonian has made me what I am… with most of my songs being banned from the air and that I never tried to disrespect anyone; I simply represented my countrymen.”
The retiree also advised young and upcoming Calypsonians to be assiduous in their endeavours, warning that envy would take them nowhere.
‘Rebel’ was born on November 7, 1945, and was employed at GuySuCo where it was he formed a band called the HERMITS.
He subsequently entered the Calypso arena in 1979, and has since competed on both Regional and International platforms as a cultural ambassador.