By Francis Quamina Farrier

LIKE myself, the Mighty Rebel was born in Charlestown, Georgetown. His arrival was on November 7, 1945, some seven years after my own arrival in this world. Rebel was registered officially as Geoffrey Phillips at birth. At a very tender age, his parents moved with him to Goed Fortune on the West Bank of Demerara. There, he got his early formal education at La Retraite Church of Scotland School.

The musical talent of Geoffery Phillips began to blossom in a big way very early in life since in 1965 he and a few friends formed a string band which they named “The Hermits.” That entity lasted until 1978. A year later, in 1979, Geoffery Phillips joined the Guyana Calypsonian Association and made his debut as a calypsonian when he entered the Mashramani Calypso Competition that year. It would be safe to say that “A star was born”: The Mighty Rebel.

Regarded as Guyana’s most controversial calypsonian ever, the Mighty Rebel has sung about the hottest political topics and social issues of his day, which most other Guyanese calypsonians never dare to touch. An example is “Desi Yuh Wrong” which challenged political decisions made by President Desmond Hoyte. As far as I know, that particular calypso by Rebel did not earn him any victimisation from the then president. Here was a calypsonian who became regarded as someone who spoke his mind through the lyrics of his compositions. He was afraid of no one; not even the president.

Rebel made his debut as a calypsonian in 1979 at that year’s Mashramani Calypso Competition, at which he placed fourth. In 1982 he dropped to a disappointing fifth place. Following that result, he then went on and created history in the annual competition by placing second back-to-back for five consecutive years; from 1983 to 1987. He was teased about this, but the ‘Rebel’ was undaunted and used that historic achievement to work even harder to gain the crown.

He was inspired to compose one of his most popular songs, “Second Hand Man”, which resulted in him being crowned Mashramani Calypso Monarch in 1988. He was now on top of the Calypso World in his Native Guyana. It was a great example of the saying, “If at first, you don’t succeed, try and try again boy, you’ll succeed at last”. His fans were overjoyed at his success at finally winning the crown. Their numbers also grew dramatically.

Rebel later went on to win four privately organised calypso competitions. During his active years as an entertainer, the Mighty Rebel toured to many cities in the United States and Canada, as well as to Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Cayenne, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. In 2007, he was honoured by the Guyana Cultural Association of New York for his distinguished service to the Cultural of Guyana.

One of his less known achievements is his Certificate in Communication and Effective Speaking, which was displayed during the period when he produced his Television programme “Culture Talk”, which dealt with many of the burning issues affecting cultural workers and which was broadcast on GWTV Channel 2.

In one of my interviews with him, Rebel referred to his wife Juliette as someone who serves as an inspiration to him. With his recent passing, he will be sadly missed not only by his loving wife and close relatives, but also his numerous fans here in Guyana and abroad.