2 Queens and a Reggae King. AKA our evening with Collie Buddz

“When I say Collie, you say Budzz”

Collie ...

Budzz!!!

Collie …

Budzz!!!

The crowd went wild and that's when the King of Dancehall walked on stage. Immediately the beats started to pound through the speakers and everyone was ready to feel the excitement of the show that was going to start! All the ladies went frantic when he danced around on stage and entertained us with his smooth Bermudian voice. Every single note he sung was perfectly synchronized with his astonishing band. These musicians and beautiful background singer created the melodic version of perfection, if you ask us!

His playlist consisted of all the songs we love to hear and we were happy to sing along with him. In fact, the whole audience went bonkers on all-time favorite tracks like 'blind to you' and 'come around’. Booties were shaking, hips were grinding and we could only conclude that we Belgians have a lot more rhythm than expected.

It was amazing, astounding, baffling, bewildering and all we could have ever dreamed of. And best part had yet to come! We had gotten the opportunity to interview this reggae genius!

Our nerves were quite high because this guy has been singing through our own headphones for years. We grew up to his music in our teens and we danced at every summer party to his sunny rhythm. So when we were in the same room with him, we were so pleased that he was not only extremely good looking but also one of the friendliest guys ever. Even the wait turned out to be awesome, seeing as his band was ever so welcoming and being the outgoing ladies that we are it didn’t take us very long to weasel our way into their room and socialize the shit out of ourselves. We’re the kind of Queens that take every opportunity they can to put ourselves out there in the best way possible. In QueenCleo’s case it was rocking that American accent while QueenJoke pulled a little McGyver and made the band drink some Duvel which she opened on the side of the table. A little smoke and a slightly bigger drink later we can only conclude that his band was every bit as welcoming as he was. Thank Jah for creating this man and a huge BIG UP to the entire crew!

We started by asking if it was his first time in Antwerp and what he liked about it. Although it wasn't his first time (he's a mary-jane lover after all so his memory might be a little so and so), he loved the vibe and he loved the crowd. But unfortunately he didn't have enough time to explore our city because the next stop was going to be Berlin within 24 hours. He did solemnly swear to visit our glorious city next time he would be here which we eagerly encouraged! Secretly hoping that it wouldn't take them too long.

When we asked him about his own influences and how he came to make the music that defines him, his answer was a bit surprising. Not only is reggae and dancehall his biggest passion, it's also the only music he listened to when he was young(er). From Beenieman to Sizzla to Capleton, Anthony B to Bounty Killer and Elephant Man, he hasn’t only been on stage with a big part of the legends, they are the ones who are responsible for the stuff he writes and sings and does. Collie grew up with early 90s dancehall, which is known for its faster riddims and at times pretty aggressive lyrics. Mr Buddz however opted for a somewhat softer approach to the music and his sound shows that. Don't be fooled though: 'Blind to you' is a perfect example of what happens if you underestimate him.

Yet above all the music stuff, these 2 weedqueens wanted to know if his lyrics about sweet Mary Jay were true. After all, his previous stop was Holland so he must have been chilling out somewhere right? And as a matter of fact, he did!!! He went to a few shops and got completely fucked up, he didn't even recall the name of his favorite one, so we were sure we were talking to a true fellow stoner here. Guess that the love for our favorite greens is shared by many and it sure as fuck made us feel more connected. There's something in common between us mere mortals and these celebrities after all!

From the sultry beats on the stage to the intelligent man sitting across from us in his dressing room: Collie Buddz was the best first contact with one of our idols. We wished for a pleasant evening and got 1000 times more.

A Last Big Up to Mike De Herdt from Music Got Soul for hooking us up, TRIX for allowing this King of Bermuda Beats to perform at their venue and of course to Collie Buddz and his band. For the music, the laughter, the understanding what makes reggae so magical and providing us with an hour of their precious time, which we’ll never ever EVER forget.

And of course we should mention Irie Nation for warming up the crowd, as well as High Grade Sound. Who kept the party going well after the band was done playing. Their spin on the classics and their way of mashing them up into one big party-inducing melodic clash made the entire room bounce and shake well into the night.

Picture credit: Jennifer Meersman Photography

#reggaeislife #colliebuddz #thisisantwerp #lookingattheword #queenc #queenjoke