"But equally important, it was a celebration of the showbiz pioneers who met the standards of excellence that have enabled the Black community to lead the world of entertainment in Britain today." Songstress Beverley Knight, who became the envy of every woman in the land when she belted her heart out alongside sexy soulster Lynden David Hall, described the evening as "an history event." Roachford said: "I was honoured to be asked to perform."
"I went on vacation. I went to Jamaica thinking that I didn't want to be bothered. This young man ends up talking to me. I'm like `thank God he's young, I don't have to worry about him hitting on me.' But I was very surprised when he did. Despite the public bashfulness, she feels good about her own very new relationship. It's exciting, she's learning a lot and so is he. "It's just really refreshing to be with someone that doesn't know who you are. I don't really care if it lasts another month or two months or three months, it's all fine. Right now I feel so good and that's what I've written about. What's the point of predicting 20 years from now; after all how many relationships last that long. There's no point living in the future. F**k the future. How about now? After his attempt to get a share of her millions, she went a number of years without talking to him. "He was being a real dog. He was always crying broke and saying he didn't have any money. But I never bad - mouthed him in all these years, I just told [Solomon] `oh your father s under the weather' or `he's having hard times'. But he's pathetic, that's a better word for it."
"It is a play about two people who love each other," explains Greta Mendez, the play's Trinidadian-born director. "The external elements of racism have affected their relationship. "As the battle is raging in Trinidad, [Elvira] and [Rohan] are raging. They are having their own coup and trying to work it out." "I call it the battlefield of heart and soul" "The divide-and-rule syndrome is still happening and the play is saying, `Let us look at that'." * Coups and Calypsos runs until February 28 at the Oval House, 52-54 Kennington Oval, London SE11 at 7.45 pm each night. Tickets from £5.50; box office: 0171-5827680.
Yet [Dennis Morris]'s `funny' speech not only attracted [Bob Marley] but helped to open a door into the exciting world of photography that would soon spiral him towards success. Now people will be able to get an eyeful of Morris's talent in Growing up Black, an exhibition in London depicting his life as a '70s teenager. "My black friends couldn't understand why I wanted to associate with a white punk band," Morris says.
