Fans called out by Protoje ecstatic to meet reggae star

On Saturday night hundreds of fans belted the words to song after song, as recording artiste and New Wave boss Protoje graced a local stage for the first time in three years.

While there was no shortage of engagement from the crowd, university students William Mullings and Data caught the artiste's attention with their relentless knowledge of his lyrics.

Picking up on that, the artiste paused his set to inform his team that he had to meet the two young men. Mullings, who said he has been a fan since the artiste's first album in 2011, told THE STAR that he has no words to describe that feeling of validation he got from the Bout Noon singer.

"I was speechless you understand. I am a big Protoje fan, every lyric, every song! It was a breathtaking moment," he said.

Outside the artiste's tent after the concert, the three had a quick powwow, where they discussed both his impact on them and the similarities they have going through the motions as a student of The University of the West Indies, Mona.

Mullings explained, "It was very important because as I just said to him a while ago, he has inspired me. Maybe not in a direct way, but in terms of inspiring the youth like what he has done with performers like Lila Ike, Jaz Elise, Sevana, bringing them up to basically help them out to continue building up the reggae genre."

Data added, "To be honest, it was my first live reggae concert to be at with Protoje and [it was good] to know not every lyric, but almost every lyric, singing along feeling the vibe. I was in a whole crowd but him pick we out and say we have a vibe. All that time in my room just vibing to Proto, you know he's not there but now he's right here."

He said that the first Protoje song he listened to was Rasta Love.

"So to hear him perform, it was really just ... ," Data said, his voice trailing off. "It's the first time he's performing it in front of a live audience so it was a good feeling. He brought me through high school. I didn't go to Munro [College in St Elizabeth] but I went to nearby deCarteret College [Manchester] and I just have to say nuff love and respect to Protoje."

The pair expressed hope that the event will become a yearly endeavour.

- S.L.