Jamaican singer-songwriter Minna LaFortune, a rising star in the reggae world, has released a stirring new single, “The Black Star Liner.”
LaFortune told Caribbean Life on Wednesday that the uplifting anthem pays homage to Jamaican national hero Marcus Garvey and his teachings of African liberation, self-reliance and PanAfricanism.
“’The Black Star Liner’ is a reggae song with a driving rhythm that invites the listener to join the symbolic Black Star Liner, a shipping company founded by Garvey in 1919, and journey to Africa on a ‘mission of love and togetherness,’” she said. “The lyrics express the pride, hope and love that the Jamaican people have for Africa and the African Diaspora, as well as the determination and courage to overcome challenges and create a more prosperous future with other Africans.”
LaFortune said the song is inspired by Garvey’s philosophy and the music of Bob Marley and Burning Spear, “two of the most influential reggae artists who embraced Garvey’s teachings and spread them to the world.”
She said the song also “predicts changes that were going to happen in the Jamaican-African Bond and in Africa that were in keeping with the vision of Marcus Garvey.”
“With its dynamic reggae rhythms and socially conscious lyrics, ‘The Black Star Liner’ takes listeners on a metaphorical journey from Jamaica to the African continent,” LaFortune said. “’The Black Star Liner’ metaphor is so powerful because it represents the dream vehicle that will carry African peoples back to their ancestral homeland.
“Just as Marcus Garvey founded the actual shipping company in 1919 to facilitate the return to Africa, my song envisions a symbolic journey where we’re all aboard that ‘liner’ headed to the continent with pride, unity and determination,” she added. “The Black Star Liner embodies the hopes of the pan-African movement.”
The song’s powerful chorus declares in part: “On the Black Star Liner, we coming from Jamaica/On the Black Star Liner, we going to Africa/With the words of Marcus/And the strength we possess/We’re on a mission of love and togetherness.”
“’The Black Star Liner’ is my humble contribution to keeping Marcus Garvey’s dream alive – that, one day, African peoples across the world will come together in the spirit of pride, self-determination, and unity,” LaFortune said. “It’s a reminder that, despite our struggles, we have an unbreakable strength that will ultimately lead us to a brighter future.”
The single is available now on all major streaming platforms.
LaFortune’s musical voyage began in Jamaica, where she said she was immersed in the melodies of her homeland.
Migrating to the US at 30, LaFortune said she continued nurturing her passion while contributing to the Caribbean Diaspora’s cultural fabric.
Her debut EP “Dance with Me” Volume 1, released in June 2023, showcases her originality and song-writing skills, and her artistic range on themes from romance to social commentary.
The festive “Caribbean Christmas” album followed in December 2023, fusing vibrant Caribbean styles.
LaFortune said she is currently working on “Dance with Me” Volume 2, set for a 2024 release, and continuing her powerful musical legacy.
She said included in “Dance with Me” Volume 2 will be her recent releases, “Reggae Music is Love to me,” “Don’t Drink Your Sorrows,” and “The Black Star Liner,” among many more original songs.
Contact Minna LaFortune at info@minnalafortune.com, or call 917-771-7935.
