Poo Puku Poo Puku Poo Puku Puku Poo: No-Madzz electrifies Sumfest launch

Poo Puku Poo Puku Poo Puku Puku Poo….the now popular chant from the stars of Puma’s fastest band commercial, No-Maddz, floated through the downtown Kingston promenade as the sea breeze and the waves seemed to engage in friendly rivalry as to who was the better imitator. 

Of course, the breeze won, but the true winners, in fact, were those who stood and watched in amazement and wide eyed excitement as No-Maddz came alive on stage in their own unique and creative way. Quite Bohemian in their dress style and imitating no-one but themselves, No-Maddz is a talented bunch of articulate, jolly boys, with keen wit and a fundamental flair for the dramatic, all of which is neatly packaged into one helluva band. 

Members Sheldon Shepherd, Everaldo Creary, Chris Gordon and Oneil Peart, who all claim Kingston College as their alma mater, jumped on the Red Stripe stage at Sumfest launch last week Sunday and touched a nerve with a quasi dub poetry offering Bobo Clawk, which shattered the space and had quite a few brows knitted and mouths agape, until one member explained: ‘My uncle,” he said in his best Queen’s English and accent, “is called Bobo Clawk and he pushes a cart.’ ‘What kinda  cyaat?’ they chorused.

‘A grass cart.’

Just try saying Bobo Clawk pushes a Grass Cyaat loudly and quickly and you’ll get something that sounds like a lot of electrifying and entertaining ‘clawts’. From the tiniest tots slung casually on their mothers’ hips to the most seasoned dancehall donishas, they were all captivated.

Founded in 2000, No-Maddz is the only record holders of a perfect score in the annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s performance arts festival.

They are recipients of the Jamaican Prime Minister Youth Award for excellence, received in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009.

The group copped a Puma commercial featuring Usain Bolt in April last year and was featured in the film Better Mus’ Come, for which Shepherd won the coveted and keenly contested ‘Best Actor’ award at the American Black Film Festival.

In June 2012 they launched their single “Sort out You Life Jamaica”, commemorating 50 years of Jamaican independence and is now signed as one of telecoms giant Digicel’s brand ambassadors    - Yasmine Peru (Photo: chatychaty.com)