Reggae singer Luciano and his mother, Sophia McClymont, at the funeral of the singer’s son — Menelik McClymont — held at Meadowvale Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Red Hills Road, St Andrew, on Sunday
REGGAE singer Luciano was a picture of grief at the thanksgiving service for his son, Menelik McClymont, held at the Meadowvale Seventh-day Adventist Church in St Andrew on Sunday.
The singer, whose given name is Jephter McClymont, urged the congregation to let peace reign.
“My son was snatched from my hands by cruel hands. I have watched him grow and now he is taken away from us. The Lord has surely put me to test. We need more love; we should all unite and make a beautiful world,” he said before churning out the lyrics to It’s Me Again Jah.
The ceremony was a mixture of laughter and tears as those closest to the 19-year-old aspiring musican shared memories.
When brother Negus McClymont spoke about the bond he had with his younger sibling, there was hardly a dry eye inside church.
“My brother was a very interesting individual who didn’t believe in the traditional way of life. He had so many dreams that he would share with me. He would speak so passionately about wanting to create a non-profit organsation for the homeless. Mi bredda was a good youth,” he said in his tribute.
Similar sentiments were echoed by his cousin Joshua Baugh, whom McClymont shared his plans with.
“He had dreams of going into the real estate business and other business ventures but, on top of it all, he was very talented musically. He would stay up late at nights and write songs, or we would just simply talked everyday, even when one of us was overseas,” he said.
Baugh said that McClymont resided in the United States for a while, but returned to Jamaica to be closer to his father reggae singer Luciano. While overseas he shared the stage and performed alongside his father on several occassions. He first performed at Rebel Salute in St Ann at age 10.
Among others who paid tribute were reggae singer Mikey General and producer Garfield ‘Sampalue’ Phillips.
Interment followed at Meadowrest Memorial Gardens in St Catherine.
According to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Corporate Communications Unit, McClymont was stabbed several times in the vicinity of Parkington Plaza on Half-Way-Tree Road, St Andrew, on February 27. He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the next day. Three teens have been arrested and charged.