Dancehall artist Valiant proclaimed Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton “Di Gyal dem Bubblegum” during his performance at the Minister’s Vibes Pon Di Hill stage show at Point Hill in St Catherine on Friday night. In response the Minister who is also Member of Parliament for St. Catherine West Central, praised the singjay, declaring him a “good man”.
In one of a series of video clips that have surfaced on Instagram, Valiant with one arm casually draped around Tufton’s shoulders, pays his respects to the former University of the West Indies lecturer.
“Wha oonu a deal wid? A di fuss time mi a come yah suh enuh. A nuh because a di accident; a because a di love and di respect weh him show. Mi seh when it happen, not even police nuh call… mi a tell yuh seh a di respect an di love…,” he told the audience, referring to the June 3, incident when he accidentally struck Tufton from his bicycle, resulting in the Minister sustaining a broken wrist.
Valiant then told the audience that: “if any bwoy diss Tufton up yah”, he would use a belt and flog them, evoking much laughter.
Moments later he sought to further “big up” Tufton asking the audience: “Yu know yuh a di girl dem want?” then immediately turning to the Minister to sing: “Yuh a di girl dem bubblegum,” as the Minister and the audience erupted in laughter.
Tufton also summoned State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alando Terrylonge, Peoples National Party MP Hugh Graham of St. Catherine North Western and one-time Valiant critic and former Minister of Information, Robert “Nesta” Morgan to join him onstage to take photos with Valiant.
“One love, peace for all”…. because I want to seh suppm to you tonight: when wi organise this show wi organise it for everybody. I don’t ask anybody who dem vote fah inna election, although mi want dem vote fi me,” Tufton quipped. “Yuh get di point? But I am a man who believe that we goin serve all of the people all of the time.
“An dis man is an entertainer, him not a politician; but him is a good man,” he said refering to Valiant.
Valiant’s bond with Tufton began after the June 2 accident which took place on Charlemont Avenue in St. Andrew.
Not long after his surgery, Tufton had taken to Instagram to share a photograph featuring himself and Valiant who had visited him at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
The Minister, who had a bandage on his forehead, had expressed gratitude, stating: “I count my lucky stars and also thank Valiant, who was involved, for rushing me to UHWI, and to the team of doctors and nurses who are currently attending to me.”
As for Robert Nesta Morgan, in November 2022, he had expressed concern about the lyrical content of Valiant’s song “Dunce Cheque” during his address at the National Youth Month Church Service at Generations Church in Mandeville.
Just two minutes into his speech, Morgan revealed that he had overheard the song playing on his young son’s device and was dismayed by the lyrics from the 1Diplomats artiste, which he believed made foolishness seem appealing to young people.
Valiant, who attended St. Mary’s College, Oberlin High School, and EXED Community College, has stated in previous interviews that he successfully completed his CSEC subjects in high school and is quite proficient in English Literature.
The artist, whose real name is Raheem Bowes, hails from Mannings Hill in Stony Hill and worked in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector before fully committing to his music career.
