Shabba's mother shouts hallelujah after dancehall icon gets national award

Shabba Rank's mother Constantine 'Mama Christie' Christie said she is sitting on cloud nine right now in celebration of her son being conferred with the Order of Distinction for his contribution to music.

"I am overjoyed! I'm overwhelmed! I feel elated!" she told THE STAR yesterday, while admitting that Shabba told her about the award long before anyone else knew because of the special bond they share.

"One morning in July, he called me and said, 'Mama, can you keep a secret?' and I told him, 'Yes, anything for you'. Right there I started to sing the song called Anything for You, and he said, That's my girl!'" Mama Christie recalled.

Shortly after, the multi-Grammy winning deejay delivered the news to his mother and asked her to keep it a secret, which she did.

"He had to tell me because that's the closeness we have with each other. If his head hurts him in New York, I know. That morning I shouted so much hallelujahs!" she shared.

very humble

However, the national honour comes as no surprise to Mama Christie, who said she believes great things happen to great people, and her son is one of them.

"He is very humble and he is kind. He is loving, and he cares for other people more than how he cares for himself, trust me," she said, adding that Shabba also prophesied over the award from early on his career.

"I can remember when he started singing, he used to do a little into to his songs saying, 'Order of Merit!'

On Monday, when Shabba walked across the lawns of Kings House to collect his award, Mama Christie said she could not control the overwhelming pride and joy she felt for her son.

"I shouted some hallelujahs on the grounds of Kings House, I don't think anybody else has ever done that. It was joy unspeakable and full of glory," she shared.

As a firm believer in God, Mama Christie could not leave out the role of the Almighty in Shabba's achievement.

"To God be the glory, great things he has done because anything that was done, God had a hand in it, and I give him glory, praise, and honour."

She also extended gratitude to Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Culture Olivia 'Babsy' Grange for their role in Shabba's award.