Rebel Salute 2025: Queen Ifrica tackles abuse, urges victims to speak

Queen Ifrica, renowned for her passionate advocacy for women’s rights, used her performance at Rebel Salute 2025, held at Plantation Cove in St Ann over the weekend, to amplify her calls for greater support for victims of sexual abuse and societal reform.

She interspersed her 40-minute set with jabs at molesters and urged Jamaicans to stand for “positive’ values to improve the mores and cultural fabric of the country.

While encouraging women to “strengthen di man dem,” a colloquialism for moral support, she urged women to continue to support the family structure with their resourcefulness and innovative spirit.

Ifrica didn’t let women off the hook either, calling for them to “stop giving man jacket,” even as she preached self-love. “If you don’t love yourself, yuh deh pon yuh own because nobody nah go love you, like how you can love you,” she told the audience.

She also took several jabs at politicians in the audience during her set for what she described failing to do enough to create platforms to support victims of abuse.

“Me nah stop fight fi Jamaica…,” she said declaring her dislike for the current state of the country.

She sang: “Daddy don’t touch me there ... we gonna be in court this year,” as she took jabs at her father, singer Derrick Morgan whom she has accused of sexual abuse, his subsequent denial and court action against her.

Speaking to Loop News following her performance about the overall message for the night, Ifrica called on those with influence and money in society to “use it in a positive sense.”

“Influence is a great asset. If you have it, use it in a positive sense. Don’t be selfish and think that because you have creative rights, you can do as you like. Think about the people who call you their superstars and that you call fans,” she said.

She continued: “When they leave these shows and go home, you don’t know what they go home to. So, give them something a little bit more than they came for to go home with,” she said.

She further urged victims of sexual abuse and molestation to “speak out.”

“Don’t let someone who has done you wrong silence you and make you take that [secret] to your grave while they walk around scotch-free. Speak and set yourself free. You have to free yourself because nobody will free you,” she said.

Her new single “Tallawah”, which she debuted at Rebel Salute is aimed at encouraging Jamaican women to stand in their greatness.

 “Jamaica has the most amazing women… but we notice the smile on the faces of Jamaica women are faded because everything is just pressuring. There is no break for the Jamaican woman. We want them to remember that we are a special set of women,” she said.