BLACK POWER advocates pumped their fists to the O'Jays' Backstabbers in the 1970s, while the group's soul-stirrers like Brandy drew many a lover to the dance floor.

This week, the legendary Rhythm and Blues act is one of the big names billed for the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which takes place at The Aqueduct in Montego Bay.

The O'Jays have performed here before, including two appearances on Reggae Sunsplash. During their heyday in the 1970s, the group was the mainstay of Philadelphia International Records, which is owned by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

In addition to Backstabbers and Brandy, the O'Jays had massive hits in Jamaica with Love Train, For The Love of Money, I Love Music, Family Reunion and Use Ta Be My Girl. In 1978, reggae band Third World covered their Now That We Found Love, which was a crossover hit in the United States and Europe.

The O'Jays still has two of its original members: Eddie Levert and Walter Williams.

Last week, Williams spoke to Tidbits Tuesday from his home in Cleveland, Ohio, about the election of Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States, the O'Jays' link to Jamaica and his thoughts on modern R&B.

Tidbits Tuesday: What were you doing on November 4 when Obama won?

Walter Williams: I was at home sitting in front of my TV. It was very emotional. I didn't think I would be (emotional) because I'm this big, hard dude, but it was a special moment. It's something I never thought I or my kids or grandchildren would live to see.

You are going to have a black President. Looking back, all those message songs you guys did in the 1970s, do you think all that music has paid off?

Absolutely. It's important to put issues on people's minds through music, and maybe it's taken all this time for our music to sink in and get them ready for what was in store for all of us. It was all positive and dealt with what was happening here in the US. So, yeah, I think it paid off.

What did you think when you heard a reggae version of Now That We Found Love?

I liked it; liked it a lot. And I was jealous because I thought our version was really good, but it never got any attention.

Who are some of the R&B acts that you like nowadays?

I love Beyoncé, I like Usher. I'm not really into rap, especially the gangster rap stuff. I'm 65 years old. They kinda missed me on that one, but I won't knock it. I'm glad to see these kids working, otherwise they might be getting in trouble. Just because I'm too old to enjoy it doesn't mean it's not good.

The O'Jays have performed here before, including two appearances at Reggae Sunsplash. During their heyday in the 1970s, the group was the mainstay of Philadelphia International Records, which is owned by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

Philly's got soul

Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff wrote some of the biggest hit songs of the 1970s at Philadelphia International Records. Their artistes included the O'Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Bunny Sigler, the Jacksons and Patti LaBelle.

Gamble and Huff have said they wrote some of their biggest hit songs in Jamaica.

McFadden and Whitehead were songwriter/performers at PIR. They cowrote and sang Ain't No Stopping Us Now, the unofficial anthem of black America.

The O'Jays' version of Now That We Found Love was released in 1973 but was not a big hit. Third World's reggae/dance take on the song was a big hit in the United States and Europe.

Thom Bell, one of the chief songwriters at PIR, was born in Jamaica.