Festiville 2014 - Reggaeville Festival Guide

Interview Ziggi Recado 45
THERAPEUTIC
by Angus Taylor
Ziggi Recado never wanted to be an artist growing
up. The St Eustatian singer-deejay freely
admits he initially only busted a few rhymes to
fit in with his friends who did. But the adolescent
natural talent in those couplets kick-started
the reggae scene in his adopted home of the
Netherlands - with the grainy-toned melodious
chanter at its head.
With each new recording since, Ziggi’s seriousness
about his craft has grown - and it shows.
This interview took place just as he’d returned
to Holland after cutting his fourth album Therapeutic
with highly touted US/VI production triumvirate
Zion I Kings. It‘s the first time he has
ever voiced a full project while in his birthplace
of Statia - and what he saw there inspired many
of his more rebellious lyrics.
Ziggi has a wide and winning smile. But when
talking he fixes you with a truth seeker’s stare.
Although he hasn‘t always been pleased with
past albums - even the ones critics and fans
have enjoyed - he sounds sincere when he says
Therapeutic is his best yet. Once the flagship of
Dutch reggae, Ziggi is an artist of the world.
Every island has its own culture - describe
Statian culture for those who don’t know.
Statian culture is probably very confusing.
It’s been through a lot through the years.
It’s a small island. It’s very underdeveloped
in terms of schooling. Most youths leave no
later than 16 to do some schooling – and a
great deal of them never go back. There’s
not much for them to go back to. The island
is controlled by the Dutch and compared to
when I was growing up there it seems like
it’s even more under control than before. It’s
just switched to a different currency - from
Antillean Guilders to Dollars - and that made
it a lot crazier, too. So it’s a very different vibe
this time around for me on that island.
You moved to Netherlands to study – what did
you study?
At first I was doing economics. And by the
time I stopped school and did music full time
I was busy with computer programming.
You kept your connection with your Statian
friends when you came over. It wasn’t like
you were alone. You had a crew around you.
Very much. I had a few guys that had already
moved to Holland long before me and I had a
few that came while I was there. Eventually
we had a little community of the whole crew
from back in the island so of course as these
are the friends you grew up with, you most
naturally stay in that line.