FESTIVILLE 2026

FESTIVILLE 2026

REGGAEVILLE FESTIVAL GUIDE

INTERVIEWS

D‘YANI

TIWONY

CAPLETON

GENTLEMAN

AZA LINEAGE

MARCUS GAD

VYBZ KARTEL

BUJU BANTON

ROGER STEFFENS

& ERIK E. CROWN

118

FESTIVALS

EDITORIAL3

NEW - WORLD - ORDER

Time and again, prophets have predicted the

end of the world. Time and again, the world

has refused to end, so we are blessed to be

alive today. We do live in an era of drastic

changes however; with AI everywhere, capitalism

failing and Africa on the rise, it’s almost

impossible to imagine what our world will look

like in 50 or 100 years from now: “Many things

are going to be shifting and we are witnesses to

that”, Marcus Gad observes in our interview.

One thing that’s for sure is that music will

still be a part of our lives, and people will still

come together to celebrate, just like we do this

summer. As every year, Reggaeville provides

your sight & soundtrack for the months ahead,

so take a break and see what awaits you!

What’s NEW?

Reggae music is constantly evolving, its Kings

and Queens making sure there is no shortage

of fresh sounds. This 16th edition of our Festiville

Magazine not only presents some of

this summer’s most exciting releases with an

album review, but also with a profound reasoning

with its creators. Next to aforementioned

Marcus Gad (For All), we’ll hear from Aza

Lineage (Rebel Daawta), Capleton (Heights

Of Fire), Vybz Kartel (God & Time) and Tiwony

(Dancehall Frequency). Three artists

even revealed their album’s track-lists and

features to us before the info was officially published,

so you’ll be among first to read about

D’Yani’s Live Life & Prosper, Buju Banton’s

Too Too Bad and Gentleman’s Gratitude!

In addition to these musical conversations,

Roger Steffens introduces us to the story of

his extensive Reggae Archives, a journey that

director Erik E. Crown has accompanied for

the last 25 years, which has resulted in the

exciting documentary Livicated.

Dancehall WORLD!

After two decades of individualisation in the

Dancehall, a result of the proliferation of

software and producers, the trend seems to go

back to a few lighthouse riddims that every

artist wants to voice. Just think of the WYFL

craze (produced by DJ Mac and CrashDummy)

or the irresistible charm of the new Hill

& Gully Riddim by Di Genius, both riddims

being part of Buju’s and Gentleman’s releases,

respectively. Also, many artists seem to

re-discover old-school tunes, and the infectious

melodies of Far East, Nanny Goat, Diseases,

Buy Out and many others rock crowds and

speakers again.

Keeping ORDER.

Aiming to give you the best possible overview

of all the above and more, you’ll find a chronological

list of 118 international Reggae Festivals

in here, waiting to embrace you with

good vibes and sunshine. For updates and

more information on line-ups and locations,

visit our homepage REGGAEVILLE.com

regularly (you’ll also find photos, videos and

concert reports of many festivals there). Most

of all, remember to enjoy every moment,

to live in the here and now – time flies and

being alive is a gift!

4CONTENT

INTERVIEWS

CONTENT5

INTERVIEWS

6 AZA LINEAGE

18 D‘YANI

30 ROGER STEFFENS

& ERIK E. CROWN

50 TIWONY

64 MARCUS GAD

98 CAPLETON

116 GENTLEMAN

132 BUJU BANTON

146 VYBZ KARTEL

ALBUM REVIEWS

17 AZA LINEAGE

115 CAPLETON

FESTIVALS

78 JUNE

84 JULY

145 BUJU BANTON

92 AUGUST

96 SEPTEMBER

- DECEMBER

IMPRINT FESTIVILLE 2026

PUBLISHER REGGAEVILLE.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julian Schmidt - julian@reggaeville.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ackime Snow (Vybz Kartel)

Christina Gotz (Gentleman)

Jamie Crawford-Walker (Buju Banton)

Jik-Reuben Pringle (Capleton)

Joachim Maquet (D‘Yani)

Pedro Colo (Roger Steffens)

Riley Strickland (Vybz Kartel)

Thibault DK (Tiwony)

Valentin Campagnie (Marcus Gad)

William Richards (Aza Lineage)

BACKCOVER Christina Gotz

AUTHORS / EDITORS / TEAM

Angus Taylor, Björn Fehrensen, Gardy Stein,

Rune Fleiter, Ursula ‘Munchy‘ Münch,

Veronique Skelsey

LAYOUT Peter Pusch

ADVERTISING

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Copyright © 2026 Reggaeville.com

All rights reserved; reproduction in part or whole is

strictly prohibited without prior consent or authorization

from the publisher. Opinions and views expressed

within Festiville Magazine are from contributors and

are not necessarily shared by the publisher.

INTERVIEW

AZA LINEAGE

REBELS IN TOWN

INTERVIEW AZA LINEAGE 7

THE MOVERS, THE SHAKERS & THE MAKERS

BY GARDY STEIN

PHOTOS BY WILLIAM RICHARDS

It is always a joy to see talented young artists

rise. Being a woman in the reggae

biz myself, however, this joy is multiplied

when the rising is done by female artists,

especially when they combine talent, personality,

grace and intelligence the way Aza

Lineage does.

Diligently honing her craft for at least

the last ten years, she now steps into the

spotlight with her debut album Rebel

Daawta, a term that describes her approach

to music: innovative and unique (rebel), but

still humble enough to acknowledge the

fact that she’s following in the footsteps of

other greats (daughter). The album itself is

special because it was produced entirely by

King Jammy, a legend in his own right, who

doesn’t take on productions lightly. That he

took Aza on board is one of the biggest compliments

an artist can get, and in the interview

below she explains exactly how this

happened and what this experience means

to her. She also shares the deeper meaning

behind some of her songs, talks about the

importance of community and lets us in on

her hidden talents as a designer.

Hi Aza! Where do I catch you?

I’m in Jamaica, in August Town.

I think the last time we met in person was

2019, at the Summerjam in Cologne – seven

years ago! How has life been treating you

since then?

Alright, so… ah seven years already? Yeah

man, shout-out to the Summerjam crew!

Firstly, thank you for having me. From the

last time we met in 2019, I’ve been growing

as an artist, as a woman, you know, getting to

know myself better, learning my craft, being

more in depth in my culture, writing a whole

heap a songs… so, a lot of things have been

happening!

Oh, that sounds nice. In 2023, you released

an EP called Kingston To Cali – great stuff!

Did you start to work on the album right after

that?

I did the Kingston To Cali EP while working

on the album. Same time, you know!

Ah, I see! And now your debut album is about

to be released, which is exciting in many

ways, of course, but one of the most exciting

facts is that it’s been produced by King Jammy.

How was it to work with this legend?

Working with King Jammy is an honour.

First, let me tell you how I met him. When we

just started, we were looking for a producer

to work with. We went to a lot of places, and

then Smilez, you know, from the Lineage,

he was the one who reached out to King and

said “King, I have a young artist, I’d really

like for you to just give her a listening ear!”

And they talk and they talk, and he agreed.

We went to the studio the following Wednesday,

I think, and there we had an audition

outside, like in the olden days. I auditioned

with Sound System, and from that day on,

we have been working together, and working

with King Jammy is an honour! He has a

great understanding of reggae and dancehall

and Jamaican culture, you know? And

him give me some solid advice: to study the

music, study the greats, you have to study

what they’re doing. His incredible patience

and how detailed he is in producing a track…

this is like a school for me and I’m honoured

to be there.

I can imagine! Did he produce every single

one of the tracks, or were there other producers

involved on the album?

Every single one of the tracks was produced

by King Jammys, all except for one, but

know that he had to put his touch on it as

well. That was produced by his in-house

engineer and producer, shout-out to Shemo.

But for the most part, the entire album is

produced by King Jammys.

Okay. From the sound of it, some musicians

were also invited in the recording, so who and

who do we hear?

Shout-out to Spyda Meng, you know, always

in-house. When we get the ideas and thing

for a song, King would call him in to just

lay the foundation. He also opened up his

vault (laughs) and featured a riddim that was

made by the High Times. I had to go do my

research to know who the High Times were -

legendary musicians, you know? Of course, I

Sax for the horns was there too.

And who is on the backing vocals? We hear

some wonderful harmonies on the album

too…

Yes! Shout-out to Sherida and Mitch for the

supporting vocals. Sherida is a wonderful

person, a great talent, she is also supporting

vocalist for Beres Hammond.

Legends non-stop! The title of the album is

Rebel Daawta, and I know this is a moniker

that you have embraced. There’s even a track

you have released with O.B.F by the same

name. What made you pick this one for the

album?

To me, Rebel Daawta is someone who is a

woman who remembers who she is. So it’s

not about rebelling for the sake of rebellion,

you know? But questioning limitations,

thinking independently, standing in your own

truth. The name was chosen by the label, and

it’s so funny because, as you say, it’s a moniker

that I had taken on for myself, so when I

heard that it was Rebel Daawta, I said “Yeah,

man!”.

10

INTERVIEW AZA LINEAGE

That’s so cool! The album starts not with

your voice, but with an intro by Lone Ranger.

What’s your connection to this veteran?

Big up Lone Ranger! Lone Ranger is someone

who has always showed me support from

the start, you know? If you look through my

social media, you can see that he calls me up

on stage, he gives me a lot of support. And

the idea to put him on, it was King’s idea, but

when I heard it, I was pleased! (laughs) It’s

just like everything is falling into place, you

know?

Yeah, it makes a really nice vibe, to hear his

voice introducing you, and then you start with

the Rebels In Town…

And also, having him on there creates like a

bridge between generations, you know? Because

them Lone Ranger and company are

the ones who… the movers and the shakers

and the makers of the genre, so to have him

on there is an honour!

Definitely. Speaking of features, there’s

another veteran there in A Rub-A-Dub Or Two,

Johnny Osbourne. How was that link made?

The link between me and Johnny Osborne

came about through King Jammy, but then

when I met him, he said “I see your works!

I’ve been watching you, go an do your ting!”

So Johnny Osborne is somebody who is a

vocalist who a whole heap of singers really

admire, you know? His career has spanned

many decades, so to have a song with him…

it’s a remake, a refix of a song that he did,

a song that’s older than me by many, many

years. So when King bring forth the idea, I

was happy to do it. Big up Lone Ranger and

Johnny Osbourne!

The veterans! And then, from the younger

generation, we have Jesse Royal and Brandon

Roots in No Vagabond. Can you say something

about how you met them and how

they got involved in the project?

Big up Jesse Royal and Brandon Roots!

Jesse Royal is somebody we see from time

to time in the reggae space, you know?

However, this song came about… it was King

Jammy’s idea. King and Jesse had done

some work, I think it was before me, I wasn’t

present in studio. And then he called and said

he has this song with Jesse and he wanted

me to put a verse on it, and then he invited

Brandon Roots, who is working closely with

King Jammy also. I respect the song itself, a

call for strong voices that brings authenticity

and conviction to the message. I’m happy to

be a part of it because of course I embrace

Rastafari culture!

And as part of that culture, you released the

song Sound System. I think it was in 2019, so

it’s been out there for some time. What feedback

did you get for this one, and from which

corners of the earth?

Wow! Sound System is… I get feedback from

all over the world! You know, Sound System

has become an anthem, I made it for the

sound system community in hopes to bring

it together, and to pay homage to the culture

itself. I get good feedback from it! It’s the

song that soundmen request mostly to cut

for dubplate. Shout-out to all soundman and

soundwoman!

For this album, it seems that there was a new

version or an updated version of it?

Yes, the horns were added. I got sound system

deluxe! (laughs)

Cool! I got the first version on vinyl when it

came out.

This album will be out on vinyl too! It will

have ten songs on it.

A gem to add to any collection! Two other

songs have been released already as well,

Chikiwawawoi and Rule The Sound, and

these ones come with beautiful videos.

Can you tell us something about the video

shoots, who directed them and how was

the vibe?

12


Both videos are special, shout-out to Terminal

4, Jay and Tan Bad, on the direction. It

was special, I always like to link up with other

creative people who understand the spirit of

the music. The shooting involves a lot of collaborations,

a whole heap of energy. You know

how it go in Jamaica, you’re on the street

shooting a video and somebody come up and

ask you “Hey, can I be a part?” (laughs) So it

was that type of vibes. Good vibes!

Nice! In Rule The Sound, you’re wearing

an amazing outfit, both jacket and shoes

custom-made, I guess. Who’s the designer

behind that?

All right, so the designer is Dana Bernard

aka Aza Lineage (laughs).

Wow, you did that yourself?

Yes, I painted it myself, I came up with the

idea, you know, and I gave it to the designer.

Big up Zaid, he’s a tailor and just a creative

person overall. He paints, he sews… I gave

him the idea for the shoes, I wanted them to

be customised for the Lineage, and seeing

that I’m from Kingston 7 and King Jammy

is from Kingston 11, I put that on and them

little details, like the sound system culture.

And on the jacket, the jacket was very, very

intentional, you know? It was made from

scratch. I told him that I wanted if you look

closely to the jacket, all you will see is just

sound system names. I told him that I wanted

something to represent the sound system

culture. So if you look at it, you see Mighty

Crown, you see Ricky Trooper, you see

Killamanjaro, you see Jammys Sound, you

know? Just all the greats, all the stalwarts. It

was intentional to pay respect to them.

That’s so special! Do you wear it outside of

the video shoot?

Only on special occasions. It’s going to be a

collector’s item, I really love it.

It’s epic! It’s one of the things that draws your

attention when you watch the video. What

stands out when going through the track list

is that there are a lot of love songs on there.

What was the inspiration for those songs?

I mean, love is a beautiful thing! It’s one of

the most powerful forces in human life. The

songs on the album reflect different forms of

love: there is romantic love, self-love, love for

community and love for life itself, you know?

And then, one song says Love You Too Much.

Do you think you can actually love someone

too much?

I don’t think genuine love can be too much.

What can be, you know, what makes it negative,

if it becomes attachment, control or losing

yourself in the process. But real love, to me,

should help people grow and not diminish

themselves. That was very important to me to

put it on there. I like seeing people in positive

relationships, it’s a beautiful thing to see and

experience. Love. Genuine love!

It is! And with genuine love often comes support,

and I think the song Can’t Live For Yourself

talks about that a bit, about supporting

each other and that you need help sometimes.

Can you tell us about the reasoning behind

this song?

All right. So, firstly, I want to say shout out to

Carlton “Tetrack” Hinds. He was the one

who penned this song. I think it starts with

remembering that we’re all connected, you

know, and no one succeeds entirely on their

own effort. Community, compassion, service

and mutual support are always essential.

The world we live in now often encourages

people to focus only on themselves, but for

me, true fulfilment comes when we recognise

our responsibility to one another, you know,

and how to pour into each other, contribute to

something larger than ourselves.

Definitely. It’s so important to spread this

message because, as you say, the world

right now values individualism, egoism in a

certain sense, because the capitalist system

is all over the place and the community spirit

is kind of getting lost, so it’s important to

rediscover that!

It’s true. Same thing here, it’s “Me, me, me,

me, me”.

14


Luckily you will always find good people to

create spaces where we can come together,

to uphold the important values and form a

community spirit. We have to protect that at

all cost! In Bad Son, you talk about the effects

that bad actions may have on people,

on the whole community. What made you

write that song?

Bad Son was one of the songs that has

been with me for quite some time, I wrote

that song in 2018. While living in August

Town there was a community war, you

know? And of course, there were hardly

any women involved. I just wanted to write

this, Bad Son explores the consequences

of bad choices and behaviour. It’s a reflection

on accountability, society, family, and

the paths people take in life. I feel personally,

the song invites listeners to think

about cause and effect and how our actions

impact others and society.

That’s deep, thank you. As you say, this

album invites people to listen and feel the

music, feel the message. Is there something

you want to add? We didn’t talk about every

song, but maybe there’s one which is special

to you, which you still want to explain or

mention?

All the songs are special to me! (laughs) I’ve

been working on this album for my entire

career, you know, so even if I put out a

single, I’m still working on the album. I put

out an EP, I’m still working on the album. A

lot of work going there, a lot of efforts, from

different creatives. A song that I’d like to talk

about? Let it remain a mystery. Please go and

listen to the album, people! It was released

close to my born day, so the timing is perfect.

Was there a listening event, a release party or

something?

Yes, we were travelling to New York for the

18 th of June, for a show in Crown Hill Theatre

to celebrate the album and perform the

tracks live, along with special guests Mighty

Mystic and MediSun. After that we went to

Florida to repeat the process.

Sounds great! Any other events this summer

that you have planned?

For this summer, the focus is going out and

performing the album, you know. So I’m

leaving the entire summer open just for me to

visit different spaces and promote the album.

I hope that we will see you on tour in Europe at

the big festival stages next year! I’d love that.

Looking forward! Europe is always a vibe

and the people are so enthused and into the

music, and that can really give artists a lot of

energy to just go there and put out their best,

you know? So, looking forward to that next

year!

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk

to us, Aza!

I’d like to say thank you to all of the people

that have been supporting the journey from

day one, like Gardy, like Reggaeville, so

big up, continue to rock with me! You know,

we’re building a little community, so let’s

build together, and the outcome will not only

benefit me. Shout-out to all the supporters

who have given me genuine support over the

years!

And shout-out to you too, because it takes

people like you to build such a community,

where everyone can feel accepted and

home, you know, so this is a beautiful thing

and your music is part of that. So, yeah,

thank you also, and shout-out to you and

your team, to the King Jammy Fammy for

creating that!

16


Shout-out to the entire Jammys posse, Shemo

the engineer, big up, Spyda the musician,

big up, and King Jammy, the man of

the house, big up! Big up Mumma Iris same

way, and of course, big up the Lineage. You

know they have been rocking with me from

day one! Give thanks for the support and the

love! I appreciate it and I don’t take it lightly.

It was a pleasure doing this reasoning with

you, seeing you again. See you next summer,

Aza!

ALBUM REVIEW AZA LINEAGE 17

AZA LINEAGE – REBEL DAAWTA VP RECORDS - JUNE 19, 2026

She did it! After taking up

the mic in Kingston’s live

sessions over a decade

ago, releasing a stream of

singles (of which Sound

System in 2019 became

the most well-known)

and the Kingston To

Cali EP in 2023, Aza Lineage

now presents her

debut album to the world.

Called Rebel Daawta, it

was entirely produced by

the great King Jammy,

which is a seal of excellence

in itself . Together

with gifted instrumentalists like Andre “Spyda”

Dennis and I Sax as well as backing vocalists

Sherida Sharp and Mitch Di Singa, the musical

quality and coherence is thus ensured, but it

is Aza’s remarkable voice that makes this album

truly exceptional.

“Original is original!” As befits such a singer,

she is introduced by legend Lone Ranger before

kicking off the album with Rebels In Town,

an homage to all rebels fighting injustice. While

most songs are easily accessible for international

English speakers, both Nuh Wah Talk and Fight

Fi Mi Love are sung in heavy Jamaican patois,

another element assuring the authenticity of this

release.

With Don’t Say You Love Me and Sound System,

two tracks that have been around for a couple

of years, included, of which especially the latter

has made a triumphant march around the globe.

Originally a Studio One production by Roland

Alphonso called Jah Shakey, it became a massive

hit in 1978 when Barry Brown released the

song Far East, which gave the riddim its name.

Here, it has been upgraded by horns as well as by

Aza’s unique flow and convictions: “Music a me

weapon, me weapon of choice!”

Other treasures from the

olden days are Chikiwawawoi,

a joyful riddim

recorded by the High

Times Band, and A

Rub-A-Dub Or Two. That

track is part of Johnny

Osbourne’s catalogue

(released in 1983 as

Dance With You) and

was here revamped to

become a vocally impressive

duet. The only other

features of the album are

heard on No Vagabond,

in which Jesse Royal

and Brandon Roots clarify what a real Rastaman

is about. As part of Rasta culture, the holy

herb can’t be left out, of course, and One Draw

(also out since 2023) does just that, delivered on

another beloved old riddim friend – remember

Nanny Goat?

Bad Son is treating a more serious topic from

a mother’s point of view. It talks about the pain

and suffering gun violence brings – along with

Can’t Live For Yourself, this is social commentary

at its best! As love and relationships are an

important part of human existence, too, several

songs treat this subject, i.e. Watch Out, Baby;

Don’t Play Around and Love You Too Much, the

latter two bringing more modern sounds in.

The album closes in style with another soundsystem

culture livication: Rule The Sound, a

track bigging up reggae and dancehall events in

Kingston. This one comes with a video (as does

Chikiwawawoi), so make sure you watch them

to get the full vibes package!

In summary, Rebel Daawta is a bold statement,

a felicitous introduction of this exciting Jamaican

talent – congrats, team Aza Lineage!

by GARDY STEIN

INTERVIEW

D’YANI

THE JOURNEY

INTERVIEW D’YANI 19

A PENDULUM SWING OF LOVE AND LIFE

BY URSULA ‘MUNCHY‘ MÜNCH

PHOTOS BY JOACHIM MAQUET

With Live Life & Prosper, Jamaican singersongwriter

D’Yani arrives at a defining moment

in a journey that has been years in the

making. Following the success of standout

singles such as Live A Little, The Little

Things, and the recently released Journey,

the Spanish Town native now presents his

first full-length project – a deeply heartfelt

collection of songs rooted in love, gratitude,

perseverance, and self-reflection. With

his contemporary blend of reggae fused

with elements of gospel, ska, and other

facets of Jamaica’s rich musical heritage,

D’Yani and his producer and manager Remus

of XTM.Nation, supported by an impressive

cast of Jamaican musicians, producers, and

vocalists, created an album that feels both authentic

and refreshing. The project is moving

and inspiring, with songs that are personal

yet universally relatable – always in the spirit

of two major themes: life and love.

Munchy spoke to D’Yani about the journey

behind Live Life & Prosper, the influence of

his mother and late grandmother, and the values

that run through the record.

D’Yani, your debut album Live Life & Prosper

is ready to drop this summer. How do you

feel about this milestone, the first full-length

record?

I feel grateful. Almost like a 180, because my

music career started with reggae and then

my first project being reggae. It’s a blessing

for me. I’m really grateful for the team,

Remus and crew, that helped us to carve out

the sound and the music itself.

Congratulations on the piece! One of my favourite

tracks is already the first one, Journey,

which was released on June 5. So, tell me,

how is the journey going for D’Yani so far?

It has been like life, ups and downs. But we’re

grateful that we’re on the journey because a

lot of people don’t have a journey to be on. It

has been good for the most part, I can’t complain.

I’ve been working diligently, I’ve been

working patiently, day by day. As I said it’s a

journey, ups and downs. But we’re grateful

for the opportunity to make music and be

able to express music in this manner and in

this day and age.

You sing that you’re still on the journey, that

you keep trodding and stepping even when

it’s hard. What keeps you personally motivated

and moving, especially on rough days? Is

this song also a note to yourself?

Yeah man, definitely. For me, the journey itself

is not just the destination. It’s always the

process of the journey that keeps me going.

My journey thus far has been music. I love

making music. I love anything with music. I

love the process of creating music, the sound,

the image, the vibe, the mood of music itself.

With that being said, I think that’s really

one of my major motivators. As well as the

joy and the reaction I’ve been getting from

people that have been impacted by the music

and the sound itself with songs like Live A

Little, Journey, The Little Things. It’s just

a blessing to see that the thoughts that I’ve

been creating and feeling have been appreciated

and accepted.

The track Journey has this soulful, gospel

kind of vibe. I learned that you ask a Jamaican

two questions: which school did you go

20

INTERVIEW D’YANI

to and which church do you go to? Since I

already know you went to Wolmer’s Boys’

School, I have to ask for the second, the

church and also did gospel and church music

have any influence on you and your musical

path?

Yes and no because I wasn’t necessarily an

avid church goer. But my grandmother was

always insisting on playing gospel music in

the house. She was the holy one in the family.

She’s the one that kept the family spiritual.

Ultimately, she was the one that inspired

this song. Her favourite phrase was “Life’s a

journey” and she has always been saying that

to me, till the day she passed. The concept

and the whole thought was created by just

that line my grandmother always said to

me. “Andre” or “D’Yani, life’s a journey, so

always take your time and keep trodding”.

That’s how the concept was created and the

essence of it was evoked. I linked Remus

now with that thought and he loved the concept.

He was the one that implemented the

gospel choir and the whole New York gospel

chapel-esque chant vibe. I really love the end

product and the feel and the mood of it. Like

a Sunday, when you just wake up and you’re

thankful.

Definitely me, too! Absolutely! The second

track, Live A Little, is one of your biggest hits

and I want to say your “trademark track”. Tell

me a bit about the creation and history of this

song until it became this massive success. I

know it started from being a poem at first.

Yes, Live A Little was a poem. Remus sent

me the instrumental. That was in 2023,

because the song was released in 2023. A

lot of people don’t know. They think it’s a

recent song. That time I did two songs and

one poem. Live A Little was the poem. He

chose the poem, and we both crafted the

song. It was on a juggling and it was just one

of those songs that kept on trodding. It was

a journey song for me because when it came

out it wasn’t the lead song on the juggling. It

was the Morgan Heritage and I think a next

song. After year two, I kept on promoting, it

got some highlight and then year three now,

that’s when DJ Khaled posted it and a lot of

people were starting to gravitate to the song,

the emotion and the meaning because I guess

music is never expired. My family always

says music doesn’t have an expiration date as

long as the message is true and the message

is longing. So, I guess during that time it was

when people were feeling the mood to “live

a little”. That really, really has shown me

patience in music because as I said earlier,

most people wouldn’t know that the song was

released in 2023 and getting the highlight

in 2024 to 2026. To date it has been a really

big blessing for me and I’m grateful and

appreciative of all the people who have been

supporting not just Live A Little but my

music itself.

22

INTERVIEW D’YANI

See how you create timeless pieces! For the

following Dutchpot you borrowed some lyrics

from Dru Hill’s Tell Me. How did you end up

blending this vibe with a pretty traditional

reggae track and the image of your love

being the fire heating up a dutchpot, a typical

Jamaican cooking utensil?

This is a next song inspired by my grandmother.

She was always cooking and her favourite

pot to cook in was a dutchpot. Most people

don’t know what a dutchpot is but a dutchpot

is basically a steel pan. You cook anything in

it, rice… anything. This song was basically a

melting pot of my emotions, my feelings, my

love for this special lady, this special person.

And it was burning, so that’s how the song

was created, by that concept fused with a little

ska, a little high-tempo reggae. I wouldn’t say

it was curated, it was definitely more emotive

than something planned. I love Natural High

productions, big them up as well. They created

a masterpiece and I had to deliver as well.

You did! How about your dutchpot – can you

cook, D’Yani?

Yes, me can cook man. I’m an avid cooker of

meals that I like, like fish. Brown stew fish is

my favourite. I’m good at that. Don’t ask me

to cook anything else though, but that’s what

I’m good at.

OK, since that’s my favourite, I’m fine. Nice! Is

preparing a meal for someone you love maybe

also one of The Little Things? This is another

single that was released already and drew a

lot of attention. What are the little things you

appreciate on a random day? You mention a

“quiet laugh, a midnight talk, a heart that sets

my spirit free”. What else could it be?

Oh, it’s a lot. A text to say “How are you? You

good? I see you doing well, I’m proud of you”.

It can just be a simple “Hello, you look beautiful

today. You look nice”. That’s something

that might be small but moves a lot. Some

people just need a small word of motivation.


It doesn’t need to be grand or big. The little

things that really matter. Ultimately, the song

encapsulates what most people really feel

in a time like this where the massive thing

is the more celebrated versus the minor

“Good morning” or “Good evening”. That’s the

intention and that’s what really matters to me

ultimately.

I love that spirit. We spoke already when you

released your prior project, the Muse EP and

there you told me that your “music is always

conceptualised based off two major themes

which is either life or love”.

And you can hear it in this project as well.

Exactly! That certainly goes for this album

as well. But I would say this one leans more

towards the life side, than the love side in

the sense of it catering to a male and female

audience equally whereas Muse was geared

more towards your female fanbase. Would

you agree? Was that intentional?

That was intentional. As I said, the first

project which was heavily based on romantic

love or a love for a partner was intended for

that audience. That was the main focus for

that project. For a project now like Live Life

& Prosper where I’m very focused on life,

the topics are life concepts, the love is not

only romantic, it’s also very platonic and not

necessarily personal. It can be a love for my

friend, a love for you, a love for just the world

itself. I know that was the intention that I

was going for, the thought and the creative

process when I was writing these songs.

There are even songs about love like Love

Is Infinite that are more general, not a love

song for females in particular. This one

carries a message of hope and showing love

to brothers and sisters, working together,

helping each other. In times like these,

where we face wars, division, and the gap

between the rich and the poor increasing, I

think this is an urgent, crucial message. How

do you keep faith in love in times like these,

a spirit that is also reflected in the track Joy

Come A Morning?

How I keep the faith? I grew up in a single

parent household. Big up my father as well,

but my mom and my grandmother they were

very steadfast and focused on saying “I love

you and I want you to know that I love you

and please remember that you are loved”. So,

I always grew with that sense of feeling. I

never felt lack of love, I never felt less confident

because my grandmother, my parents

were always adamant to say “Yo, I love you

Dre and you’re doing really well, I’m really

proud of you”. Even to this day, my mom is

like “I love what you’re doing. Keep doing it,

keep focused regardless of what may happen

or what distraction there is. I’m really proud

24

INTERVIEW D’YANI

of what you have done thus far”. That is one

of the major motivators of me sticking and

being focused in the direction of love versus

another direction or versus a next aspect or

side of what life may be. And I’m a lover of

love. My fanbase and my music is based off

love. It’s either love of life or love of love or

just love in general. I think that’s just how

I’ve been, that’s how I grew up. I know that’s

how I express myself ultimately. I’m a believer

of love, I love love, I’m true to love and I

have no time for hate.

You just mentioned your mom and you also

included a song for her on the album. In our

last interview you said “Most people in Jamaica

would say I’m a mama’s boy”. and you

added that she was the last person you said

“I love you” to that same morning. So, did you

speak to your mom this morning, too?

Yeah, yeah, I spoke to her this morning. I

was travelling so she was talking to me if I’m

good and how is the travel thus far. I know

you were alluding to the song Realise. That

song is not only for my mom but for every

mother, inclusive of my grandmother. I wrote

that song with the intention of it being a

birthday gift. It was during the time when

I wasn’t making any money at all in music.

I was just making music. I didn’t have any

funds to purchase a gift for my mother at the

time and I think this was the best gift I could

have given her. She has been celebrating that

song every Mother’s Day, every birthday, every

time she can celebrate it. So, this was the

song dedicated for her birthday at the time.

Wow, how was it like when she first heard the

song?

She loved it. That’s her favourite song. Any

chance she gets she plays it for her friends

“This is my birthday gift. Listen to it!”

Thank her so much for sharing the song with

us now.

That’s how it was created. Most of the songs

on this album were not just songs made this

year. Some songs were made from like five

years ago, eight, six years ago. It was a process

of creation. Not just a process of making

music but a process of emotions, creation and

feeling.

Tell me about your mother. She raised you as

a single parent in Spanish Town. What is she

like?

She’s good, very diligent, very kind, very

loving as I said earlier. She’s a disciplinarian

on what she wants. She told me that I can do

music anytime I want to do music, as long

as I finish school. That was her only requirement.

Separate and apart from that she is

very chilled, very hopeful and she’s a real

prayer warrior. She always prays. She always

says “I prayed for you this morning and I

hope that everything you choose or you desire

on your heart, on your mind comes true”. I

grew with that concept in my mind from a

child to this age and it has never left me.

26

INTERVIEW D’YANI

You spoke about diligence. What are the most

important lessons she taught you?

Patience, confidence and trust the process,

trust God.

In the song, you incorporated a sample of the

classic Forever by Sanchez in the beginning

and musically this song has this soul vibe

also through the horn elements. Why did you

choose this piece and the musical reference?

That was Remus’ concept, which was really

smart. When I heard it, I was like “Yeah,

perfect”. Remus and Runkus as well. It

was ideal, perfect for the song. As an artist

I listen to every type of genre. I love jazz,

I love hip hop, I love R’n’B, I love reggae, I

love dancehall. With that being said I’m very

eclectic in terms of my musical knowledge,

my musical sound and the sonics I like to

express. This was one of the sonics that I

really liked and I like how it had that hip

hop drum bass as well with the dancehall

and reggae pattern, with the horns inclusive

of it. That was ultimately the purpose of

me choosing these types of instrumentals

as well as Remus and the whole team who

provided most of the music for this project. It

was a simple choice because I love different

sounding music, and it was very authentic.

Everything was live and you can’t go wrong

with live music.

In the middle of the track, it shifts to a brief

one drop segment – that’s a cool twist. In

general, I would say this album is musically a

bit more Jamaican than Muse was; a bit more

reggae, gospel, one drop, even dub on Clasp

Your Hands, and no R’n’B, no Afrobeats. Was

that the aim, to make it more rootical in that

sense?

I’m Jamaican first, authentically Jamaica and

that’s dancehall, reggae, ska, whatever you

may call it. I’m 100% Jamaican and my aim as

a musician is to provide the best product in


my ability. During that time when I did Muse

it was my product displayed in the ability of

what I’ve experienced in this space of sound

and music. But it was always Jamaican. Same

with this. It’s a reggae project, very much

Jamaican, very much D’Yani but different

sounds of reggae, a little ska, a little dub, a

little one drop… you know? It’s just a different

variation of what I have absorbed as a young

man growing up in Jamaica.

So, how would you describe Live Life & Prosper

musically in your own words?

Live Life & Prosper is just a pendulum

swing of love and life.

Sweet! You mentioned already a few of the

people who helped you to create this project:

Remus and Runkus, Natural High. Who else

helped you create that vibe? Who produced

and who played on Live Life & Prosper?

You have echoBeats, which was one of the

producers that made one of my biggest songs,

which was Feelings. He is also on the project

as well. And then you have Keneil from

Compound. It’s a Compound production,

which is Love Is Infinite, a massive song. I

love all the songs on the record, by the way,

cause they’re so individual but it’s so cohesive.

Everything sounds so good together but

they’re just not the same. I love that.

I would like to end this interview with the

same track you ended the album with: Jah

Has Been Too Good, surely one of the strongest

tunes on the album and also another

favourite of mine. It carries such an emotional

vibe of gratitude and appreciation – can you

recall when you wrote that song? What was

the inspiration?

When we were doing this record last year,

because we had the record from about last

year finished, Remus was saying “Yo, singer,

I think we need one more track”. I had a

writer’s block at the time. However, they

made a riddim for a song I had, but it wasn’t

compatible. I took that riddim which is Jah

Has Been Too Good and I just went home

and inspiration just fell in my lap. I won’t

The musicians, you have Runkus, you

have Kirkledove, Echo, Keneil, the whole

team from The Compound which is Edna

graduates, Dean Fraser, Uncle Chinna Earl

“Chinna” Smith, the choir with Tammi,

Roselyn and Sherieta who orchestrated it…

we’re just so appreciative of every person

that has combined and helped with the effort.

It took some time, but nothing beats time and

patience and I love the product. I’m really

grateful for the efforts that have been put

into the product, my first project and I’m just

looking forward for the world to hear it. It’s

just a different sound, a different feel, different

soul, different thought. I think Remus

and I really executed in the delivery of these

emotions.

28

INTERVIEW D’YANI

even lie, it’s not something I was like “Oh, I

need to write this”. It took me almost a year

cause I didn’t have any thought, I didn’t know

where I was going because the project was

so complete – in my eyes. I got the song now,

cause ultimately I can’t say I sat down and

wrote the song, it was just literally emotions

being poured out, thoughts being poured

out, and how I was feeling at the time. And

this was the end product of it. I think it’s just

one of those songs that is so different but so

inspirational that I’m super grateful for the

universe and God to give me the inspiration

for it, express these sounds, these emotions

and thoughts in this manner.

So, what are you grateful for today?

I’m grateful for life, I’m grateful for Munchy,

I’m grateful for being able to really express

myself doing music because a lot of people

don’t get to do what they love and I love what

I do. And I am so grateful to be able to offer

this music to the world and I’m excited for

them to see and hear my offerings.

ALBUM REVIEW D’YANI 29

D‘YANI - LIVE LIFE & PROSPER D‘YANI MUSIC / XTM.NATION / LIZZY RECORDS - AUGUST 21, 2026

After introducing the first

chapter of his artistic vision

with the Muse EP in

early 2025, Jamaican singer

D’Yani now delivers

his first full-length album,

Live Life & Prosper. Guided

by producer and manager

Kareem “Remus”

Burrell – son of the late

Phillip “Fatis” Burell,

legendary founder of

Xterminator Records –

the twelve-track set feels

like the confident arrival

of an artist who already

knows who he is.

While Muse flirted with a broader palette of R’n’B

and Afrobeats influences, Live Life & Prosper

moves closer to D’Yani’s geographical and musical

roots. Reggae forms the backbone, yet the

album comfortably embraces ska, gospel, soul,

hip hop and dub without ever losing its identity.

What makes this album particularly compelling

is its unwavering commitment to positivity.

D’Yani’s music revolves around two central themes:

life and love – and he does not like hate. Those

ideas shape every corner of his project. Gratitude,

resilience, hope and motivation run through

the lyrics, while love is presented in its broadest

sense – romantic, platonic or universal. It is a

worldview rooted in the affection and guidance he

received from his mother and late grandmother,

and it gives the album a refreshing sincerity.

The record is framed beautifully by two gospelinspired

pieces. Opening track Journey and the

closing Jah Has Been Too Good feel like Sunday

morning service at church. Enhanced by the

glorious harmonies of Sherieta Lewis, Roselyn

Williams and Tammi Moncrieffe, these songs

provide the album’s spiritual anchor. Journey

reflects perseverance

through life’s hardships,

while the finale offers unconditional

gratitude for

blessings received.

Between those bookends

lies a varied yet cohesive

collection. On And On

and Blooming showcase

D’Yani’s smooth and

sensual side with stripped-down

arrangements

and intricate beats. In

contrast, Live A Litte and

The Little Things are irresistibly

catchy reggae-pop gems that remind

listeners to appreciate simple pleasures like

“a quiet laugh, a midnight talk”. Fi Mi Mama

(Realise), originally written as a birthday gift

to his mother, expands into a heartfelt tribute

to mothers everywhere, blending soul and hip

hop influences with warmth and authenticity.

Clasp Your Hands merges roots and dub into

a meditative spiritual statement while Dutchpot

cleverly transforms a Dru Hill reference into

a charming reggae love song simmering with

Caribbean flavour.

The album benefits from exceptional musicianship.

Drummer Kirk Bennett, bassist Danny

Bassie, guitarists Mitchum Chin and Llamont

Savory, just to name a few, alongside producers

including Runkus, echoBeats, Keneil Delisser

of The Compound and Seanizzle all contribute

to the rich and polished soundscape.

Live Life & Prosper is a captivating debut: uplifting

with being naïve, diverse without feeling

scattered, and deeply rooted in reggae while embracing

modern influences. A beautiful record

whose positive energy lingers long after the final

note fades.

by URSULA ‘MUNCHY‘ MÜNCH

INTERVIEW

ROGER STEFFENS

& ERIK E. CROWN

WAITING IN VAIN

INTERVIEW ROGER STEFFENS & ERIK E. CROWN 31

LIVICATED - THE STORY OF

ROGER STEFFENS‘ REGGAE ARCHIVES

BY ANGUS TAYLOR PHOTOS BY PEDRO COLO & ROGER STEFFENS

Were it not for its eurocentric connotations, it

would be fair to call Roger Steffens reggae’s

renaissance man. An actor, voice-over, public

speaker, writer, photographer, radio and

TV presenter, he has been able to turn his

hands and mind to any aspect of the creative

and media sphere that held his interest. But

it is his work as a reggae archivist that has

attracted the most attention. Since becoming

obsessed with the music in 1973, his collection

has drawn acolytes, famous artists and

musicians to his Los Angeles home to learn

from and contribute to his treasure hoard of

records, rare recordings, posters, flyers, memorabilia

and more.

Raised in a conservative Catholic environment

in New Jersey, Roger had his thinking

changed irrevocably by his experiences during

the Vietnam War. His radical consciousness

and considerable talents made him

perfectly placed to become an evangelist for

reggae, as his home city became an outpost

for the music.

After 53 years of collecting, Roger’s archive

is now the subject of Livicated, a 2-hour documentary

directed by the equally driven and

extraordinary film maker Erik E. Crown. It

features interviews and footage of everyone

from The Wailers and Joe Higgs, to Marcia,

Miriam Makeba and Nina Simone, to Carlos

Santana and Ben Harper.

A labour of love in itself, the documentary

has taken over 25 years to assemble, changing

direction multiple times, as Roger attempts

again and again to find a home for his

archives as a museum in Jamaica, without

success.

The current cut of the Livicated ends on a

powerful but uncertain note, as promising

deals with the University Of The West Indies

and Sumfest director Joe Bogdanovich fall

through. The fate of the documentary is also

in a state of motion as Crown and producer

Paul Madelenat are currently crowdfunding

for more marketing budget to bring the film to

a wider audience.

Erik E. Crown has assembled a fascinating

and moving piece of work, jumping between

the decades, while insistently reminding the

viewer of the urgent need to rehouse the archives

- so they can remain accessible and intact,

and Roger and his wife Mary can enjoy their

retirement and space in their home. Crown’s

achievement is all the more remarkable given

that he was working around making other

acclaimed documentaries Phosfate and Harambe,

while managing an incurable environmental

cancer diagnosis at the same time.

Angus Taylor spoke to the pair via a video

call that spanned generations and timezones.

Roger was starting his morning in Los Angeles,

Erik driving at lunchtime in Baltimore

and Angus ending the working day in London.

They covered topics including Roger’s

epiphanies in Vietnam, the power of reggae

in helping Erik stay positive, the differences

between Peter and Bob, a possible new offer

for the archives and why the Bogdanovich

deal faltered. In the end Roger, an experienced

interviewer whose rich tones elicit

information from music’s most intimidating

greats like a reggae Orson Welles, even

turned the questions on Angus and Erik

to answer! This is just a fraction of the freeranging

discussion. The full transcript will be

published on Reggaeville.com.

32

INTERVIEW ROGER STEFFENS & ERIK E. CROWN

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: BLAINE DAHLE, ROGER STEFFENS, ERIK E. CROWN & PAUL MADELENAT

Congratulations on putting this documentary

together. It’s been over 25 years working on

the film.

Roger: 27. Erik and I met in 1999, at one of

my annual Bob Marley shows, on Bob’s birthday

in New York which I did for 16 years.

He came backstage and said he was doing a

documentary about Rastafari, right Erik?

Erik: The original idea started with Earl

Chinna Smith. I had met him randomly

and he said “I really want to do this documentary

on how reggae has travelled the

world”. But soon we realised that we should

go where the world goes to learn about

reggae - Roger Steffens’ Reggae Archives.

The very first interview he was mostly

teaching us about a lot of the basics of

reggae, Rasta, and how powerful the music

is. It was a bunch of music I’d never heard.

Roger kept introducing me to Fela Kuti,

Miriam Makeba, people who changed my

whole life. So I see the power of the archives

and the music to transform somebody. It

turned me on to try to give people that sort

of experience.

You both came up against the system and

your lives changed course. Roger, for you

that happened in Vietnam. And Erik, meeting

Roger but also your cancer diagnosis made

your filmmaking more of a mission?

Erik: For me, cancer, it was really when we

were trying to get the documentary off the

ground. But I found that became a real push

to do something that meant something. To

have a purpose in my projects. The cancer

meant that regardless of the budget or what

we had and we didn’t have, we were going

to make the movie happen. And the music

gave me hope when I didn’t have any. The

music was the light at the end of the tunnel.

And Roger always kept that music alive

in my spirit. And a lot of getting through


cancer with a very positive energy. I’m still

battling it unfortunately. But I have a lot

of the tools now that I didn’t have when I

started. A lot of these lyrics and this music

to help carry me through. I owe so much

to the archives. Roger doesn’t even know

that part. I don’t think we’ve talked about it

that much. But it changed my life in a very

positive way.

Roger: You mentioned Vietnam. So how

did it change my life? I went to 15 years of

Catholic school. I was the New Jersey state

oratory champion for the American Legion

National Oratory Contest. But my entire

education was with conservative people. I

worked for William F Buckley from National

Review on his mayoral campaign. I ate

that stuff up.

And then I got drafted when I was 25. I was

Actor In Residence at a Catholic women’s

college in Saint Louis. So I went to the recruiters

in St Louis and they said “What do

you do?” I said “I’m an actor, I’m a broadcaster”,

and they said “Why don’t you enlist

for an extra year and we’ll put you in the

radio and television division?” So after basic

training I thought I was going off to DINFOS,

the Defence Information School. And instead

they sent me to a little fort in Indianapolis,

Fort Benjamin Harrison to study stenography.

I was just so crushed. I found out that it

was the same small fort where the Defense

Information School was. So I went to a kindly

master sergeant who got me transferred

to DINFOS.

I ended up the Honor graduate and my

orders were to go to Asmara in Eritrea.

To run a television station on a mountaintop

that was accessible one of two ways,

helicopter or safari! And the last week of

class everyone’s orders were cancelled and

we were shipped off to Fort Bragg, North

Carolina to the Green Berets Special Warfare

Centre, for three weeks of intensive indoctrination

into Psy Ops. And, Angus, guess

what they trained us with?

Triumph Of The Will?

Roger: Nazi films. Triumph of the Will.

100% right. But the 4-hour version of it. And

then they sent us off to ’Nam to carry 80

pounds of loudspeaker backpacks in different

line combat operations. “We have you surrounded!”

We arrived at the beginning of November ’67,

three months before the Tet Offensive. The

personnel department looked at my records

and said “Your typing speed is 70 words per

minute”. I said “Yeah, my dad worked for

Remington Rand and he gave me a typewriter

for my 10th birthday. I’ve been typing ever

since”. “Well the Colonel’s typist is going

back to the States next week and we need a

replacement. So you can either go out with the

ninth Infantry division” - which was seeing

more combat than anyone else in ’Nam - “Or

you can live in the air conditioned hotel across

the street that has hot and cold running

water and be the Colonel’s typist”. So you can

imagine what I chose!

Three months later the Tet Offensive broke

out and people were dying on the sidewalk in

front of my barracks. Living in sewer pipes.

I wrote to a town in Wisconsin where I had

spoken for all the schools in Racine. I wrote

to the editor of the local paper and said “If

you send me food and clothing I’ll guarantee

that I personally distribute it to the people

who need it most and it won’t end up on the

black market”. A couple of weeks later, two

5-ton trucks pull into the compound with my

mail! So the Colonel promoted me on the spot

to a Spec 4, like a Corporal, gave me my own

Quonset hut and told me I could go anywhere

in Vietnam and work with any decent project

to help people, as long as I took pictures.

So I had free film and developing over the

next two years because I kept extending to

get an early out. I shot over 10,000 pictures. I

worked on the DMZ right after the Tet Offensive

ended in Hué which is where Full Metal

Jacket was set. And I never fired a shot in the

last 25 months of the 60s in Vietnam.

34


Can you tell me about the mind change you

had? How it felt?

Roger: Within three weeks of my arrival

in Vietnam I saw how rotten from top to

bottom everything was. It was nothing

like what the propaganda in America was

feeding us in the press and the television.

And some of the news correspondence

on television started going into frontline

combat and showing you the horrors and

the awful things we were doing. The My

Lai story broke after I had been there for a

couple of years. I lived in an apartment in

my second year there on the main street

of Saigon, right above the dispatch news

agency, Seymour Hersh and the people

that broke the My Lai stories.

I ended up living with a beautiful, brave,

blonde Berkeley graduate who was a war

correspondent for the overseas weekly.

Our apartment became a real centre for

all kinds of anti-war people. I came back

and then all during 1970 I went to the

schools where I used to read poetry and

I put together a 300-slide show to show

my transformation. Because they all knew

me as a Goldwater conservative before I

went to the army. Then I came back as this

raving left wing lunatic!

Erik, the movie was meant to be about

reggae’s influence around the world and

then became about Roger and the archives.

But it also then changed in 2015 to focus on

you, Colin Leslie, Roger and the last ditch

attempt to sell the archives in Jamaica.

Erik: The movie pivoted quite a few times

during production. After being at Roger’s

for one day we realised “This movie has to

be about Roger and the archives and the

story of preservation”. So as the movie kept

going, there would be certain times where

there might be an offer that Roger was

talking to somebody about or a way to try

to get the archives to Jamaica. So we would

pause the movie and say “Let’s wait and

see how this pans out and try to follow it

with our cameras”.

2015 was a really special time because

as filmmakers we have the opportunity to

change from a lot of edited scenes, sit down

interviews and walk throughs, to more cinema

verité and let the audience understand

what it’s like to be around Roger where

suddenly you’re introduced to all these new

things and all this new music. And it was

amazing to watch the world of reggae in

Jamaica open their arms and let us visit so

many different places. To meet Chinna and

Cindy and Muta.

We wanted the first part of the movie to get

everybody excited about the archives and

what it means to people worldwide. The second

part was a deep dive into “Why there is

an issue with getting it to Jamaica?” - where

most people would assume Jamaica would

embrace this idea. So it’s really been an

interesting road to walk with Roger, as he is

trying to do it with integrity for the artists,

where certain rules would have to be met

and if they’re not met then there’s no deal.

So we watched Roger and it was amazing

because for over 20 years the integrity has

never changed. It’s always been that the

sale has to meet certain requirements. To us

reggae is in a fragile state where the entire

history of it is really sitting in Roger’s archive

and the question is “How do we save that

for the future?”

In the film Mutaburuka says that the establishment

in Jamaica has longstanding

issues with reggae. To what degree have the

issues you’ve both faced been caused by the

financial aspect, people wanting the right to

break up the archive and sell it, and to what

degree has it been caused by establishment

issues with reggae and its message?

Roger: I think Muta absolutely nailed it. It’s

anti-establishment, anti-Babylon music. So

why should the Jamaican government really

put any money into this to preserve it and to

have that message continuously repeated?

It’s not jump up, have fun, party. It’s a music

that carries a very deep transcendent and

vital message, especially now more than

36


ever. So all the things that the government

could have been doing to make this happen

over this century, never came to pass.

I’ve taken so much money out of my kids

mouths over the past 50 years, I have to be

compensated in some way. I can’t give it

away. But I never did any of this for money.

My two bottom lines have always been the

same. It must be kept intact and it must

be made available to the public. I figured

out recently that there have been over 80

books written by authors who have come to

do research here in the archives. And they

include some of the finest writers in England.

John Masouri and Chris Salewicz.

And Timothy White and Stephen Davis

who did the early bios said that their books

couldn’t have happened without access to

my archive back in 1981 and ’82. So that’s

kind of a burden.

And in recent years a lot of people have

passed away and left me their archives. Let

me show you one of the most incredible

gifts that the archive has had in recent

years. [Goes and gets book] As you know

Bob spent the last six months of his life in

Dr Issels‘ cancer clinic in Bavaria. He had

a nurse there who was very close to him

and toward the end of his stay, Henderson

Dalrymple’s early book on Bob Marley was

translated into German. She bought a copy

of it and asked Bob to sign it. So this is one

of the very last things that Bob Marley ever

held in his own hands. And one of, if not the

last, autograph that he ever gave before he

passed. This was a gift to the archives and if

you don’t believe that that’s a burden, a joyful

burden then you don’t really understand.

A man who worked at the Paramount

Theater in Seattle sent me a poster for a

show Bob was scheduled to do on July 23rd

1977. It’s surrounded by tickets from shows

that he did. All framed up. That is special

for three reasons. The show never took

place. He cancelled the ’77 tour of America

because the cancer was discovered. And

the concert was scheduled for July 23rd

Haile Selassie’s birthday. And his [Bob’s]

mother’s birthday. I mean how do you even

put a price on that? I get goose pimples just

talking about it!

Time and making the best use of it is a theme

of the movie. The inspiring speech Roger

gives to Donna Hope’s students. And Erik

working around your other films and also

the music inspiring you to keep going while

managing cancer. You can let life go by, or

you can document it and share it with people

in a useful way.

Erik: By going to the archives, I’m learning

that there were all these other ways of thinking.

It made me want to travel and want to

see the world and use every second I had.

When you meet Roger, you start to think,

“Wow this one guy did this. If you have a

passion you can really make things happen”.

So it was a big green light for me mentally

to start wanting to use my time, instead of

just going to a job. Cancer makes you say

“Every day is precious”. It gave me a life

where I started travelling and working on

documentaries around the world just to keep

expressing it. Because my only purpose here

is to try to share the stories that can inspire

everybody.

Roger said, “When you listen to Bob Marley,

it makes you want to be the best version of

yourself you can be”. This movie, it’s my

whole heart and soul that I put into it and

put out with it, in the hopes that people

will see it and decide “Hey, I’m gonna

archive this. I’m going to document this. If

something’s happening in my town I want to

show what’s happening”.

38


Roger, in footage from your TV show LA

Reggae you interview Jimmy Cliff and

Jimmy says reggae is a music of triumph. It

reminded me of the Jeremy Marre documentary

where Joe Higgs says reggae is a music

of struggle.

Roger: Yeah, that Jeremy Marre film. We

became very close friends. He used to use

me to do interviews for him here in Hollywood

when he didn’t want to fly over from

England. Roots Rock Reggae, Rhythm Of

Resistance, Konkombe, all those phenomenal

music documentaries that he made.

Roots Rock Reggae is still my very favourite

reggae documentary. He got in there at

the heart of the movement in the 70s when

it was really breaking through and talked to

the major figures and got great performances.

And they’re still using clips from his

films in new documentaries.

Joe Higgs and the reggae photographer and

Rastafari expert Jim Marshall and I are all

Geminis. Every year we would have a triple

birthday party together. Joe and I were very

close. He lived here in LA for 20 years. I was

writing his autobiography with him when he

passed. Unfortunately the interviews only

went up to about 1980-81 and so the bulk of

the story wasn’t able to be told. But those interviews

are part of the archive and I think

they are vital for any historian of the music.

I love talking to creative people. You’re an

interviewer yourself, you want the person

you’re interviewing to know that you

understand what their work is about. Why

you appreciate their work and why you want

to talk to them and just give them some

leading questions and let them flow.

The footage of Joe Higgs and Ras Michael

doing Redemption Song in the movie. When

you hear Joe singing, his voice just grabs

you. What was it like being in a room with

him just bursting into song?

Roger: That was a fascinating time in this

room. We had just moved in here. I think it

was in 1995. There were about 9 or 10 people

who arrived in LA that same week from

all over the world. And they all wanted to

see the archives! Much to my wife’s chagrin,

I said “Why don’t we have a party and have

them all here at once?” And they all wanted

to see a reggae star. I said “Ras Michael

lives here and Joe Higgs lives here, you can’t

do any better than that”.

So we had a party. Right here in this room.

There was almost nothing in here but some

chairs. Joe and Ras Michael sat over there

in the corner and they just riffed. Everybody

was mesmerised by it, especially when Joe

started to sing Redemption Song. And I had

just bought a little tiny DAT video camera

and I’ve always been a photographer so I

had my Canon slide camera. And I sat on

the floor right underneath Ras Michael and

Joe. And I was filming with the left hand

and I was taking stills with the right! And

that’s why the picture’s a little wobbly at

times!

But these are moments that are priceless

and you don’t want them to go away. My life

has been devoted to that kind of documentation

because I want the world to feel the passion

that I feel when I encounter moments

like that. And to be able to preserve them,

it’s a gift from Jah. So I have a responsibility.

I’ve got to find a home for the archives. I’ve

turned down so many different offers from

very responsible people to bootleggers! I had

a million dollar offer from a guy in cash. It

turned out he was the biggest bootlegger in

Japan! (laughs)

And this is perhaps the time to say publicly,

the sale to Joe Bogdanovich, the producer

of Sumfest, which was agreed to in 2018

fell apart in 2025. March 22nd he cancelled

the deal. Partly because he could never get

the land that had been promised to him by

the Jamaican government back in 2018. In

fact he flew me down to Sumfest that year

to make a public announcement that he

bought the archive and they were going to

build it right next door on the beach front.


40


On this big piece of land that the government

owned. And the government said that they

were going to lease it to Joe for 30 years so

that he could build a museum.

When I got off the plane, he looked so crestfallen

and said “All the things they agreed to

in our deal were not in the contract. So they’re

not going to give me the land”. So he went

through seven years of trying to convince the

government to give him the land. He couldn’t

find another place to have it that would have

been convenient for tourists. So seven years

of my life are wasted, frankly. I should have

been standing in the doorway of that place.

However, the hurricane blew the stadium

where Sumfest was held out to sea and if my

museum had been next door my entire life’s

work would be underwater today. So isn’t that

ironic?

What’s the latest update on the archives?

And what’s the latest on the funding for the

movie?

Roger: There’s another offer I can’t talk about

too much. But it would be in another country

and of all the offers I’ve ever had it would be

the most congenial and the safest in a place

where millions of people would have access

to it. But I can’t say anything more than that.

I hope I live long enough to make sure that

this is cared for for the future. I’m gonna be

84 in a few weeks.

Erik: So having done it [the film] out of whatever

money we could pull together all these

years, we decided to do a crowd funding.

And amazingly we made 70% of what we’re

looking for within the first three days. We

were really happy with it. We’re trying to

come up with enough money to help us offset

certain costs and distribution. But more than

anything we really need marketing money.

So we can make sure the story reaches

every corner of the globe that the music has.

We’re going to make sure we have subtitles

available so the movie can reach people. We’ll

have it in Japan. We’ll have it in Brazil, in

Portuguese. We’ve really been in touch with

our community and our audience to try to

find out exactly where they are and how we

can bring screenings to them. So we’re really

excited.

The funding has been good but it’s been a

self-funded movie. Over 25 years it’s been

a lot of different jobs. Paul Madelenat, the

producer, has had children. Now they’re

driving! It’s always been with whatever

money we could scrape together because

the story felt really important. And Paul has

been amazing because he was able to get us

equipment. I’m not quite sure how! But we

were always able to do it. The project just seemed

to have a life and an energy of its own.

Whenever we thought “How are we going to

do this?” A way would show up. So we’re really

proud that our community is showing up

for us right now during this crowd funding.

We’re very close to what we want to get, in

order to have enough to be able to really get

this story everywhere.

Roger: And we always wanted to have a

happy ending! We almost had it with Joe!

We even filmed scenes signing the contract.

And that didn’t happen. And there have been

other close times. Michael Lee-Chin, the

Jamaican Canadian billionaire, offered to buy

it back in 2004. He couldn’t find a receiving

body in Jamaica. So he was going to put it in

a warehouse in Toronto. Boy, to have all of

this stuff locked away in a warehouse?

The first people who wanted to buy it were

when I left the Reggae Beat show in ’87,

after seven and a half years, when the music

started to get really slack and I didn’t want to

be playing that stuff. It was the number one

non-commercial radio show for years in Los

Angeles. The New York Public Library, the

Schomburg centre in Harlem, for Research in

Black Culture, the director Howard Dodson

came out and he wanted to buy the archives.

But he offered me peanuts and was going to

take five years to pay it. Thank God I didn’t

do it at the time. It’s a fraction of what it is

now. I think it’s worth somewhere between

42


four and a half and five million dollars. Based

on prices I see on eBay on treasures that I’ve

got in here.

The Marleys would love to have their part

of it but they only want 2% of the collection.

When Joe’s deal fell apart, the first person

I called was Cedella Marley. I felt a moral

obligation to offer it to her. But they’re only

interested in Marley. And I can’t scrape off

the most valuable part of the archive. So maybe

in the next couple of months we’ll be able

to film the real happy ending Erik!

David Rodigan in his book looks back on his

interview with Bob Marley and he says it was

needlessly chronological. What I like about

the documentary is the way it jumps around

the timeline. The reason it works so well is

that there’s this insistent theme coming back

again and again about finding a home for the

archives. And by moving around like that it

stops it from being too much.

Erik: I’m really glad that you like how we’ve

set it up because we’d edit it and be like “I’m

done!” and then Roger would say “Wait a

second, I think we’ve got an offer”. “Okay, let’s

go back in and open up the movie again”. That

happened a few times! But I think the music

is timeless. And so is the story. Roger’s story

is the story of one man’s mission for preservation.

Roger’s quest has been the same throughout

the years. It’s to find the right place. To

find the right home. And to not make any kind

of compromise. I’m excited that we’ll get to

update the ending. Because the audience sees

all the times that it falls apart and that it’s a

frustration for the audience. In the same way

that’s been a frustration for Roger.

But even through the frustrating times you

go back to the music and the musicians and

you remember the incredibly important force

of what is on those grooves and in those

sleeves. It’s not just any kind of music. It’s a

music that can help shape a better future, as

long as we are allowed to look at this part of

the past. So we enjoyed breaking up the chronology

and going more with the raw emotion.

Roger, in 1979 you interviewed Bob Marley

on the Survival tour. In the documentary you

ask what’s his most important message at

the time? And he says “Peace in the Ghetto.

Without peace, we can’t demand justice”.

My first reggae album was Peter Tosh Equal

Rights and he says “Everyone is crying out

for peace, none are crying out for justice. I

don’t want no peace, I want equal rights”.

You met them both and in the documentary

you talk about the differences between

them.

Roger: Peter’s great fault was he was so

jealous of Bob. He thought he was a little

white boy and Blackwell was giving him all

the attention. He sometimes said things that

were patently false and I’ve been criticised

for correcting him. But I didn’t want Peter to

be saying things publicly that could be proven

instantly to be false. Like he said in one

of my television interviews, that they were

never Bob Marley and the Wailers until

Chris called them that. And the first two

albums Catch A Fire and Burnin’ are the

Wailers. He was trying to make them like a

rock band like Traffic. So that was a stupid

thing to say. And I didn’t want Peter to look

bad and give people reason to criticise him.

But he was a powerful force. We talked a

lot. He’d call me three or four times a year

looking for records. Because he had nothing.

They were all stolen or borrowed and never

returned. About two days before he was

murdered, he called me and he wanted a

copy of Here Comes The Judge. He was going

to remake it with the current names of

the current villains of history. And I would

love to have known who they were going to

be! I think Joe Gibbs would have been one

of them!

In a lot of interviews with Peter the interviewer

sounds intimidated by him. You weren’t

intimidated.

Roger: I liked to kid with him! He knew that

I was very familiar with his career going

back to the very beginning and I respected

him. My wife made him a crown with all


44


the lyrics to Legalise It on it. And he wore

it with great humour. I love Peter but he

got involved with all the wrong kinds of

women. I think that last woman pretty well

destroyed his life. He was a giant. To think

Bunny, Peter and Bob were all in the same

group for 10 years. That would be like Marvin

Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Al Green in

a single group, wouldn’t it?

So Erik when you were interviewing artists,

were you in awe of them?

Erik: All of them! Absolutely. [Carlos]

Santana, I was like “I can’t believe I’m

sitting here with him”. But as we started

talking about Roger it became like sitting

with another friend that you’ve known

for a long time. It’s the warmth of all the

people that rotate around Roger’s world. Dr

Dread was absolutely incredible. Dermot,

David Hinds, everybody offered their time.

Nobody ever said “Hey, what’s in this for

me?” Everybody said “I want to be part of

this”. We found it attracted people in a very

pure way. And as a result we got to sit with

a lot of amazing people. And that has kind

of been my life for the last 25 years knowing

Roger! It’s been an absolute gift.

In the movie Neville Garrick says he wishes

a Jamaican would have created an archive

like this. Why do you think foreign reggae

enthusiasts have a tendency to archive? Is it

down to economics or mindset?

Roger: It’s money. There aren’t too many

collectors in Jamaica. The only collectors

there are the sound system operators. It’s a

question of economics. And we have a little

distance. Sometimes you can’t see the forest

for the trees. We see the overall picture,

people like us. And maybe we can show something

that they might not realise because

it’s their culture. I don’t think the average

Jamaican has any idea of how far reggae

has penetrated the world. And that’s what

my Museum would be about. Because it’s

not just Jamaican artifacts. I have hundreds

of posters and fliers from Japan. Hundreds

from Germany. Thousands from South America.

I want to see a room in the museum

that’s nothing but flyers. I’ve probably got

close to 10,000 flyers. I used to trade flyers

with people around the world.

I don’t want to end the interview on a sad

note - especially as the current cut of the

film ends in an uncertain place!

Roger: Well, Angus, let us ask you a question

or two. What’s your favourite Marley

song?

I really like the version of Don’t Rock My

Boat for the Wailers’ own label, the rocksteady

one.

Roger: My wife and I had a month in the

British Isles in September in Northern Ireland,

Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the Lake

District. I wore a copy of this T-shirt with

the cover to my oral history book, to attract

attention from other Marley fans and it

worked. I would ask everyone “What’s your

favourite Marley song?” And 80% in all those

different countries said the same thing. Can

you guess what it was?

Last time I checked the two most streamed

songs on Spotify by Bob are Three Little

Birds and Could You Be Loved.

Roger: Three Little Birds. And when I

came back to the States I realised, isn’t it the

Chelsea soccer team song?

Chelsea also really like Liquidator, which I

read in John Masouri’s book Wailing Blues

that Familyman played bass on?

Roger: Interesting. I think it’s also the

Dutch national team’s theme song. So if you

get 60,000 people in a stadium singing it

every week, it’s an interesting choice.

What’s your favourite Bob Marley song?

Roger: Waiting In Vain. That’s how I met

Bob. He played Santa Cruz in ’78. Bob was

coming to Santa Cruz to play two shows in

one night. We got tickets for both and got

there early. The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium

was like a high school gym with

bleachers on the back and on the sides.

46


And a stage that was maybe three feet high,

so very intimate.

In the middle of the dance floor there was

a tall guy with little nub dreads starting to

sprout standing by the sound board. I figured

he had something to do with the band and

said “Pardon me sir, but are you going to do

Waiting In Vain tonight?” and he looked

at me kind of funny and said “Why?” I said

“That’s my favourite Bob Marley song,

especially that incredible lead guitar lick that

Junior Marvin plays”. He said “Do you want

to meet Bob?” Just like that! So we go walking

down this long corridor to get backstage and

he says “What’s your name?” And I say “I’m

Roger, this is my wife Mary” and he says “Hi,

I’m Junior Marvin”. So I said the right thing

to the right guy at the right time!

Angus, it was like a convention of zombies.

They had four big cafeteria tables pushed

together to make this gigantic table. Each

person was sitting far away from the other.

They all had a little ant hill of herb in front

of them, a pack of rolling papers and a

lighter. An ashtray for every one of the band

members. And no one was saying anything

to anybody! I had that famous poster from the

show three nights later at the Greek Theater

in Berkeley that people were handing out in

line. Junior said “Why don’t you ask Bob to

sign your poster?” So he takes me around the

table and Bob is in the chair semicomatose

and I said “Bob, would you sing Waiting in

Vain tonight?” Bob looks up to me and goes

“Maybe?” He would never sing it because

the I Threes thought it was about Cindy. He

only did it once in Toronto. But that’s such

a great song and that guitar is perfect. I’ve

got 28 versions of it. Rehearsals, proposing

sessions, and they’re all different. Linton

Kwesi Johnson says it’s the most beautiful

love song ever written.

Erik, what’s your favourite Bob Marley song?

Erik: I think the one that really grabbed

me the first night that I heard Ziggy in the

Melody Makers was War. I felt “Wow, this is

some serious stuff here”. And with the absolute

insanity happening in our country right

now, the words are so important. I probably

go with War or So Much Things To Say.

Roger: Bob Marley’s personal favourite was

War. Because they were the words of His

Majesty.

I interviewed Capleton last week for this

same magazine and he said War for the same

reason.

Erik: Awesome!

Is there anything you would like to say about

the documentary and the archives before we

finish?

Roger: Say a prayer that we find some place

soon so I can devote some of my final years

to making it come to life in the proper way.

Because a lot of this is just inside my head. If

you threw somebody in here and said “Have

a go”, where would they even know to start?

So I realised I’m an important part of this

equation and keep me in your prayers that

we find the proper buyer who will give it to

the world and I will do my best to spend the

rest of my years making it right.

Erik: The movie is about solutions. Roger

is about solutions. In Roger’s life, whether

it was Vietnam or reggae, Roger found

something that was missing and created it.

Getting help for refugees, he saw the need

and made it happen. And the same thing

with reggae. I think there is a powerful lesson

in Roger’s life story in the movie. We have

to think in solutions, not problems. Hopefully

people will get that from the movie as well.

And say “I can be part of the solution just by

coming up with an idea or taking one simple

action”. I really hope that that comes through

because it’s definitely needed, in the time we

have right now.

ROGER STEFFENS‘ REGGAE ARCHIVES

WITH PETER TOSH, ZIGGY MARLEY, KEITH RICHARDS, BEN HARPER,

LEONARDO DICAPRIO & GISELE BÜNDCHEN

INTERVIEW

TIWONY

MAROON SPIRIT

INTERVIEW TIWONY 51

FEEL THE DANCEHALL FREQUENCY

BY GARDY STEIN

PHOTOS BY THIBAULT DK

There’s a certain kind of frequency running

through your veins when you grow up on an

island, surrounded by the eternal ocean, and

much more so if that island is located in the

lush tropics. No wonder that Ronnie Moukoko

Edimo aka Tiwony, born and raised

in Guadeloupe, is bursting with energy, constantly

finding ways to create and share his infectious

vibe with the world. His newest baby

is called Dancehall Frequency, the second

part of a trilogy conceived as a spin-off from

his 2023 release Frequency.

17 fresh tracks wait to be discovered, an illustrious

encounter of producers such as Gold

Up, Cisco, Derrick Sound, 808 Delavega,

Kross & Buss, Ride Di Vibes and Guardian

House. While the following interview

gives you some context to the album’s production

and meaning, it also introduces this

vibrant and versatile artist. In his first ever

Reggaeville interview, he talks about how it

all started, his main musical influences and

his sideline in the Cannabis industry.

Tiwony, it’s good to see you again! How are

you?

I’m okay! On the battlefield, on the front line,

as usual (laughs). I just came back from a little

Indian Ocean tour. We had a show in Mauritius

island, with artists like Spice, Jahyanai

King, DJ Mac, Tyrone Downie, Little Lion…

So yeah, that was a blast, it was really nice to

share the stage together with all those people,

that was wonderful. Family spirit! After that,

I had a show in Mayotte Island, which is also

in the Indian Ocean. And then, I went back

to Reunion Island where I was invited for the

birthday bash of Malkijah, the reggae and

dancehall queen in Reunion Island. She’s my

friend from long, long time.

And now you’re just back from that?

Yes, now I’m focused on releasing the album.

I’m also working on my CBD shop, so we also

do many different exhibitions, we went to

Spannabis, now we forward to CannaTrade

for the end of this month. We’ll be in Mary

Jane in Berlin next month also… yeah, that is

a full-time job!

Is that the T-Shirt you wear, Gardenz?

Yeah, exactly, that’s the name of my company.

I also started some live session in

the shop, inspired by Tiny Desk, NPR. Live

Gardenz-sessions where I invite different

artists, reggae, dancehall, hip hop, whatever.

We had already many artists that came, from

Cali P to Cedric Myton, Kush McAnuff,

Winston, Queen Omega, Chezidek, Protoje,

Ben l’Oncle Soul, Janik, Sara Lugo,

Mo’Kalamity, Lidiop… several sessions!

Every month, we try to release two sessions,

it’s a promotional platform for all the artists,

and for us it is a way to show that we sell

CBD, but we still stick to our main stuff, which

is music, you know?

Yeah, and that’s what we’ll talk about a little

more, too, but since it’s the first interview we

do for Reggaeville, maybe you can start by

telling us, who is Tiwony? Where do you come

from?

All right, so my name is Tiwony. I grew up

in Guadeloupe, my mom is from Guadeloupe,

my father from Cameroon. My first name is

52

INTERVIEW TIWONY

Ronnie, and when I was a kid, I used to move

with another friend called Ronnie, but he was

really big, tall. So, to distinguish us, people

would call him “Big Ronnie”, in French

“Grand Ronnie” and me was “Ti Ronnie”

[Petit Ronnie], that just means “Little

Ronnie”. I started my career with the name

Likkle Ronny, and then I switched it in the

original style, in Creole, because I wanted to

keep it local and everybody knew me already

before I started doing music as “Ti Ronnie”,

so I just keep it.

Oh I didn’t know! That’s really cool. The press

release says that “the culture that shaped you

was sound system culture”. Was that in Guadalupe

as well? Did you grow up with reggae

sound systems there?

Yeah, exactly! We were inspired first by the

main foundation sounds from France because

we used to get cassettes, tapes, from

a radio show like Lord.Zeljko, Stand Tall

and all those sound systems. So we used

to study that with some friends of mine in

Guadalupe, different bredrin I started this

movement with, and from this influence,

from the foundations, we decided to make

our own sound system that we called the

Influence Sound. That was in the mid-90s,

we started out in this reggae spirit, plus

also this hip hop vibes, because we were

influenced a lot by Wu-Tang. We liked this

unity spirit, and when we realised that there

was a history from Samurai and Yasuke,

and there is a link with black culture, we

embraced that too and bring that also in our

movement. We were like ten, twelve artists

in this crew. And from that time we started

to do our own sound system, validated by

the pioneers like 3dom Sound with Dalton,

Nb, we have some elders like King Charlie,

Reggae Bolo, Manyvan, Neg Radikal who

were all on set at this time. That was the

school for me, and from that, we started to

organise sounds in Guadeloupe in different

places, sometimes in some private houses,

sometimes in a bar or places in the ghetto,

at beaches or whatever, so we started to

really ignite a movement.

And that was the time when you had big

artists like Buju, Sizzla, all come with this

conscious vibe. We had Garnett Silk, Capleton,

so we were in this energy, you know,

and coming from a dark side in the street,

that was for us a kind of enlightenment and

awakening. At this time we started to embrace

Rastafari faith and all this movement, you

know. So, we started with that, and after

that I decided to move to France because the

structures were more on point. We already

had some big brothers there, originally from

Guadeloupe and Martinique, who were based

in France and they had already their structures,

production labels and studios. And they

saw us as the new, upcoming energy, they

gave us a lot of strength and support. They

opened their studio doors and told us “Yeah,

you can come and work!” That’s how I started

to voice my first song with Kreyol Syndicat,

a famous reggae group in France who is

singing in full Creole. Their first album was

distributed by Tuff Gong International, so

for me, that was my first experience, and I

realised that was really serious, so I decided

that I want to do this for life, take it really

seriously and structure myself, surround

myself with people who can push me further.

Everyone that used to move along, even a big

man like Tonton David, peace to his soul, he

was one of the first in France to really give me

some guidance.

When did you go to France?

In ’95, after we had started this sound system

movement in Guadeloupe, probably the year

after, I decided to move to France and get

more experience. And then from that time, I

was moving back and forth between France

and Guadeloupe, bringing back the vinyl and

whatever, to strengthen the sound system

energy, you know. We had this passion already

on, so I followed this path from the connection

I had in France and started to move

to different studios, voice for this compilation,

this artist who invited me for his album. Then

I decided to do my own mixtape and then my

first EP with five titles had a good feedback

and I get a Sacem Grammy. And after that,

INTERVIEW TIWONY 53

I did two albums with Fefe T which had

also a good welcome from the people, good

feedback. We used to be one of the French

pioneers in the reggae scene. And then after

that, I started to move in different places,

West Africa, Senegal, Guinea… I moved to

Jamaica, you know, I always try to be in touch

with the real thing. I never wait for nobody or

no promoter to call me to go there, I always

try to go where the things happen, to build

the energy. So all my movement, I made it like

this, and from this I started to seal up some

links and get some real connection and get in

touch with international artists. For example,

the first time I went to Jamaica in 2003, the

first place they brought me was Capleton‘s

place! With Miss Claudette Kemp, peace

to her soul. I was welcomed by her, and she

brought me to Capleton’s place for the first

time, so that was like, the dream is real!

talking about, all these values are real, not

only words. Rasta is real, this message is real!

Talking about one love is real, because we live

it, we feel it, we are it! So, for me, it’s worth

much more than a million views and million

streams when people tell me “Yo, this your

song helped me for this. Give thanks for this

song!” So, spreading positivity and helping

people to feel better in their lives, to bring

this energy, makes me feel myself better in

my life. When I sing a song, my first audience

is myself, I would say. So that’s why I… this

concept of frequency is matching well with

my mindset and the positive energy and this

good vibration that the pioneers told us about

a long time ago.

All those steps and blessings comforted my

faith in music, my passion, and strengthened

my energy to push it further, because that

was not an easy road, until today. Because,

in France, when you have some commitment

and some certain way of militancy or a way of

saying things, even though the music is nice

and sweet, but the politics are really selective

and hard, so we have to fight more to spread

the message and to spread the words. I never

really believed in this hype and industry

and this show thing. For me, everything that

happened to me is like a blessing, I always

keep this in my mindset, so that’s why I

never… how can I say, put more wood in the

fire, no matter what, if this project is going

well it’s nice, if not, we are still moving on.

Because, this music helped me in my life, and

what that gave me, the way that it wise up

my consciousness and balance my vision in

life, I want to just give back! So, any words I

spread or any message I put in music, it’s just

me giving thanks and testify and witness to

the people that are listening, to the audience,

that life is real and sometimes you can start

from nothing and go to something for real

if you have faith. I just want to testify that

all these concepts, all these principles we’re

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INTERVIEW TIWONY

Great. And now your new album Dancehall

Frequency is released. It follows up on Reggae

Frequency from last year and then, the first

one was Frequency in 2023. Did you conceive

this as a trilogy? Was this supposed to be like

this?

Yeah, you’re really aware, Gardy. I like the

way you read between the lines! (laughs)

Exactly, the idea for us was to, after this

album Frequency where we had a lot of good

feedback, we decided with my team, with

Evidence and Seven Seals, to do a deluxe

edition. So we set three, four tracks aside and

we said “Okay, we’ll use these tracks”. And

then I went to Reunion Island for like two

weeks, and I came back with 14 new songs!

Whoa! Inspiration hit…

(laughs) I was supposed to do some vacation,

but I came back with 14 new songs. And my

team told me “Yo, brother, you have too much

songs. And all of them are good, so let’s see

how we can just structure this a different

way.” So, we decided then to… from this first

album Frequency, we already had different

frequencies. We had the roots frequency and

the concrete frequency and the love frequency

and the high frequency, so we decided to

do start a trilogy from this Frequency album

and do three more volumes. So, we decided to

do the Reggae Frequency, a way for me to

pay tribute to all the roots reggae movement.

That’s why you can find ska music, one drop,

lover’s rock, rub-a-dub, new roots, et cetera.

And the same way I put for the Dancehall

Frequency that’s coming out next, I took

riddims from the late ‘80s till today, you

know? It’s for me a way to pay tribute to the

sound system movement, the sound system

culture. Reminding the people that, if we have

some big artists right now, it started from

somewhere, with some people. We fought to

keep this movement and music alive, so the

purpose of this project is to pay tribute to the

pioneers and all those people who created

this movement. That’s why the way I decided

to promote it is with a lot of visualisers, with

a lot of lifestyle, and I’m about to finalise the

third volume, because we decided to do three

volumes, a trilogy, after the album itself. So,

the next one coming will be Love Frequency

with more Afrobeat songs and talking about

more love situations et cetera, and I will do

a kind of pack with the album and the three

LPs.

That’s amazing! And now back to the Dancehall

Frequency… You mentioned already that

your aim was to pay homage to the great

dancehall movement, to the development

and so on. If you look at dancehall today,

where do you think dancehall is at now in

Jamaica compared to the rest of the world?

I would say it never really stopped. I think

it’s just the enlightenment around all the

hype, around the dancehall movement,

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INTERVIEW TIWONY

in terms of mainstream and in terms of

media was more under the radar. But in

the underground movement, every day we

have some new riddim, new artists, new

songs, you know, just that now it’s not the

same time like when we had those Diwali

riddim with big mainstream artists like

Sean Paul or Wayne Wonder, Buju or

whatever, everybody! And now it’s different,

you have more artists, more productions,

but it’s another way of communicating and

spread the music also. But when I look to

the social networks and all the new releases,

I think that this movement, after a kind of

standby with all the different type that came

up, like Afrobeat and whatever, now I think

people realise that dancehall is a real thing.

Like reggae, for me, when I say dancehall,

it’s also reggae, and it’s not like what they

would make people believe, that it’s a trend.

It’s not a trend, it’s a real movement! For

example, you can see the WYFL riddim,

the hype and the buzz around this riddim,

it’s nothing new really for us, but it’s good

to see that people who didn’t pay too much

attention to the contents, to the essence of

this movement, are now following the trend,

being in this social network cycle. They realise

“Oh, this music is real!” and now for the

people who are not really in touch too much

with this type of music, they have to dig

more and say “Okay, you have all this!” And

this project Dancehall Frequency is also

a way for me to remind those people that

this music is not a thing of hype, it’s the

sufferation of the people, it’s a real lifestyle,

there’s a real culture behind this, it’s not

just a trend. People express their way of life

in different manners, in different topics. It’s

a way of expression, it’s a way how many

people made it out of the ghetto because of

this music. So I think that the people who

are not aware of this have to know that this

music has a real story!

INTERVIEW TIWONY 57

First of all, I want to give props for this album,

it’s real fire, so big up to the whole team!

Thank you! (laughs)

There are many languages in there, of course

we hear some English, Patois, a lot of French,

but also something different. Is this the language

you grew up with?

Yeah, exactly, this is Guadeloupe Creole which

is our patois, our French patois. So I mainly

sing in my patois but also in French, because

we have a big French community, it could be

in Canada, West Africa, all the French islands,

in the Indian Ocean, in the Pacific Ocean.

Plus, some English touch too, we have some

collab with some international artists also on

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INTERVIEW TIWONY

this project, like Anthony B and Cali P too,

who is also from Guadeloupe, but also sings in

English. You see, for me, the language is not

really a barrier. We try to make sure that the

vibration, the energy, the frequency is universal,

so no matter how, the inspiration comes

as it comes. I don’t really calculate too much if

I have to sing in English or French or Creole, I

just take it as it comes!

Maybe you can help us with some of the lyrics,

for instance, what does Yo Pe Pa mean?

“Yo pe pa”, so in a Jamaican patois you would

translate it as “Dem cyaan stop this”. So it

means like “They cannot”, in French we say

“Ils ne peuvent pas”.

Ah, okay! And the other one is Ola Sa Ka Bay.

What does that mean?

It means “Where is it happening? Where is the

thing going on?” in French “Où ça se passe?”

Okay, I see. And then there’s one that only has

a hashtag, #YKTDNTM. What does that stand

for?

(laughs) This song, I say “Yo kompren te di

nu te mol” so each letter is the first letter of a

word. I do a hashtag because it would be too

long to put in everything. It means something

like “Dem believe we are soft”.

And then another song is called Neg Mawon

Samurai, so what is it about? A national hero

of some sort?

The title is paying tribute to the Maroons and

the Maroon spirit, but linked up also with

the Samurai, because you have this story...

remember I just told you about how my crew

was influenced and inspired by Wu-Tang and

the spirit of Samurai? Yasuke was a black

Samurai, and I love martial arts! So I wanted

to introduce that and show them also that, we

are Rastas, smoking weed or whatever, but

we also are warriors, you know, in real life we

like sports and we try to keep a certain energy.

Because some people, sometimes they see

me on stage, they say, “Yo, this guy is under a

certain substance!” So it’s a way for me to let

them know that we take care of our body, our

mind, it’s a balance, and to also show the new

generation that we have to keep fit. Remember

Bob told us that the fittest of the fittest

will survive, so it’s spiritual, but also physical.

So, this song also says “The more they want to

see us down, the more we’re going to move up.

The more they want to see us backward, the

more we’re going to move forward” because

we have this Samurai and Maroon ancestors’

spirit in our blood. This is what leads us to be

what we are today. So, that’s just a reminder

to what we are.

Another song is called La Ref. What is that

about? And can you also introduce the feature?

La Ref comes from ‘reference’. It’s a new

word the kids use… instead of saying reference,

they say “la ref”. So, the song is talking

about a role model, which is reference for us.

It says if you don’t have the real reference,

you cannot make a difference. Like, if you

are inspired, if you follow the right path, that

will make you move out of the slum. That’s

why in this video, we put in some footage of

champions, big artists, different people that

are doing things for their country, that act as

ambassadors through their art or their sports

or whatever. They are role models for the

community or the nation. So it’s a reminder to

let them know, if you don’t follow the real role

model, you won’t have the good guidelines.

It’s a way for us to make sure that you get the

good inspiration from people that are doing

things and push the nation up.

And the featured artist, BadSam, he’s a… I

call him an alien (laughs), he’s a little genius.

You know, I met him through a challenge

I did on my page, with a song called Long

Road. You remember this song of my album

Frequency, where I also did a remix with

Chezidek? Before my concert in Elysée

Montmartre two years ago, I decided to do

a challenge with this song, with an open

verse. And the prize for the winner was to

come and share the song with me on stage,

in Paris, you know? So we had more than 50

different people that sent up a verse, both

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INTERVIEW TIWONY

established artists and upcoming artists, people

who were just there for the fun because

the energy of the song was really positive

and a lot of people recognised themselves

in it. And we had this little alien, this little

genius that came and did his verse and kill

the thing (laughs), and the people had to

vote just under the video, so he got the big

popular feedback and we decided to bring

him in from Reunion Island. So he came and

we did the song, and after I brought him to

the studio and we did these songs, and now

we have two or three more songs coming. I

help him also with his New Roots EP that

he’s working on right now. So yeah, he’s a

good guy and he has his own studio, builds

his own riddims, he’s a real little genius and

he’s really versatile. He has the real sound

system culture in his background from his

family, his big brother used to have his own

sound system, official sound system. So yeah,

BadSam is part of the family now!

Another featured artist you already mentioned

is Anthony B on Nah Tek No Talk. How did this

connection come about?

Anthony B is a big brother, I met him from

long time ago now. We have like four or five

songs together already, I opened some shows

for him too, we did some shows together in

Senegal, in France… I met him in Jamaica, he

was already on my album with Gyptian, on

a song called Love Gives You Wings. I really

appreci-love and respect him a lot, not only

for his music, but for his sense of humanity,

for his open mind, for the way every time we

link up, we always have some good reasoning,

good connection, talking about everything,

history, life, science… And this song, we made

it even before Covid, we were at a studio

together, just vibing, and finally we decided to

voice this song. Anthony is like a big brother,

part of the family also. Anytime we link up,

it’s a blessing, it’s always positive energy. And

he’s a brother who always uplifts, his fellows,

I get a lot of teaching from him, even the energy

on stage and whatever, he is also a part of

my inspiration. He is the Fireman!

Oh, yeah, definitely! You also mentioned Cali

P, who is on the Dancehall Frequency Medley.

This looks like great energy in the studio, we

see Pompis, Daddy Mory, Cali P and Jahnaton.

How did you get all these guys together to

record in the studio?

We found ourselves together in the Little

Lion Sound studio, that was for my release

party of the Frequency album in which we

already had Daddy Mory and Pompis and

Cali P on this song Ayen Pa Chanjé. So,

they were already there for the release party

and we decided to do a studio session as

usual with Little Lion, and we started to do

the song dubplate and play with it, and after

we decided to do another one, and that was

the Dancehall Frequency remix. And then

we just keep it this way, and now it’s on the

platform! You know, it’s a family thing and

just nothing really calculated. All the features

are really a vibe, all the collaborations I have

is real vibes and fraternity and pure love and

pure energy.

All of those songs are! I mean, I don’t

understand everything, but what I understand

is really great. One song I also want

to mention is Une Plante which also has a

visualiser, very nice work, where you are in

the bush tasting plants, collecting plants. So

this song is really about nature and about

using plants, and you sing that every plant

is a remedy for us, for some kind of situation

or sickness. I think that’s a really important

message because right now the European

Parliament is deciding on a law that makes

it easier for companies to add genetically

modified plants to our food without having

to label it, so that’s really dangerous and I

think people have to wake up and preserve

natural herbs and food. Was that an inspiration

for this song?

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INTERVIEW TIWONY

Exactly. The inspiration for this song is a bredrin

called Real Axe who knows my mindset

already and told me he has this idea for this

song. So actually he proposed me, he said “Tiwony,

I know you can endorse this topic, so I

want you to sing this song.” So he sent this for

me and I thought “Yeah, this is for me”. And

this is how we did it, you know, simple as it is,

because I talk about nature a lot in my songs

and about plants or whatever, so I think that

this bredrin is like a visionary, when he said

“I want Tiwony to sing this, I know he would

endorse it well!”, and that’s what happened.

And me who is also in the cannabis industry

through my CBD company with my partners,

it’s totally going with my mindset and what

I want to defend. I already sing a lot about

ganja, but about the plants itself, more widely,

I never did it. So for me, that was another way

to express the importance of nature and how

it can be really healing for each and everyone.

Every plant has its substance, it’s a therapy,

it’s the way you use it. If you know the plants,

you don’t have to go to the pharmacy and

whatever. This is what we learn from our

ancestors, because they used to heal themselves

in a certain way. When I was young,

I never made the relation between some

medicine name like Doliprane or Efferalgan,

but when I grew up, I realised that Doliprane

is a plant, Efferalgan is a plant, for real! They

have the same purpose than the pills they

give us, you know? (laughs) And not even two

days ago, a bredrin who is doing agriculture

show me the video and said that this is his

song. Every day he just play it while planting

and whatever, so… I like when my song really

catches the target, you know? And it’s important

to remind the people that we have this

richness in the soil that the Most High gave

us, we just have to educate ourselves about it.

Now you have the social network, you have

everything to tell you about it, don’t hesitate

to ask the elders about this, because it’s…

right now, you see there is a new creation of

antivirus or whatever, every day we have a

new thing, so that just comfort us in the way

that we have to keep this link with the soil

and all these natural elements that the universe

gave us, that Jah gave us, for our welfare

and our health. Everything is in the nature!

So this song is just a reminder for the people

that every plant has its therapy. And it also

comes with all those values that reggae music

and Rasta always defend. When we talk about

ital food and take care of yourself, ital is all

these plants we eat and all this bush tea and

all this stuff, you know? And it’s becoming

real right now, you see many people becoming

vegan and wanting to do yoga and Qi Gong

and meditation, so everybody become Rasta

now! (laughs)

Good thing! Tiwony, thank you so much

for the information about the album, we’re

looking forward to the release. What are the

next steps, do you have an album launch or

something?

We’re working on this. We going to do a street

party on the 21st of June with Little Lion,

so that’s a way for me to present the album.

We’ll do a special session also in the shop,

a kind of launch with other artists. Plus, we

have some shows coming for this summer,

new visualisers coming, and my team is just

finalising some dates coming up, also for this

summer. And for the end of this year, we have

this new project also, we will come with the

pack. And for 2027, I work on a tour for my

30 years of career, the 30th anniversary, there

will be a kind of Frequency Tour. So, any

promoters that are interested, link up! That’s

great. Wow, all the best for all those plans,

I hope to see you some time in summer,

or in Guinea!

Takana Zion wants me to do another Zion

City show, because he told me that our show

was one of the best shows he had there, so he

wants to do another one. We are just waiting

for the end of the rainy season. I love Guinea,

Guinea is my second home for sure. Massoura,

massoura!

Me too! (laughs) Wontanara! Thanks Tiwony,

and all the best to you and your team.

All my best to the Reggaeville team, thank

you for the support, I really appreciate it. Bye!

ALBUM REVIEW TIWONY 63

TIWONY - DANCEHALL FREQUENCY 7 SEALS / EVIDENCE MUSIC - JUNE 12, 2026

Gwada to the world! Guadeloupe

is not only a

hidden Caribbean gem,

it is also host to a variety

of music genres, and one

of the many exciting artists

that have grown up

there is Tiwony. He now

presents us with another

follow-up of his 2023 album

Frequency called

Dancehall Frequency

and yes, it delivers exactly

what the name promises!

Perfectly placed in the opening slot, Dancehall

Nice Again throws us right in the middle of this

sizzling hot genre, pumping bass, keyboard jingles,

full stops and all. Tiwony rides the fiery

riddim with skill and speed, telling us about

the joy and the power this music provides. The

subsequent Une Plante keeps that energy with

a fine old-skool riddim produced by Derrick

Sound, but has a surprising change of topic,

educating us about the healing properties of

plants and the necessity to listen to herbalists

who know about nature’s secrets.

Another thematic turn is taken in Neg Maron

Samourai, a lesson about the history of Maroons

and Yasuke. This Gold Up production reflects

modern dancehall, as do their other contributions

Action, Big Forward and Soum Soum,

each introducing another flavour. More of that

hard-hitting, brooding style is heard in La Ref,

which also introduces BadSam, a newcomer

from Reunion Island whose clear, melodic voice

creates a nice contrast to Tiwony’s low ragga

delivery. Another guest is heard on Nah Tek No

Talk. Anthony B is taking us back into the ‘90s

on a sizzling remake of the Come Down riddim

created by Kross & Buss which the two singers

ride in style. Speaking of: one of the coolest

tracks is Ah Wa Do Dem,

a song that has been remixed

for this album by

808 Delavega and now

comes in a shatta style.

Boom!

Reaching deep into the

treasure chest of his linguistic

heritage, Tiwony

introduces Guadeloupe

Creole in tracks like Yo

Pe Pa (”You can’t stop

us”) and Ola Sa Ka

Bay (”Where is it happening?”)

and #YKDTNTM,

the hashtag forming the acronym for “Yo komprend

te di nu te mol” (“You think we are soft”).

While the artist’s versatility becomes obvious

in all 17 songs , it shows especially well in the

title track as well as in Tini, another wonderful

example of the lingering strength of ‘90s dancehall.

Swift switches between French, English and

Creole as well as high-energy baritone and powerful

deep bass make the listening experience

an exciting one.

The firm foundations on which this album is

built are evident on the musical skill involved,

of course, but also in the small quotes and allusions

in songs like Winner, in the reggae &

dancehall vocab used and in the pure joy of sharing

the flow. Thus, the two remixes included

assemble 14 artists in front of the mic – so nice

to hear that unity!

From early digital dancehall via ragga and bashment

to shatta and trap hall, Tiwony makes sure

to pay his respects to a genre that has shaped

him as much as he is shaping it now. Along with

the many visualisers already out, you shouldn’t

miss this Dancehall Frequency!

by GARDY STEIN

INTERVIEW

MARCUS GAD

INTERVIEW FOR ALL

INTERVIEW MARCUS GAD 65

THE TRIBE NEEDS TO BE HAPPY

BY GARDY STEIN

PHOTOS BY VALENTIN CHAMPAGNIE

A heartfelt shout-out to all the good souls out

there: the righteous, the children of light, the

bringers of peace, the warriors of love. You

are the fabric of the universe, and no matter

how dark times get – as long as you continue

to shine, the world will be okay! One of those

who definitely make this world a better place

is Marcus Gad. Not only is he wise beyond

his years and understands better than most

what our world (and any given community in

it) needs, he is also able to express this understanding

in words so touching that it’s impossible

to resist. With Tamal and the band

Tribe, he has found the perfect companions

to clothe his lyrics in music, a fact any of their

releases so far will confirm.

With For All, they have now presented a new

masterpiece, and of course Reggaeville was

eager to take the chance to speak to the New

Caledonian artist about his craft. What follows

is a lesson in humanity, delivered in the

most humble way possible:

Hi Marcus! Long time no see, how are you?

I’m good! I just landed from New Caledonia

yesterday, I just arrived in Paris.

Thanks for making the interview possible

- it’s been some time, our last interview for

Reggaeville was seven years ago for Enter A

Space! Time flies…

Yes, many, many things have happened since

then! There was Covid times in between

our last interview... now I’m happy to finally

release a new album because it’s been a long

time. I’m really looking forward to releasing

this one.

The release date is the 19th of June, right

after your show in Paris. Will you be around

to tour?

Yes, we have a tour this summer, mostly

France, but we also have some shows abroad,

like Germany, Portugal, Poland. You know, last

year we didn’t tour France at all, because we

wanted to take a break from France and focus

on going outside. We actually haven’t played

in France for almost two years, so we’re kind

of refocusing on France this summer. Also

I’ve just changed management, I’m now with

a new team, which used to be Naâman’s management.

It’s a good change for me because

66

INTERVIEW MARCUS GAD

they are people I was close to as friends, I’m

really happy to work with them. And I have a

new booker, a new management, a new album.

(laughs) Many, many new things!

Many new things! That’s what you said in

one of your posts, you wrote that the album

marks the beginning of a new era. What do

you mean by that?

Well, I feel like our generation, we are exposed

to many changes. But I feel like now, 2026,

2027, it’s like the cards are being given… how

to explain? I feel like there’s a new order coming

in the world, you know, like many things

are going to be shifting and we’re going to be

witnesses to that. Like, the whole upheaval of

AI and everything that’s going to be changing

drastically in our lives. So I feel like this is a

special time and especially for people who aspire

to be spiritually connected and connected

to the earth and to natural ways of life, this

time is a crazy, mad time!

I know, right? Are you afraid of what the

future brings?

For sure there are some things that can seem

scary, but my point of view is to look at this

with a lot of faith because being on a spiritual

path, I have the conviction that I incarnated

in this time because I needed to live this.

You know, I spoke a lot about this in some of

my songs, from when I was a little kid, I’ve always

had this feeling that our generation was

bound to live like unprecedented events. And

from Covid times to now, it’s just going more

and more and more and we’re facing things

that no humans have ever faced before. So I

feel like there is a sense in which it can be

scary because some of the things that are

coming are very scary, but in another sense,

I feel like it’s an honour to be alive and to

witness this time.

Definitely. Your new album is called For All

and we will talk about the meaning of this

when we come to the song, but I want to ask

about the cover first. It looks so peaceful, so

calm, very beautiful. Can you take us to the

place when and where the picture was taken?

The picture was taken in the tribe of Pombéï

in the north of New Caledonia. This is the tribe

of Ounine, the singer that’s been singing

with me on the song Kanake. He is the chief

of this tribe. So this is a place where we hang

out a lot when I go home. And it’s really one

of these homely places where I really feel like

in my right place, you know, and I wanted

to… since I have this feeling that this is a

new era coming, as well as for me artistically,

I kind of wanted to have a change in the

artwork. Up to now, all of my artwork it’s

always been drawings and sacred geometry,

I kind of had this follow-up of my artwork.

This time, I felt like it was time to change, I

wanted people to see us, because I feel like a

picture tells a thousand words. And on this

picture, as you say, there is this feeling that’s

coming from the people, from the place, from

the atmosphere. For me, it was a way also

to… it was like a self-portrait of us from New

Caledonia, you know?

Beautiful, thank you for the explanation.

Music-wise, you played again with the Tribe

band and also with Tamal. I think that’s the

dream team when it comes to music. When

did you start talking about a new project, how

long has the album been in the making?

Well, I’ve been writing for the past three

years, but mostly we’ve been working in the

last year. 2025 was the year where we really

worked on the album with Tamal for the

whole year before we actually went to studio.

For All sounds so simple but has so much

power. Can you elaborate a bit on the idea and

on the beautiful title track also?

When we were seeking for a title, I felt

like the song For All was really the most

symbolic song for the album that would give

an idea of the whole thing. Also it came from

this reflection that when making music, it is

about sharing, you know, mostly because you

write music by yourself, but you write it to

share it with the people. And I felt like this

was really the purpose of this album, to share

music that is for all. And for me, it was also

based on this reflection because lately I hear


a lot of people speaking about being chosen

and being like, you know, God chosen, being

special people, being different… For me, I

don’t believe in this idea. I believe that every

human on earth has been called to be alive

on earth right now and every human has a

right to be alive. So for me, it was mostly to

say, if I’m doing music, I’m doing it for all.

I’m doing it for all my relations, I’m doing it

for my friends and for my enemies. I’m doing

it for… For All! (laughs)

The feeling the song gives me is like it’s a

complete counter-draft, an alternative to this

egoistic, fast-paced, modern lifestyle, you

know, it’s like the complete opposite. It’s slow

and relaxed, it’s singing about the community,

about how everything is there for all of

us. I hope it makes a lot of people think! Two

songs are already out, Fruit And Flowers and

Where We Come From. In the beginning of

the video for the latter, we see some snippets

of what’s been happening in New Caledonia.

68


is happening is that the French states want to

open the votes to every French citizen. And

this would mean that the Kanak people, the

native people, they will become a minority in

the vote and they will never get a chance to

access independence. So this is for us a thing

that should not be changed for now. And

when France said they were going to change

it, there were a lot of demonstrations, people

taking to the streets and going in front of the

government and saying “We want to talk, we

don’t want this to happen!” But they still did

it, and on the day that they did it, the city

burned down.

Can you tell us what is going on there? People

might not be aware because it doesn’t make

the news here...

Two years ago, starting on the 13 th of May

2024, there was a big uprising in New

Caledonia, very big riots. The whole city

of Noumea was on fire, a lot of stores and

buildings were burned down. Mostly this is

coming from a complex colonial situation that

is happening in New Caledonia, but basically

the thing is that New Caledonia has not been

decolonised. There is only certain people

that can vote, which are native people and

the people who are descendants from the

deportation to jail. Like, my ancestors, they

were deported to New Caledonia because

they were revolutionaries from the Paris

Commune, and they were taken to jail in

New Caledonia, and they never had a ticket

back to France. So most of them, they stayed

in New Caledonia and mixed with the native

people. So, the thing is that only these people

can vote, you know? And now the thing that

Oh that’s tough. And how is it now? Were

there any political changes?

Now the situation has become more peaceful,

but France is still trying to pass this

with force. The thing is that I believe now in

New Caledonia, there is a kind of waking up

amongst the population, and with the current

state of the world, I think we’re realising that

us small islands, even though we are small

territories and might have less resources

than bigger continents, we have this possibility

to become nations and to create a new

political reality for ourselves. And I think the

people of New Caledonia, they want to decide

their future themselves in New Caledonia.

And we don’t want our destiny to be voted

in Paris by people that never set foot on the

island, you know?

Of course! You have to decide your own

destiny in the place you call home. Which

brings us to another beautiful song on the

album, called Home. You already talked about

the changes that we are going through right

now, and I feel that the concept of ‘home’ is

becoming less stable, less possible to relate

to, as there are so many people on the move

with forced migration, displacement, work

migration, all that… Do you think the concept

of home itself is shifting?

Well, yeah, it must be shifting because

populations have been mixed all over the

planet and so there are a lot of people that

have been uprooted from the land where

70


they actually come from. But for me, it’s like

I have different visions overlaying each other.

There is a part of me, like, I come from New

Caledonia and I have this big attachment to

this land because I feel like this land is inside

of me, but at the same time, I’ve travelled a

lot and while travelling, I’ve also discovered

this sense that as a human being, I can be

home where I set my foot, as long as I’m

respectful of the local culture and tradition.

So for me, this is the topic that I sing about in

this song, in Home. Home first is like coming

back to oneself on a spiritual level, it’s the

same thing like when the Rastaman sings

about repatriation. There is physical repatriation,

like going back to Africa, but there is

also this sense of coming back to oneself and

finding your roots again without having to

move to some physical place, but inside, like

this inner alchemy that you can become more

rooted in your being. And for me, this is also

the fact of coming home.

I think in Nah Identify it’s a similar concept.

You talk about that you don’t identify as this

or that, and this also stands out, because

most people use labels and categories to put

themselves in, to show what or how they are.

How do you un-identify with certain things?

I think right now there is this thing happening

in the Western world where people need

to put everything in boxes. Like they need to

say “Oh, if this guy said that, then he must

a communist or he must be a fascist, or he

must be…” I don’t know what. There is this

thing of wanting to put everything in boxes

and to identify to something. I have this

belief, which is just my belief, but I think that

I’ve spoken about these subjects in Enter A

Space, but for me, the only truth that I can

say is “I am”. And every word that comes

after this “I am” is an illusion. I can’t say I am

this or I am that, the only thing I can truly

be is I. So, for me, I’m trying to lose these

identities. And of course, there is a dichotomy

because I’m saying “Where me come from”,

so I have this attachment to my land. But I

think once again, this is like an inner feeling

which touches more to the spirit, to the soul,

and I think my soul is not something that

can be defined by any identity, because it

doesn’t have a body, it doesn’t have a religion,

it doesn’t have a nationality. It comes from a

place where these things don’t really exist

and don’t have importance. I feel like my soul

comes from a place where there is no space

nor time, like I sang in many songs, it wasn’t

born, so how could it ever die? I feel like the

energy from our spirits, it comes from that

specific place, you know? So then any word

that tries to define it will make you drift away

from reality.

Thank you for the reasoning. I think there’s

one thing you said in our last interview, that

we are souls before we are bodies, so it aligns

with that! And still we are here in this body

and we have this life and friends and family…

in the song Strong, you sing about the crises

we have to face every day and that we have

to protect our family at all costs. Can you

share your ideas about how to protect your

family in this crazy time we’re living in? How

is it possible to protect your kids from certain

things or provide proper food, stuff like that?

Actually, this song… a lot of the lyrics from

this album came to me because I became

a father a couple of years ago. I just had

my first-born son, and so my view of the

world… I wouldn’t say that it changed, but

the perspective is not the same anymore.

Because my perspective before was only

with myself and my close ones, but it’s not

the same when you have an offspring, a

kid that comes after you and you’re the one

who is supposed to lead that person into the

world for the first years. So yeah, for me,

this concept of holding your family tight and

close became really important because you

can now make it correlate with the other

subjects that we were speaking about. Like,

this whole brand new world that is coming

now, and kids are way more exposed to all

72


this technology, and there is something

inside of all this that is like beyond our

control, you know? So for me, it’s a very important

thing that I’m going to do my best to

teach my kid about the natural way of living,

and at the same time, I don’t want to force

him into anything. He has to know about

the world if he wants to know about it. But

yeah, you know, coming from New Caledonia,

I experienced the outer Western world,

and I feel like there is a lot of individuality.

There is this thing in Western society, it’s

like, for a society to be happy, the being

needs to be happy. So the society can never

be happy because you will never get every

single person to be happy. In tribal societies,

like in Kanak culture in New Caledonia, the

way that it’s built is that the tribe needs

to be happy in order for the individual to

succeed to happiness. So I feel like there

is something more easy in the sense that

what you want is for your community to feel

good as a whole, and if you have some times

where you don’t feel good, it’s okay because

your community is feeling good, you know?

So for me, this is a different way of looking

at how we interrelate.

Definitely. Is that also what’s behind Come

Reason? You say you have to talk to each

other, you have to reason to find an understanding…

Of course, because I see a lot of people being

camped on their positions, as we were saying,

people are getting put into boxes and others

say “He is in this box, let’s not talk to him”.

And what I feel like, whether it be in politics

or spirituality or any subject for that matter, I

feel it’s important that you speak with people

that don’t think like you do, and that you’ll be

able to have peaceful talks, resonating talks.

Because if you only speak with people that

have the same worldview as you, how can

your worldview evolve? So I think it’s important,

even if this guy is saying things that you

totally don’t agree with. You should be able

to sit down and talk and reason, otherwise I

don’t see how we’re going to evolve from the

current situation (laughs).

True. It’s strange for me to see that even in

the reggae scene people don’t always get

along and don’t talk to each other! Speaking

of the reggae scene, the track Honor Them

seems to be talking about sound system

culture, is it?

It’s funny, because this track was a riddim

that was written by Tamal, and for me, it did

have this modern, sound system feeling, so

I wanted to sing about that. Because for me,

there is this thing in reggae music where you

really have a bridge between the modern and

the ancient, you know, and for me, the sound

system does just that because sound system

is this kind of futuristic culture where you’re

evolving on machines and playing sound, and

at the same time, a lot of the lyrics in reggae

music and Rastafari culture are around

honouring ancestors and all this ancient way

of life that is meeting with the modern. So,

yeah, this song had this kind of inspiration.

Interesting! Now, the opening track is Rally

Round. Who are you calling to rally and for

what cause?

Mostly for me it’s the same message as all

the other songs. It’s like in Come Reason,

I’m calling the children to rally around and

to come reason together, you know? And at

the same time, this song for me is really an

introduction song. We’ve been playing it live

as the first song of the set, and I really feel

like, you know, when we sing this song in

festivals, for instance, it’s a way of calling the

people and telling them to come and rally

around the stage and rally around the music.

And then you also rallied a special artist for

this album. In The Code, we hear Dezarie,

right? How did that link-up happen?

We’ve been talking about it for a while,

because I met Dezarie a couple of years ago,

at No Logo Festival. People who know my

music know how deeply I’ve been influenced

by VI roots and by Midnite and Dezarie

and such artists, so for me it’s always been

a dream to collaborate with them. So when I

met Dezarie, I was really happy because she

came and checked out my show at No Logo,

74


she was on the side of the stage, and for me

this is always such a blessing to see artists

that I look up to and come and listen to what

we do. And then we had this talk about doing

a song together, but at the same time, she’s

an artist that does not do a lot of features.

And she was straight about it when I asked

her, she told me “Hey, you know, I don’t do a

lot of features. I really need to check the vibration

and everything before I do so.” So I told

her “Let’s just exchange contacts and whenever

you’re ready, call me and let’s do it!” Then,

like six months ago, I had a call on WhatsApp

by an unknown American number, and the

picture was a picture of Isis, you know, the

goddess, and when I saw the number and

the picture, I looked at the phone and I said

“Oh, this is Dezarie!” I knew it straight. So

I answered and it was great. I really enjoyed

writing the song with her. We didn’t actually

get a chance to physically meet to do it,

but we had a few calls and reasonings on

the phone and it was an interesting way of

working because we had a lot of reasonings

about what we wanted to say in the song,

what was the purpose of it, how it should

feel musically. So I felt like there was a lot of

purpose and meaning behind the creation

and the writing.

And what is the code you’re talking about?

You say it’s God’s code and you can’t decipher

it…

Well, for me, the code is a symbolical way of

saying there is… it’s like the golden number,

like all these things that are encrypted into

creation and that the way creation is encrypted

is perfect. I feel like right now we’re in

this time where mankind is constantly trying

to go further, like we were trying to get inside

the atom and fix what is inside. It’s like the

story of the Higgs Boson, you know, like

they go inside the atom to try and find what

is inside, and when they get to the core of the


atom, they find something that they cannot

explain nor understand. And for me, this is

the thing, it’s connected... like, I have this

faith that whatever they try to do and however

far the story can go with AI and all these

things, there is this one secret code that is

encrypted into everything inside creation,

and this cannot be changed. Like, nobody can

interfere or influence with that. It’s… humans

are humans, they’re not gods. So for me,

this is a way of saying it’s connected to faith,

because whatever will happen is God’s choice

and will prevail.

Thank you, that’s deep! Now I think there’s

only two songs left, Shine A Light and Time

Of Prophecy. Again, of course, these are

connected to everything else and you already

mentioned some of these points, but maybe

you can elaborate on what you mean by this

prophecy?

Well, you know, there’s a lot of people that

are waiting for the return of Christ, for the

return of a Messiah, for the coming of… like

Bob used to say “Most people think great

gods will come from the sky”. But the thing is,

we are right now living in this time of revelation,

and the time that people are waiting for,

we’re already living inside of it. So I feel like

there’s a lot of ancient texts that speak about

what is going on in the world right now, like

the Bible being one of the main ones, but

every culture in the world has spoken about

this time that we’re living in. So, when people

are lost inside this era, there are many things

that you can go to, there are many things

that you can read, there are many that you

can connect to, that will give you the tools to

survive this time that we’re going through.

And so for me, it’s like I don’t want to be alive

tomorrow, I want to be alive today, you know?

So, for me, we are living in this time right

now!

I think that’s a good note to end the interview

on. Is there any more background information

or context about the album you want to share

with us, or tell us about your next steps?

This album, when I listen to it and I think

back on everything I’ve done, I feel like there

is something more… maybe more grounded.

There is something… the word in English

76


doesn’t really work because you would say

“soft” or “sweet”, but it’s not what I mean to

say. In French, we say “douceur”, and I feel

this album has more of that. I wrote a lot of

songs in the past that were about burning

fire and pointing the finger at certain things,

and I feel like now, we’re living in a time

of revelation. So for me, the time is not for

criticising and denouncing anymore, it’s

more about bringing solutions, reflections,

reasonings, taking power over the situation

and actually doing the change that you want

to see. And I feel like people know that things

are… everybody knows that the situation of

the world is going wrong. I think if you want

to know, you can, and if you want to cover

your eyes, it’s also something you can do.

And maybe also with the fact of becoming a

father this had some kind of influence on my

music, and I feel like there is something more

calm and grounded overall in this album,

which doesn’t make it better than what I’ve

done before, but it’s different.

I’m glad that there are people like you,

Marcus, who really shine their light out there.

I wish you all the best for this album, for your

next shows, for the tour. We will see one of

those days, but until then, walk good!

Thanks Gardy. I always like doing interviews

with you, we can go in depth, I appreciate

that!

It’s different, of course! I think that’s what artists

do, they show us different sides of their

art, of their craft, it’s beautiful, you know?

Who would want to hear the same album every

time there’s a new album? So yeah, thank

you. I really love the concept of For All, it’s

really important that people realise capitalism

doesn’t work. It doesn’t work that you have

everything and the person next to you suffers

and has nothing. So, hopefully it will reach the

right ears and make some people think!

I can add this, because it’s an important concept,

you know, there is also this concept that

is worldwide accepted that earth is too small

for us. I’ve heard this a lot of times, people

say “There is no better system than capitalism

because we cannot feed everyone”, you know,

but I don’t believe in this idea. I think if earth

was interacted with correctly by humans,

then we could feed three times more people

than there is on earth right now. And for me,

it goes back to the concept that creation was

made for all. It wasn’t made for a handful

of people that are better than others. I don’t

believe in that concept.

ALBUM REVIEW MARCUS GAD 77

MARCUS GAD - FOR ALL BIG SCOOP RECORDS - JUNE 19, 2026

“Guess dem never know

when the sun shines, it a

go shine for all…”

It’s imperative for anyone

growing up in capitalism

to be reminded of the fact

that individual possession

is not natural. For

thousands of years, tribal

societies have shared

available resources

among their members

so that all could profit.

What happened to these

simple principles of life?

Good to know that artists like Marcus Gad are

here to remind us, firmly grounded in the here

and now, and have answered their calling to

spread messages of positivity and wisdom. Following

in the formidable footsteps of Enter A

Space, Brave New World and Ready For Battle,

he now offers his newest oeuvre called, simply

and powerfully, For All. The musical magic

is provided once more by the skilled instrumentalists

of the band Tribe and the French sound

wizard himself, Tamal.

With Rally Round, one of the band’s most consistent

concert openers is finally cast on a release.

It starts quiet like the dawn, with nature’s

sounds and a gentle piano line, but then shifts

in intensity to welcome Marcus’ hypnotic voice.

The subsequent Fruit And Flower is an uptempo

thanksgiving prayer for the fullness nature

provides – an important reminder that food

doesn’t grow on supermarket shelves!

Where Mi Come From, the first single released

at the beginning of the year, tells us about the

singer’s home, New Caledonia, and you can hear

the passion and pride he feels for this place in

his voice. To get a better impression of the island,

make sure you watch the accompanying

video! Equally fast-paced,

Honnor Dem talks about

sound system culture and

the need to remember its

founding fathers, and the

beautiful Come Reason

is another heartfelt invitation,

both to dance and

to talk to each other.

More serious in tone,

Strong reminds us that

times are hard, but that

we shall overcome if we

“stand strong” and “hold

the faith”, while Nah

Identify describes how we are perfect beings

that don’t need any labels to live up to our full

potential. Another spiritual tune, Shine A Light

encourages us to illuminate the dark paths

ahead with compassion, understanding and a

raised vibration.

Time Of Prophecy is exciting for several reasons.

Not only because the lyrics describe the

awe of living in a time that has been predicted

as special by many cultures, but also because

the way Marcus delivers them is so unique,

soaring between the notes and beats as if he’d

follow a different riddim. More mystical issues

are touched on in The Code, the only feature of

the album – Marcus has invited none other than

VI’s Dezarie to share the reasoning with him!

Saving the best for last, both the title track For

All and especially the final Home, transmit that

blissful vibration only Marcus Gad, Tamal and

the Tribe are able to create, a vibration that can

now be heard on a daily. Thank you for this gift,

guys! Every new song you bring forth is music

to carry us home – music For All!

by GARDY STEIN

JUNE

FESTIVALS JUNE 2026 79

FESTIVAL AGENDA 2026

The following pages list 118 events. For

lineups, changes and newly announced festivals,

please check the daily updated festival

calendar on REGGAEVILLE.com

The posters are clickable and will take you

straight to the event on our calendar. The QR

code takes you to the complete overview.

PLEASE NOTE:

We take reasonable care in compiling this

list, but we can‘t guarantee that everything

is accurate!

Please check the official websites before you

go and make sure to get your tickets only

from official sources.

SWXW London

June 1 – 6

UNLOCKED Shoreditchn in London, UK

Couleurs Urbaines

June 5 – 7

Reggae Rise Up –

Oregon

June 12 – 14

Deschutes County Fair & Expo in Redmon, OR - USA

Reggae Dub Nation

June 18 – 20

Parc de la Navalle in La Seyne Sur Mer, France

Caribbean

American Unity Fest

June 5

Vincent Torres Memorial Park in St. Lauderdale Lakes, FL - USA

Roots Up

June 6

Die Kantine in Cologne, Germany

Notes En Vert

June 12 – 14

CCM John Lennon in Limoges, France

Culture

Reggae Vibez

June 18 – 20

Festival Area in Horice, Czech Republik

Reggae In My

Garden

June 18 – 20

Stadtgarten in Konstanz, Germany

Point Break

June 20 – 21

Festival Area in Perigny, France

On The Beach in Virgina Beach, VA - USA

JUNE


Truckee

Reggae Fest

June 20

Truckee River Park in Truckee, CA, - USA

Reggae

Revival Festival

June 20

Nebula Center in Hereida, Costa Rica

Reggae

Night XXIV

June 21

Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA – United States

Victoria Ska &

Reggae Festival

June 24 – 28

Various Locations in Victoria, BC – Canada

St. Kitts

Music Festival

June 25 – 27

Festival Area in Bassteterre, St. Kitts & Nevis

Hampa

Festival

June 25 – 27

Törringelund in Svedala, Sweden

Lagata

Reggae Festival

June 26 – 28

Festival Area in Azuara, Zaragoza, Spain

Ithaca

Reggae Festival

June 26 – 28

Stewart Park in Ithaca, NY - USA

Roots

In The Forest

June 26 – 28

Festival Area in Tionesta PA - USA

Couleur Cafe

June 26 – 28

Atomium Square in Brussels, Belgium

Dub’n The Creek

June 26 – 29

Tish Tang Campground in Hoopa, CA - USA

Northwest World

Reggae Festival

June 26 – 28

Pfau Pfamily Pharm in Mt.Hood, OR - USA


Kalamazoo

Caribbean Fest

June 26 – 27

Arcadia Creek Festival Site in Kalamazoo, MN, - USA

Bushland

Nice Again

June 26 – 27

Badeweiher in Fuchsmühl, Germany

Recontres

et Racines

June 26 – 28

Festival Area in Audincourt, France

Chiemsee

Reggae Summer

June 26 – 28

Almfischer in Übersee, Germany

Rum & Reggae

Fest – Nottingham

June 27

Colwick Park in Nottingham, UK

Long Island

Reggae Festival

June 28

Eisenhower Park in East Meadows, NY - USA

JULY

FESTIVALS JULY 2026 85

ERVA Festival

July 2 – 4

Rum & Reggae Fest

July 4

Festival Area in Anneyron, France

Bomboklat Festival

July 3 – 5

Stadio Comunale in Pofi, Italy

SummerJam

July 3 – 5

Steel Yard in Sheffield, UK

Sun Splash

Reggae Festival

July 5

Zuiderpark in The Hague, The Netherlands

Öland Roots

July 8 – 11

Fuehlinger Lake in Cologne, Germany

African Vibes

Festival

July 3 – 4

Theatre Pierre Cravey in La Teste De Buch, France

Pyrène Festival

July 3 – 4

Festival Area in Bordes, France

Reggae Roots

Rotterdam

July 4

Zuiderpark in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Festival Area in Sandbergen, Sweden

Plein Les Watts

July 9 – 11

Parc Navazza in Geneva, Switzerland

Sunrise Reggae &

Ska Festival

July 9 – 12

Festival Area in Burtenbach, Germany

Dub Camp Festival

July 10 – 12

Lac de Vioreau in Joué-Sur-Erdre, France


BRT Weekend

July 10 – 12

Goldfish Beach Club - Festival Grounds in Atlatic City, NJ - USA

Lakesplash

July 10 – 11

One Earth Reggae

Festival

July 11

Steel Stacks in Bethlehem, PA - USA

Cultura Viva

July 12

Lake Biel in Twann, Switzerland

Reggae

Na Piaskach

July 10 – 11

Piaski Szczygliczka in Ostrowie Wielkopolski, Poland

Gracy‘s Bash

July 10 – 11

Die Linde und der Yard in Varel, Germany

Charneca

Jamming Fest

July 11

União Recreativa da Charneca in Cascais, Portugal

Reggae Therapy

July 11 – 12

Stade Louis Achille in Fort-de-France, Martinique

Lake of Riddims

July 11

Parc Dalmau in Calella, Spain

Dour Festival

July 15 – 19

Festival Area in Dour, Belgium

Festival

de Néoules

July 16 – 18

Festival Area in Neoules, France

Afro Latino Festival

July 17 – 19

Thor Park in Genk, Belgium

Roots Revival

Reggae Festival

July 17 – 19

Herceg Novi, Montenegro

Rastaplas Festival

July 17 – 18

Festival Area in Offenburg-Windschläg, Germany

Nord AA in Zoetermeer, Netherlands


Reeds Festival

July 17 – 19

Lake Pfäffiker in Pfäffikon, Switzerland

Downtown Festival

July 17 – 19

Bayfront Reggae &

World Music Festival

July 18

Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, MN - USA

Txapel Reggae

July 18

Rosengarten in Wangeroog, Germany

Mammoth Reggae

Festival

July 17 – 19

Festival Area in Mammoth Lakes, CA - USA

Rum & Reggae

Fest – Bristol

July 18

The Prospect Building in Bristol, UK

Holo Holo - San Diego

July 18

Waterfront Park in San Diego, CA - USA

A Taste Of Reggae

Sumfest – Gaza & Gully

July 18

Plantation Cove in St. Anns, Jamaica

Weedbeat –

Special Edition

July 18

Woodlands in Hildesheim, Germany

Festival Area in Armintza, Spain

LB27

Reggae Camp

July 21 – 25

Tőserdő Autóskemping in Lakitelek, Zalán, Hungary

Bababoom Festival

July 22 – 26

Marina Palmense in Fermo, Italy

Ostroda

Reggae Festival

July 23 – 26

Festival Area in Ostroda, Poland

Irie Vibes

Roots Fest

July 23 – 25

Kortemark in Handzame, Belgium

Reggae Jam

July 23 – 26

Klosterpark in Bersenbrück, Germany


Bournemouth

Reggae Weekender

July 24 – 26

Kings Park in Bournemouth, UK

One Sound

Unification

July 24 – 26

Tuga Natura in Barreiro, Portugal

Reggaeboa

Festival

July 24 – 26

El Bierzo in Balboa, Spain

Rum & Reggae

Fest – Leeds

July 25

Project House in Leeds, UK

Reggae On

The Mountain

July 25

Festival Area in Topanga Canyon, CA – USA

DREAM WKND

July 30 – August 3

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Nomade Reggae

Festival


Chemin du Manson in Anglefort, France

Reggae Geel


Festival Area in Geel, Belgium

Black Forest

On Fire


Berghaupten, Germany

Reggae Land


The National Bowl in Milton Keynes, UK

Reggae in Wulf


Festival Area in Wulfertshausen, Germany

Uppsala

Reggae Festival


Festival Area in Uppsala, Sweden

AUGUST

FESTIVALS AUGUST 2026 93

A Funky Reggae

Party

August 1

Heuser Park in King of Prussia, PA - USA

Jambana

One World Festival

August 3

Sports Park in Brampton, Canada

Mallorca

Roots Festival

August 3

Es Bosq in Mallorca, Spain

Raggamuffin

Festival

August 4

Théâtre de Verdure in Nice, France

Lion Heart

Music Fest

August 7 – 9

Paradise Lakes Camp Grounds in Hammonton, NJ - USA

No Logo Festival

August 7 – 9

One Love Festival

August 7 – 8

Festival Area in Wiesen, Austria

Reggae Can

Festival

August 7 – 8

Paseo Marítimo - Punta del Hidalgo in Tenerife, Spain

African Music

Festival

August 7 – 9

Schlossplatz in Emmendingen, Germany

No Logo BZH

August 7 – 9

Festival Area in Saint Malo, France

Jamaica

Independence Festival

August 8

Kanaanbadet in Stockholm, Sweden

Reggae Sun Fest

August 8 – 9

Les 12 Ponts in Pont-sur-l‘Ognon, France

Jardins do Palácio do Marquês de Pombal in Oeiras, Portugal

FESTIVALS AUGUST 2026 95

Boomtown Fair

August 12 – 16

Elsa Farm in Hamshire, UK

Reggae

On The River

August 14 – 16

unty Line Ranch in Piercy, CA - USA

Turnpike Reggae

Festival

August 14 - 15

Landgasthaus Lönne in Herzebrock-Clarholz, Germany

Afro C Festival

August 15

One Love /

One Sun Festival

August 21 – 23

Bentley Estate in Lewes, UK

Reggae

On The Rocks

August 22

Red Rocks in Morrison, CO - USA

Kaya Fest

August 22

Markham Fairgrounds in Toronto, Canada

HIM Dub Festival

August 24 – 30

Park t` Paelsteenveld in Bredene, Belgium

Reggae Lake

Festival

August 15 – 16

Gaasperpark in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Rototom Sunsplash

August 17 – 22

Praia Fluvial in Rapoula Do Coa, Portugal

Uprising Festival

August 28 – 29

Zlate Piesky in Bratislava, Slovakia

Bomboclat Festival

August 28 – 29

Festival Area in Benicassim, Spain

Roots In The Woods

August 20 – 22

Trije Kralji Resort in Trije Kralji, Slovenia

Zeedjik in Zeebrugge, Belgium

Ruhr Reggae

Summer

August 28 – 30

Am Ruhrstadion in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany

SEPTEMBER -

DECEMBER

FESTIVALS SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2026 97

Arkansas

Reggae Festival

September 5

Argenta Green Park in North Little Rock AR - USA

Freedom Street

Europe - Gaza vs. Gully

September 10 – 13

Ta‘Qali Concert Area in Attard, Malta

Cool Vibes

Reggae Festival

September 12

Levitt Pavillon in Denver, CO - USA

Caribbean

Rocks Zante

September 24 – 28

Laganas, Zante in Greece

Holo Holo

Sacremento

September 26 – 27

Heart Health Park in Sacramento, CA - USA

Falmouth

Reggae Festival

October 2 – 3

Princess Pavilion in Falmouth, UK

Holo Holo Avila

Beach

October 3

Avila Beach Resort in Avila Beach, CA - USA

Mission Bayfest

October 16 – 18

Mariners Point in San Diego, CA - USA

Holo Holo Long

Beach

October 17

Marina Green Park in Long Beach, CA - USA

Welcome To Jamrock

Reggae Cruise

November 11 – 16

Cruise Ship in Miami, FL - USA

República do

Reggae

November 28

WET in Salvador, Brazil

Ghana Jamaica

Homecoming Festival

December 4 – 5

Accra, Ghana

INTERVIEW

CAPLETON

HEIGHTS OF FIRE

INTERVIEW CAPLETON 99

MUSIC HAS NO LIMIT

BY ANGUS TAYLOR

PHOTOS BY JIK-REUBEN PRINGLE

Prolific and overflowing in his live performances,

the King Of Fire, Capleton has been

more restrained with his album releases. An

incredible 16 years after his last official album

I-Ternal Fire, a new one is finally here.

Released via Switzerland’s Evidence Music

rather than his usual base of VP, Heights

Of Fire is a CD-era length 16 tracks of anti-

Babylonian messages, delivered in his visceral

roar, mainly over hip hop slanted reggae

rhythms. He balances the singing aspects of

his delivery that he explored on 2010’s I-Ternal

Fire with his traditional deejaying thunder

as perfected on 2004’s landmark reggae

long player Reign Of Fire.

The music assembles producers from Jamaica

(his friend and engineer Mixing Finga) Switzerland

(Little Lion and Derrick Sound),

France (L’Entourloop), Costa Rica (Costa

Rebel) and Australia (Mista Savona). Given

the 16 year gap, Capleton is careful to allow

himself space, limiting the combinations to

the contrastingly sweet-voiced youngster Eesah,

longtime friends Damian and Stephen

Marley, and an interdimensional link up

with the great Dennis Brown.

The project, years in the making, sounds

both timeless and entirely at home in the

current reggae landscape. It’s a testimony to

Capleton’s abilities that he’s maintained the

same success and public presence as his 90s

Rasta contemporaries, whose album catalogues

dwarf his own.

Angus Taylor spoke to Capleton on the

phone early one morning in New Jersey as he

was preparing to leave his hotel for his next

US tour appearance in Connecticut. The interview

had to be curtailed when it was time

to hit the road but they managed to discuss

the new album and its hip hop influences, his

love of foundation singers, his performance

at Reggae Land and lack of nervousness in

front of big crowds, his journey into Rastafari

and lots more.

100

INTERVIEW CAPLETON

It’s been 16 years since your last official

album. Why did you decide the time was right

to drop one now?

Because it’s long overdue. I’m not one of those

people who wants to drop albums one behind

the other. I want it to be appealing every time

I drop an album. I want people to want to hear

it. I want people to be hungry for it. And doing

a good album takes time and dedication. Some

of the songs are five or six years old. So it’s a

good while I’m working on it.

You’re releasing your album through Evidence

Music whereas the last album I-Ternal Fire

was on VP. Why did you decide to release

through Evidence and how did you link them?

They have a good platform. I have seen the

work that they have done before with other

artists and I love the energy and the vibes.

And then the beats. My engineer, Mixing

Finga, he’s one of the producers on the

album. He was the one who really hooked me

up with them.

Can you tell me a bit about your history with

Mixing Finga?

Mixing Finga we come a far away, you know?

(Laughs) Do you know who his father is?

He’s from the Stewart family. Tinga is his dad.

Roman is his uncle.

Yeah! Tinga Stewart is his dad. So you know

me and Tinga come a long way too. Growing

up as a youth we always admire great people.

Roman Stewart was a very great singer too.

I love most of his work. We work together,

we did shows together, we travelled together.

They were great people, full of love full of

joy. They always love to see youth rise. They

always encouraged us to get better and to do

good. We appreci-love that.

But Finga is one of my engineers from a

long time. We’ve done a lot of work together.

And then he’s also my engineer when I’m

travelling and when I’m touring. So he does

studio and he does stage. He’s a very humble

youth. He loves the music and he has a good

ear for music.

His productions on the album represent the

Jamaican side of the rhythms you’re riding.

But this is quite an international album with

rhythms from Little Lion and Derrick Sound

from Switzerland, Mr Savona from Australia,

and even a remix by L’Entourloop from

France.

So it was really through him that they linked

me. They and Finga have a relationship. He

linked to me and said “Yo, these people Evidence

they want to do some work and they

have some good beats’. And I said “Send over

the beats let me hear it” because when artist

hear good beats, their ears stand up, you

know what I mean? Like Shabba would say

“Deejay ears cock up when they hear boom

riddim!” (laughs) Artists’ ears stand up when

they hear boom riddim, you know?

Most of the rhythms are roots reggae but

there’s some hip-hop in the drums. It’s not

like dancehall trap fusion, it’s more east coast

hip hop, so it’s from the era when you first

came on the scene. And because you were

signed to Def Jam in 1994, it’s something that

you lived as well.

Yeah. I’ve been there before so it’s easy for

me. I love the beats and some of the beats

have hip hop colours. And I love that because

we want to appeal. Because people say “Why

hip-hop colours?” But it’s a fusion between

dancehall, reggae and hip-hop. Because we

want to appeal to the younger generation. To

the younger listeners.

On your previous album I-Ternal fire you

really embraced your singing style. Whereas

on this album you balance the singing in the

deejaying. I notice that you sing more on the

tracks produced by Finga like Jah Shine His

Light and Senseless Killing. So do you feel

more comfortable doing your singing with

someone like Finga, who you work with a lot?

(laughs) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because we do

a lot of stuff together, you know? We have

done songs on some of the albums before

too. And as I say we’ve been working a good

while now together. So he knows my style. He

knows what I would like. So when he creates


102

INTERVIEW CAPLETON

a beat he’ll say “Bwoy, King that one there

ago shot, you know?” We’ll get together, get

the creation up and get the vibes and get the

melody. We’ll just get it going and the rest is

history.

Music is a natural vibe. As Bob Marley says,

it is a mystic. And more time, I have an ear

for beats because I know that in order to hit

on a rhythm you have to get the right tone.

When I’m writing a song in terms of melody

I listen to the guitar, I listen to the phrases, I

listen to the keyboard, I listen to the drums.

Sometimes I will write to match the pattern

of the drums, or the pattern of the keyboards

or the pattern of the phrase, the pattern of

the guitar. That’s why more times my songs

are so easy to work with because if someone

should listen to the beat it’s like they are

hearing the vocal. I try to complement the

beat as much as possible.

Do you play any instruments? Your voice is a

unique instrument so you are a musician in

that sense already.

No, no, no. But I like drums though. I don’t

play but maybe in the future. Never can tell.

I like keyboards too. But I grew up in the

church. I used to sing in the choir. I was like

a choir leader in my younger days. But there

is something about my vocal that amuses a

lot of singers. Every singer that I have met,

and I have worked around, every single one,

name one, the ones who have passed away,

their souls rest in peace, and the ones who

are alive today, every singer from Alton

Ellis, Dennis Brown, Beres Hammond,

Gregory Isaacs, Freddie McGregor,

Junior Reid, Leroy Smart, name! You know

that all of them tell me to sing? All of them

big singers. Sometimes when they hear me

hit a certain note they say “No, Capleton

you need to sing!” (laughs) As I say, it’s just

a natural gift that I’m born with. So I do give

thanks. Even when I was doing the voice

training with a Cuban lady, a white lady, she

was astonished in terms of my vocal range,

and power. She said she trained so many

big artists from hip-hop to R&B, all genres,

reggae, dancehall and she never heard a next

vocal like my vocal.

I remember you telling me this when we did

an interview in Jamaica and she said “This

voice is not normal!” So was it Def Jam who

linked you up with the voice coach to do that

training?

(laughs) Yeah, it’s not a normal vocal! Yeah,

that was in the Def Jam era. I knew I didn’t

need it. But it’s good still because it can only

enhance it more. I like to take time out and do

what I have to do in order to make the music

better. In order to keep my vocal intact and

in tune. So I took the time out to do it and it

was great.

You do a combination with Dennis Brown,

Stephen and Damian Marley on the album,

Babylon So Evil, The use of a sample of Dennis

is something you did before with Prophet

Rides Again. So it’s a nice callback.

104

INTERVIEW CAPLETON

Yeah, with the sample from D Brown! I love

this track so much.

You said already that Dennis Brown told you

to sing. What are your memories of Dennis?

He was a very jovial person. He will make

you laugh. Full of love, nice vibe. If you’re

around him, it’s just music. I had the opportunity

to tour with Dennis Brown. That was

one of my great experiences. I remember one

time I did a world tour with Marcia Griffiths,

with Sugar Minott, D Brown, Phillip

Fraser. That was in the 90s. And I was the

youngest. I was the one who opened the

night. And it was such a joy for me knowing

that I’m opening these shows for all these

big legends. I think that was one of my high

points in my career in terms of travelling and

touring.

And I want to say much respect to Junior

Gong and Stephen Marley. You know, for

really giving me the strength. As you know,

over the years we have worked together and

we always do some great works.

Some of my favourite songs of theirs feature

you on. Break Us Apart is one of my favourite

songs on Root Of Life, Rockstone is one of my

favourite songs on Fruit Of Life.

Yeah, all the way back to the first one.

It Was Written, 25 years ago. How did you first

meet Stephen and Damian and build this solid

foundation where you’re still creating great

tracks today?

So as I said, the music is natural. Good people

will always be good people and good music

will live on. It has to be sustainable and have

substance and longevity. That’s what it’s all

about. We like to do music that is timeless.

So if you’re listening to this music in the next

100 years it sounds like it just came out of

the studio.

Bulpus was the one who linked me with

them. And I used to know Stephen Marley

before he started getting so rooted in the

music, because there was one of my brethren

in Papine where he used to link, so we used

to link up too. But Bulpus was the one who

made the link with us and bring the beats.

They said they wanted to do some work with

me and I said “Yeah”. Anything for the music,

we’re willing. Because we know what the music

does, we know the purpose of the music,

we know what it’s all about.

As I said, more time, we go by the mystic.

We work with the universe. When Jah say

we have to get ready, we have to move. There

is no limit to the music. And whatever the

universe decides and whatever the music

decides, then we just have to play our part. I

love beats. From when I hear a beat it doesn’t

really matter. As long as it has the message.

It could be hip hop. It could be whatever genre.

I’m ready to put my message and to put

my craft and to take it to a different level.

The way you write lyrics, you often talk about

multiple topics within one song. But one of

the main topics that comes through on the

album is helping the ghetto youths and telling

them to be careful of Babylon.

Yeah, yeah. Because you know the youths are

the future. So we have to give them hopes.

And we address the senseless killing. We

address the war globally. We address how

we should be showing love. We address the

unity. And we are also asking the youth

them to be in terms of mannerism, to behave

themselves, being obedient to parents and

guardians. We want people to feel socially,

spiritually, musically, to have a sense of hope.

I know that even within the struggles and

the oppression and the depression this music

is still there to help us. Take us through our

everyday challenges. To give them a source

of inspiration and upliftment. A reminder to

always remember that Jah will always shine

the light. So we go tell the youth them, say

pray because prayers will carry through

and prayers move mountains likewise faith.

106

INTERVIEW CAPLETON

So we always tell the youth them to behave

themselves. We still address how the system

will rob the people and how evil the system

is. And the evil that it does to the people. So

we have to let the people know that they have

to be strong.

The struggle is real. And the illusion, the

disillusion, the fighting against each other,

the disunity. And we always make the people

know unity is definitely strength. And we

always make them know the power of the

music. And the passion that we have for the

music and how much we value the music.

The music is really the voice of the people.

The music is for the voiceless. The people

that are oppressed and suppressed by the

system, systematically. That’s how reggae

music comes in. And that’s why reggae music

even gets such fight over the years, but no

matter the amount of fight it gets, it still gets

stronger because it relates and it addresses

how the challenge is rough and how the

people face it. Especially in the ghetto. That’s

why I said reggae music needs to go back

into the ghetto. Because it’s the people in the

ghetto who can relate to it. They’re the ones

who go through the struggle who feel the

pain. And tell the story that they go through

because they know how to relate to it.

I just want people to know that this album,

it’s for the hopeless. It’s for the less fortunate.

This album is to strengthen the people globally.

And as I said, regarding the colours of

the hip hop with the authenticity of the roots

and culture, it’s still there. And the message

is still there and you can still feel it. You can

still feel the soulful. As I said, we are working

with the mystic, with the natural heights.

That’s why it’s named the Heights Of Fire.

It’s really a different realm. Within the music.

Within spirituality. Within the soul. Like how

the legends and the icons paved the way

for us, within this time, we have to pave the

way for the youths them to come same way.

Because you know there is no limit to the music.

There is no stopping. Music has no end.

It goes on. So we are just trying to make that

positive mark, so the youth them can come

and say “Yeah, Capleton did done this and the

man there did done this and the man there

did set that. We just have to build on it”.

In the song De Pon Mi Mind, you put your

words about helping the youth into practice

by including one of your features with a

younger artist Eesah.

Yeah, I want to big up Eesah. As you know,

we’ve done collabs before. I think this is like

the third song we did. Everybody can tell you,

I’m like a collab king. The amount of collabs

that I’ve done with so many young artists

over the years, it’s unbelievable. I believe

the youths are the future. Whatever guideline

and whatever help we can give them to

enhance their career, to make something of

themselves out there in the world, I’m gladly

ready to do that. I appreciate the youths and

I value the youths because I know that the

youths are going to carry it on.


How did you start working with him?

I went to the studio one day and he was

there. It was the studio across from King’s

House. They have a producer who we did a

couple of tracks for, Casper. He does some

work with Julian Marley too. Casper was

the one who linked me to him.

But the youth them they always reach out

to me, you know? Because they know that

Capleton is a global figure, so if we get

Capleton to do something on a track with

us, then that will highlight their thing. As

we know, strength to strength. I love the

youths them. And I love when the youths

them rise. I love to see the youths strive. I’m

not like some artists where if you see the

next artist rise or you see the youth rise,

they feel like “no”. I know that the work

goes on. I want people to come and carry it

further.

I don’t like selfish people. I think selfishness

is sin. And God don’t like selfishness. It

can’t be all about you. It can’t be all about

me. It must be about us. Or about we. I alone

cannot make it happen. If we have no fans

then it no go work. And if no one is buying

the music then it ain’t working. We have to

value the people who gave us the support.

The people who come out to the stage show.

The people who buy the song. The people

who subscribe. The people who share. It’s a

whole collective thing.

where it’s coming from. Start from somewhere.

Everyone emulates someone. No one just

pops up from anywhere”.

I stay away from the hype, and the popularity

and the publicity and all of that. I know

I have to sign autographs and interact with

the fans, but outside of that I stay a natural,

humble person. I believe in humility. I believe

in tolerance. I believe in discipline because I

know that discipline is definitely wisdom.

As you said, you’ve done many combinations

in your career. But this album has a

few carefully chosen combinations. Some

artists would have many more combinations

on their albums. Likewise, the album has 16

tracks on. These days most albums are more

like 10 tracks long. Is that because with people

waiting so long for an album, you want

to give yourself some space and give people

as many tracks as possible?

Just like how Dennis Brown and Bob Marley

and the Wailers. Peter Tosh, Bunny

Wailer, the Burning Spear, the Culture,

they set the foundation, so we could come

and build on it. You cannot build without

a foundation. That’s why I always tell the

youth them say “Pay homage. Remember

the people who came and saw. These are the

ones who have the track record. They are

the ones who have the substance. They are

the ones who have the longevity. They set the

foundation for us. They gave us the privilege.

The more time you don’t want to feel like

you’re too entitled. You have to remember

108

INTERVIEW CAPLETON

Definitely, my brother. I still have a lot of

singles combinations out there with so many

different artists. But as you said, I wanted to

give myself some space because remember

I haven’t dropped an album in so long. So I

want to big up Derrick Sound, Little Lion

Sound, and big up Evidence them. I want to

big up Finga. I give thanks for all the people

who play a part in this project, to make it

what it is. Right across the globe, the anticipation

is very high. The people can’t wait.

The anticipation that they have for the album

right now, it’s right across the circuit. And it

is good for reggae music too. People need this

right now. Right across the Caribbean, the

United States and Europe. People crazy, they

can’t wait for the album to drop. It’s a breath

of fresh air, you know?

On the song Jah Is My Leader you talk about

the importance of Haile Selassie in your life

as the first man you follow.

Yeah, well Haile Selassie I is definitely the

first, you know? Crowned 1930, the second

of November. So we just want people to know

that Haile Selassie I is the first. And I just

want people to know that as long as they

have Jah as the leader then everything will

be all good. You don’t have to worry about the

fight. In terms of spirituality, this is Christ in

his kingly character. Haile Selassie I is the

Emperor, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords,

the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

He has done so much for Ethiopia. He has

done so much for Africa. He has done so much

for the world. Haile Selassie is the only leader

that speaks for all Nations. Certain people

are just different in the way they rule. His

Majesty governed the world. Peter Tosh tell

you the same thing. Bob Marley tell you the

same thing. Burning Spear tell you the same

thing. Culture tell you the same thing. All

those great warriors tell you the same thing.

I’m just here to remind the people.

We are not someone that is here to push

anything down anybody’s throat. Tell you this

is what you are supposed to accept. Everybody

has their opinion. Everybody has a choice.

We’re possessed by two spirits. One is good

and one is bad. The bad spirit will never tell

you to do something good and the good spirit

will never tell you to do something bad. So

it is up to you. I have to be mindful of how I

choose. You cannot blame someone for your

actions. That’s why we always speak of self

determination. The truth is within us. You

have to find yourself. Anything that you want

to find out there in the world it’s within you.

If you want to find heaven, heaven is within

you. If you want to find hell, hell is within

you. Everybody knows right from wrong and

good from bad.

So it’s up to you, it’s your choice. You can’t

tell anyone how to choose. You can’t judge

anyone either. I’m not here to judge. You

are your own judge. I am my own judge. I

cannot judge you. You cannot judge me. In

life there is a balance. The natural aspect of

life that tells everything. Nature don’t speak

illusion. Nature speak reality. Everything in

life projects its own energy, gives off its own

constellation. So you can’t deceive yourself

or confuse what is right there in front of you.

It’s up to you to decide.

I could tell the people if you want to know

who Haile Selassie I is, just listen deeply

to the song War by Bob Marley. Because

people don’t even know that it was written by

His Majesty! (laughs) So if you listen to War

you would know say now “This is not normal.

This is different”.

Many artists I’ve interviewed have said Rasta

is an inborn thing. But what was the catalyst

in ’94 for Rastafari to come into your life?

(thinks) Well the transition (pauses) it’s just

an awakening within the time. Because I

used to do a lot of conscious songs before I

even grew locks. I’ve been to places where

people heard my songs and thought I was a

Rastaman, where they look and see I don’t

have locks, and they wonder how I spit so

much conscious fire? But the transition

within that time, it was just in awakening by

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the powers of the Almighty. And then we did

start to visit the Nyabinghi, the Bobo Shanti,

and we decided to uplift the Bobo Shanti

hearts because you know the Black International

Congress, and because we see the love,

because we know that love is the ultimate

force. And the love that was generated in the

Bobo Shanti, I said “This is what it is. This is

what we have to uphold”.

Then our mission was the unification of all

mansions. They say “In our father’s house

there are many mansions but it is still one

house”. For us there was no separation

between Nyabinghi and Orthodox and Bobo

Shanti or the 12 Tribes of Israel because

Rasta is oneness. It’s not like a religion thing

where everybody says “Yo, my denomination

is the right thing”. When we’re supposed to

be praising one god. The Rasta is just a fire.

Bob Marley tell you that. He said “The only

thing they can’t take from us is the fire”.

As a youth growing up, we used to listen to

the ancient Rastaman them talk. We used

to feel their pain. The struggle that they

have been through. The injustice and the

inequality and the manipulation and the

death without dignity, the police brutality,

name it. And it goes on. When you

feel them pain, we just decided to defend

Rastafari. And defend the music in terms of

the injustice that they have been through.

Because we have to burn the fire, we just

have to do what we have to do.

The music find us, Rastafari find us, and

then the transition is a whole totally different

thing again. That was a different part

of my life where we go through a certain

amount of struggle, and a certain amount

of fight. But we still persevere because

when you are showing up or exposing the

system and the evil the people have been

facing, the struggle and the brutality, we


give thanks for the energy of Rastafari. It

really came along and showed me a different

light.

Then when we travel the world we realise

the love people have for Rastafari. In terms

of the love and the message, of where we’re

preaching for salvation, the redemption

and the repatriation, the restoration, the

liberation and the emancipation. It really

gives us great joy to go out there to defend

what is right and that positive cause. For

every problem, there is a cause. So we can’t

just address the problem. If we address the

problem then the problem will still come

again. We have to address the cause. If

you deal with the cause you won’t have a

problem.

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Yeah, so Rastafari change I and I life and we

give thanks for that. And I say Rastafari is all

about love, it’s all about peace, it’s all about

unity. Everybody knows what Rasta is all

about. Because you know Haile Selassie is

Rastafari, and the meaning of “Ras” is “head”

and the meaning of “tafari” is “creator”. So

Rastafari is head creator. So that tells you

everything. Rastafari is the ultimate power,

man. These are those who passed through

great tribulation. And we are still able to

stand up strong and fight for equal rights and

justice. So we say equality for everyone. It’s

all about equal rights and justice for all people.

Nothing no special. It’s not me more than

you or you more than me. It’s equal rights

and justice. It’s for all.

One thing I really want to talk about is

Reggae Land last year in England. 50,000

people, one of the biggest crowds I’ve seen

watch reggae since the 90s in England. And

you held that crowd and gave an incredible

performance.

It was a great joy for me, knowing that City

Splash was like a vibe before Reggae Land.

But what’s this now? The numbers you say

50,000 but the numbers that I got was like

75,000. The Saturday night my night was

75,000 and Chronixx night was the Sunday,

it was 60,000.

Do you ever get nervous in front of a crowd of

that size?

(big laugh). No, I can’t get nervous. A lot of

people say that they get butterflies or have a

little nervy thing before going on stage. It’s

natural. Enough big artists. But knowing that

I do it so often I’ve got used to it. If I’m performing

by myself, if it’s Capleton in concert, I

know that everyone here has come to see me.

And even if I’m at a different event with other

artists, I never get nervous. From you run on

that stage, the energy and the vibes that you

get from the crowd, it’s different. But some

artists I know will get nervy until they go out

and they see the crowd start scream and it

will build back their confidence. But I never

get nervous. Never.

Not even as a young youth when you were

doing your first dances and stage shows?

Yeah, yeah, yeah! (laughing) In my younger

days man. Of course! You done know! (big

laugh) But when you’re running the place

and govern the place like you are the next

artist that everybody a talk about, putting

out songs after songs after songs then the

nerviness would go away. Because you done

know you have the songs and the only thing

is if you can perform the songs. In the early

days we get nervy. But as you go along and

you get used to it it becomes normal. You can

just run out and just do your thing.

Was there one dance or show that changed

you from being unsure whether you could do

it to knowing you could do it?

(laughs) There were so many. Remember I’m

coming from sound days, you know? I used

to deejay on enough of the ancient sounds

like the Black Star, the Jah Love, the Metro

Media, the Gemini, the Jammy’s, the Black

Scorpio. But I could remember one particular

dance where when I run out and I didn’t

do none of my dancehall songs because the

other artists. I’m a respectful artist you know?

In my early days, we have certain kinds of

songs where people go do others. Rude boy

songs or slack songs or whatever. And I have

a certain amount of respect for certain artists

so if I should be doing something alongside

Brigadier or Josey Wales or any one of those

artists, I would never sing a certain kind

of song. This was in the Student Union, it was

Black Star, when me run out… Even them

surprised because them no hear me a sing

Bumbo Red or certain songs but in terms

of respect and the principle of knowing the

discipline it’s different.

So you know, I was one of the first who put

conscious lyrics on a dancehall beat. And

know that it would hit somewhere. I was

one of the first who put congo drum in a

dancehall beat and know it would work. Even

Chalice. You’ll notice a congo drum on it.

Yeah man, whole heap of songs we put congo

drum in. Most of them were on the African


Star label still. And I knew they would still

hit. But that night in the Student Union when

I touched the mic and I didn’t have to sing

a certain kind of song, and I draw from my

reality songs them, because remember I am

coming from the church so we’re good with

the Bible and everything, and when I see how

the people go on, me a say “Yes, this is it, it

can happen”.

When was that? Late 80s? Early 90s?

80s. And there was a next night again with

me, Shabba and Ninjaman. And that’s

where Ninjaman got my Long Fi Release.

Where he took the style, he took the pattern,

and he took the lyrics. I can remember the

date. This was 1989, the first of January, at

a place called Mavis Bank, in Saint Andrew.

Yeah man! (laughs) That was a night! Because

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in them times there, Ninja had one song.

Protection. And then Shabba had about

three or four songs. From Gal Yuh Good, like

Needle Eye, Love Punanny Bad and some

other songs. That night, when I hold the mic,

man, oh my God! It was crazy! I say yes! And

that was me in the 80s you know what I

mean? Yeah, that was a changing one for me.

But you and Ninjaman get on well. I saw an

On Stage on YouTube from about 10 years

ago where you perform together. And both

of you sounded strong, like on your on your

recordings.

Yeah, yeah, we’re good. Because he really

opened my eyes to the business, you know?

Even though people say “Oh, him thief your

lyrics and him thief your style” and them

thing there, but in doing that he opened the

way for me because he was the one who

introduced me to the first producer who put

out my songs.

Fatis?

Yeah, Fatis. Mr Burrell. I went to Ninjaman’s

house as well. African Star was

playing at his house. I think it was a birthday

thing he was doing. And that’s where I got

introduced to Fatis by Ninjaman. This, so

much things, Ninjaman done a lot for me.

Even though he stole from me, you know

what I mean? So it was a great joy. But we a

go talk again because we have to get ready to

move to go to the next show.

Have a great show. Thanks for your time.

I really like the album.

I just want people to go out and get the

album. This album is long overdue. And it’s

time now. We have 16 nice tracks on the album.

We have some nice collabs. We address

every issue globally. The crime, the war,

the love, the unity. We just want to energise

the fans right across the globe. As I say, the

excitement surrounding the album, it’s great.

People can’t wait. We dropped the single Red

again and it’s doing great. Make them know

it’s on vinyl, CD and cassette. And big up

Eesah, Damian Marley and Stephen Marley.

Big up the Mixing Finga same way. And

big up everyone who is a part of this project

and who make it possible.

ALBUM REVIEW CAPLETON 115

CAPLETON - HEIGHTS OF FIRE EVIDENCE MUSIC - JUNE 26, 2026

Since exploding on the

scene as a dancehall firetorch

and then a roaring,

high energy Rasta artist,

the latterday Capleton

has been about consistency.

His fans expect a fastpaced

stage show of rapidly

rewound hits, delivered

in an earth-shaking voice

from a man dressed in

brilliantly coloured outfits,

whose vigour comes from

strict ital veganism and

teetotalism.

While 90s contemporaries Sizzla and Luciano

put out scores of albums in the same timeframe,

Capleton has been far less prolific on the longplaying

front. Yet the same consistency applies, so when

an album drops, expectation is high.

Heights Of Fire is Capleton’s first official one in

16 years, since 2010’s I-Ternal Fire. This time it’s

not with VP but Switzerland’s Evidence Music, riding

a selection of reggae meets hip hop rhythms

from Switzerland’s Little Lion and Derrick

Sounds, Jamaica’s Mixing Finga, Australia’s Mista

Savona, Costa Rica’s Costa Rebel, and France’s

L’Entourloop. Only the Finga-built closing track

All Night hails his early dancehall work.

Where I-Ternal Fire explored Capleton’s singing

abilities (like Big Youth on 1976’s Hit The Road

Jack) Heights Of Fire balances melody with his

scorching deejay delivery. His singing is in evidence

on Jah Shine His Light and the anti-suicide bombing

Senseless Killing, both produced by his sound

engineer Mixing Finga, suggesting Capleton feels

comfortable stretching his vocals for his friend.

The hip hop is most pronounced on Babylon So

Evil, a Dennis Brown sampling collab with musical

spars Damian and Stephen Marley, and

L’Entourloop’s remix of

Derrick Sound’s Burn

It Down. Most instances

are subtle tweaks in the

drums, such as opening,

thumping call to attention

Red Again. Yet only ardent

purists would question these

fusions. They follow the

roots boom bap template

that has been in the public

ear since Junior Gong

bust - while also being part

of Capleton’s heritage (recalling

his 1994 signing to

Def Jam).

And there are plenty of pure reggae moments.

Prayers Up, Tired Of The Drama and New Age

find Capleton on horn-drenched or synth-soaked

rockers and one drop - showing his clear love of the

foundation era.

While his rhyming folds multiple issues into a song,

a consistent theme is warning ghetto youths about

Babylon. This takes the form of social conduct (Behave

Yourself) and mental health (the soothing

Savona-co-produced All In The Game).

Given the rarity of his albums, he wisely limits the

features. Guests are Gong, Ragga, Dennis and

younger artist Eesah (lending his coconut cream

voice to the softer, thoughtful Deh Pon Mi Mind).

Likewise, the 16-track duration comes from the CD

era, but after a 16 year wait, is value for money.

The heart of the album is Capleton’s extraordinary

delivery. His elemental rockstone voice imbues

timeless messages with grizzled wisdom, remaining

each song’s lead instrument. Where I-Ternal

Fire felt like Capleton wanted to prove he could

sing, this more balanced but equally well assembled

collection is a welcome return.

by ANGUS TAYLOR

INTERVIEW

GENTLEMAN

LET‘S HAVE FUN AGAIN

INTERVIEW GENTLEMAN 117

NO EGO,

NO PRESSURE


PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA GOTZ

This album might never have come to

life if something hadn’t finally clicked for

Gentleman. In an honest and deeply insightful

conversation with Munchy, the artist

opened up about appreciation, acceptance,

and vulnerability – and how, of all things, letting

go ultimately helped him reconnect with

what truly makes him happy: creating music

free from pressure and expectations, driven

instead by fun and genuine passion. The result

is his ninth studio album Gratitude, a

rich and diverse 17-track epic, unmistakably

“inna Gentleman style” and as real as it got

in years.

Gentleman, you are about to release your

brand-new album Gratitude, a body of work

which you said is different because for the

first time in a long while, there was “No plan,

no ego, no pressure”. Tell me in which situation

and with what state of mind you created

this project?

Well, Munchy, you know there was a time

when I felt a little bit tired. After almost 30

years in the business, I felt like I’m on repeat

mode. This whole cycle of creating new

songs, going in the rehearsal room, doing

the shows, doing the interviews, doing the

tour, and after the tour is before the next tour

and then you start from scratch again. And I

felt, for years actually, that when I reach the

moment that I feel tired and I get this lack

of motivation, it’s time to step back, because

nothing lasts forever. Even though I love

music so much, I felt like maybe it’s time

to step into the background a little bit and

just give it a break. Maybe I’ll finally create

my label, build other artists, produce, stuff

like that. But being on the forefront I felt

a little… a little… (pauses) yeah, you know

what I mean! The moment I accepted that

very thought “OK, it’s a new chapter now.

Jetzt hat sich’s ausgegentlemant (So much

for gentlemaning). One day, it’s enough”.

I accepted that thought and all of a sudden

it came back. And it filled me with deep

gratitude. That it is not about pleasing people,

it’s not about proving, it’s not about “Who’s

gonna like the new song?! How are the

people going to embrace it?”. It’s actually

about “Let’s have fun again!”. And Claye

was the person who inspired me. He came

in my studio and said “Hey, let’s have fun,

man! Let’s voice a song without thinking

if people are going to hear it!”. And then

some great things happened. Anytime you

feel like you don’t have to do it, you start to

feel free and the mind ticks different, then all

of a sudden it was there again. So, I said “I

want to do it again”. (laughs) It happened

very effortlessly, I think that’s the very key

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word. Without this “I have to prove something,

people have to like it”. No, man! I did

it and I’m done there. It was not about that,

it was more about the best way to be in tune

with yourself is when you make music. And

this very feeling, after you voiced a song and

you get your goosebumps in the studio, that’s

why we’re doing it.

I also changed the record company, so it was

a fresh vibe. There was a new team, fresh

energy. After I played them the first songs, I

felt like “OK, let’s do it again!”

Nice! What about the spirit of having only

4000 weeks in life, an idea or thought you had

that fuelled also the song Bypass the Sorrow

featuring Nico Santos?

Actually, a lot of songs! The moment you

become aware of evanescence, when you

realise that every moment is unrepeatable,

you start appreciating it more. It starts with

that. I am 52 now, Munchy. I thought, OK,

the new dudes and the new dudettes are

coming in and I had my time. It’s time to

step back. But I still enjoy being on stage,

I still love that vibe after you voice a song

and you hear it. When I realised that life

is super short, I stopped thinking about

how people embrace it or not. I stopped

spending my time with people that I don’t

feel. I want people who give me energy and

don’t take energy. If we get 80 years, it’s

4,000 weeks. Also, Tamika and I took out

the Christmas carols from the basement

and we said “Wow, another year passed!”.

Life is too short to worry about what people

might think. It’s so much bigger than that.

It’s a very comforting thought when you

realise we won’t last forever. I never like

the Highlander vision that we live forever.

Then you’d have no motivation for anything.

So, to be aware of the end and thinking of

that, gives you more joy for life.


Yes, absolutely! Speaking of things that are

bigger than us… The first released track –

and also the opening track – is Lion and you

said about the track that “there are things

that are bigger than all of us”, a presence that

you feel when you look at the stars from your

studio. Can you recall when you wrote the

track and what you felt in the very moment?

First of all, I’ve got to say, the moment when

you realise it’s so much bigger than us, it’s

a very, very precious moment. We’re super

small in this universe and it’s about being

grateful, appreciating that we are just a little

part of this whole thing. I switch between

Mallorca and Cologne. I still have a base in Cologne,

but I have a base in Mallorca, too. And

I have a nice studio in Mallorca. That was the

first time I saw stars every night and shooting

stars. Every day you see the sunrise here and

the sunset over there. You’re just more in

tune with nature. Far away from the city life.

City life is very exhausting. That gave me that

vibe. I wrote that song together with Keely. I

don’t write alone anymore. I did a lot of songs

by myself but it’s always good to let people in

after they got your vision. That’s also an ego

thing. Every time you write alone, it’s nice, it

works, it’s good, people embrace it but you get

a different angle if somebody else comes in.

I think most artists do it, but nobody says it.

I think it’s time to say it! Let’s have a writing

camp, get people together, embrace the vibe,

feel the vibe! I talked to Keely about being

astonished, being grateful that we are a part

of this for these 80 years, if we get 80 years.

Be grateful, man! That was the ancient inspiration

for this song Lion.

The first line is “What is life without purpose”.

What do you consider your purpose,

Gentleman?

To unite people. This is why we’re in the music

business. Sometimes you are more aware

of it and sometimes less but at the end of the

day it’s this community of strangers. No matter

if it’s a concert or the feedback for a song.

People really gain power through your music

and then, all of a sudden, there is a deeper

meaning in what you’re doing – and then you

get motivation. Sometimes we’re locked in

this room of artists and music business but

Michi from next door, she feels it differently.

And then, all of a sudden, you get this inspiration,

and it really makes sense. There’s a

deeper energy and it’s not about you or me,

it’s about us. There is this universal energy,

whether it’s a melody, whether it’s lyrics,

you just put it together and the song goes out

there and people really get energy from it. So,

you feel like you’re making this place a better

place through the music.

Right! You know that this thought and so

many more aspects of this album resonated

with me so much. When I listened, I felt like

“Yes, man, that is it!” and that’s what I loved

so much about the record. The second track

is no less emotional. It’s I’ll Be There, that you

dedicated to your wife of 20 years now, also

your musical companion Tamika. How did she

react when she first heard the song?

She loved it. She loved it! In five years, we

will have the Silver Wedding Anniversary.

Yes, right. Wow!

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INTERVIEW GENTLEMAN

You remember back in the days, the Silver

Wedding Anniversary was that celebration

where there was a bunch of old people…

(Laughs) Yes, right!

We actually married in 2005, we got together

in 2000. It’s been a long time and I really, really

appreciate her. So, love songs will always

be in my catalogue. And then Meleku, the

son of Sizzla came in… Don Corleon built

that riddim and when he sent me the riddim,

I loved it, and I reached out to Meleku. He

voiced the hook line and sent it to me, and it

was such an effortless thing, it just happened

without thinking. It was just a vibe! Because

everybody needs somebody to hug, somebody

to love, somebody to kiss. Big up King

Shango!

How does it feel when you sit down, and you

create a song for someone so special?

It feels nice. There is a deeper meaning, and

I think people can identify with it. First of

all, you don’t do music because you want

to please anybody. But if you can manage

that, people really dig it, people really feel

it because they can identify with it, then it

becomes magic.

It’s not really us; it’s an energy in the

universe. Without Tamika the whole path

wouldn’t be how it is right now. She was

there from day one. It’s a blessing to have

somebody who really understands you on different

types of levels. Sometimes you can just

live together under the same roof, and you

give each other space, but she is the mother

of my child, she sings with me, we never piss

each other off… (Laughter)

Which is super important!

Sometimes we don’t agree but still we don’t

have to quarrel, have a bad vibe. We just

leave each other then… I think nowadays,

people give up too fast. The moment a little

problem arises, they just stop and give up.

It’s the same with the musicians, too, with

the band. I have worked with them for so

long and of course we have our troubles

and discrepancies but at the same time I

appreciate them so much. The longer you

do something together, the harder it is to go

two different ways. It’s a beautiful experience

and it’s all gratitude to be aware of

that unconditional togetherness without any

judgement. We know each other, we know

how the other person functions and that

takes time.

You mentioned Sizzla’s son Meleku. Another

very strong feature is the rather sinister What

If together with the powerful Queen Omega.

It’s a thought experiment. You question some

things we take as normal: What if we never

have no borders, no rules? If we never burn

fossil fuel? What if life is a prison and with

death you escape? What if the medicine you

need is a song? How did you come up with

these thoughts and ideas?

I always wanted to do a song with “What

if?! Imagine!” because we had this graffiti

“Imagine there’s a war and no one shows

up”.. That was actually the idea all along. I

told Claye about it and we reasoned. When

we started, the problem with the song was

that there were so many lyrics. We could

have done a 15-minute song where every

line starts with “What if”. I don’t know if

we are going to release it as a single, but

I think it’s a nice challenge for people to

give me your “What ifs”. Just imagine!

And the “What ifs” make you appreciate

the “What is”. That’s where the gratitude

comes in again. Because even if you put it

in a negative way: what if the world ends?

What if nuclear bombs drop on earth? Stuff

like that… then you start to appreciate the

“What is”. But the “What if” is the liberation

of the mind. It shows you how far we can

go. And then again, I always say it on stage,

too: It’s 2026 and we’re still alive! We still

make new music, we can still laugh, we still

get together with all the animosity, with all

the fuckery that’s happening in this world,

we can still have a vibe together, we can

meet on the same frequency. And the “What

if” is just to show you that the mind is super

wide.

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If you could fundamentally change one thing

in the system – what would it be?

Whoof! You’re not easy, Munchy. One

thing? I would appreciate it if people got

the awareness that 99.9% of our DNA is the

same in all humans. And everybody has

their story. Everybody has their background.

Everybody has a certain motivation to do

certain things. At the end of the day, it’s

unconditional love. We’re born in this world,

nobody has a bad intention. So, if I could

change something I would say drop the

ego! The ego has to fall and then we have to

listen to each other again. Even the political

situation right now; we should be able to listen

to the other opinion. I feel like there are

only two opinions right now: the own one

and the wrong one. If we manage to listen to

each other and try to understand. We don’t

have to agree on everything. It’s impossible.

But we can agree on enough things to create

a certain unity.

I think the fact that 99.9% of our DNA being

the same in all humans is what was also the

idea behind the song Unity. I just stumbled

upon this info lately when my kids were listening

to a podcast that said it. I was like “Yeah,

right, we’re all the same!”

But this 0.1% makes such a huge difference!

Crazy, right?!

It’s good that we have different points of

views, otherwise it would be so boring if we

all agree on the same level. But we don’t

have to war. I feel like humanity is moving

in a cycle. There’s too much liberalism and

then all of a sudden, the fascism comes back.

Then they realise this doesn’t work, then that

comes back again… At the end of the day the

time is limited. So, we can go in our microcosmos

and create a world and show love. This

is where we, the musicians, singers, artists,

the community of strangers come in. This is

the power of music, people coming together.


My audience is super diverse. They have

different points of view about different things

but at the same time they find a frequency.

It’s crazy right now, Munchy!

It is crazy! But did you know though, that we

also share 50% of our DNA with a banana?

(Laughter) But speaking of percentages…

did you know that when your child is 12

years old, you spent 75% of your time with

your child already? Because then they

spend more times with their friends, they

move out…

That’s really sad!

Yeah, but it’s the same with evanescence.

Once you’re aware of it you appreciate

the here and now much more. You cannot

change it; it’s just like that. But you can

build up this connection, and you can

spend time with your kids before they get

out. And then we create a better tomorrow,

too. I think this new generation, if you go

to Kingston, you now see fathers with the

baby carriage. One generation ago, even

my father, he’s a very nice guy, but his

generation was still like “I bring the bread

to the table and mama does the education”.

When I was in Jamaica for three

months and I called him “Hey daddy, it’s

me” he was “Come, talk to your mama”.

That mindset is changing right now, it’s

a beautiful thing. A lot of good things are

happening right now, too.

True! We already mentioned Meleku and

Queen Omega, but on the record, you welcome

even more guests: Richie Campbell,

Milaa, Collie Buddz, Chris Martin, Capleton,

Claye, Jahmiel, Nico Santos, and Michael

Patrick Kelly. What a cast! Why did you pick

these people to come on board? Are those the

good people you want to surround yourself

with? Or did you go for the musical aspect?

Well, both. I wouldn’t do a song with someone

I don’t feel, personally. The musical

respect alone is not enough. There are so

many artists that I respect musically and

then I met them, and I felt like “OK, it’s not

happening”. For me, it’s very important that

we have a vibe together because to make

music together is a very, very intimate thing.

And it’s always best to look at the positive

side of things.

You still have to look at the negative, to be

aware. You have to arm yourself, be ready.

I don’t know if it’s getting wickeder. I think

things are just more exposed. When you

look at the Middle Ages, they burned women

because they had red hair…

Yeah, just the other day I told my children!

Those were wicked times!

It’s just more exposed now. I don’t think it’s

getting worse, it’s just a different point of

view.

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INTERVIEW GENTLEMAN

Me nuh take it fi joke. Because people are

not stupid. They know when the chemistry

is real or not. So, that was always important

to me. Any collaboration, there was always

a vibe with that artist. But another aspect is

that it had to happen very naturally. We both

feel the song, we both feel the lyrical content,

we both have time. It’s so many aspects that

come together. But everything happened

super naturally and super effortlessly.

The last thing was with Chris Martin. I had

that song as a solo song already, but I was

like “Cho, it needs something, it needs

another voice”. I was thinking about him

and she and this and that… and then all of a

sudden, I said “Chris Martin!”. And that was

two days before we had to deliver the master!

Very short timing… I called Chris and said

“Yo Chris, I have a song, and I hear you on

it. The only problem is you have to voice it

yesterday”. (laughter) I sent him the song, he

said he loved it and got goosebumps. And I

said “Yeah, but can you manage to deliver

it after tomorrow?”. And then 1.5 hours

later he sent me the files. He is so professional!

After To The Top and our history of going

on tour together… I really love this dude. He’s

such a genuine person, such a good singer!

We match so nice! That was actually the last

song as far as the features are concerned.

And not only the feature guests are impressive.

For producers you had Clayton “Claye”

Morrison, Jopez and no other than Don

Corleon. This is something like a full-circle

moment, that you finally worked with Don

again. How was it like after all these years?

He did the Finally riddim, where I heard

Meleku the first time, too. He sent me the

riddim and he sent me the songs that he

voiced already and I fell in love with the

riddim. He said “Gentleman, it would be

nice to have you on the juggling!” and

every time Corleon asks me to do my part

of a juggling, I’m doing it. You cannot reject

Don Corleon. We have this chemistry since

years. I voiced the song, I sent it to him and

the selection was beautiful. Then, all of a

sudden, we had this contact again. So, by the

time I got over my doubts and over my feeling

of stopping, I talked to him. I told him “You

know, Don, cho, me get tired ah di ting.

Me nuh know… make me just step back”.

And he said “Noooo man, how you mean?!

Step back?!” It was the same asClaye, who

said “Let’s have fun again!”. Don and Claye

actually inspired me again. And Daddy

Rings, of course, is always a part of it. Being

vulnerable is also a big piece of gratitude, too.

And accepting the fact that you are vulnerable,

that’s when another door opens. If you

try to fight against it, it’s not going to work.

But if you allow yourself to even talk about it

and say “Yo, I feel a little depressed, I don’t

feel no vibes, I don’t know, man, I’m not

good enough, I don’t know if the people dig

my stuff”. But you start to talk about it then

you get motivation from the right people.

And then Don said “Alright, hold on, me

ah send you five riddim right now”.. And

Claye said the same. One night, I had ten

instrumentals. And Claye said “You don’t

have to release it. Just voice something,

for yourself! Nobody has to hear it”. That’s

when the pressure came off and I heard this

music and I was in love with it and I started

voicing, creating melodies and lyrical ideas.

Then Corleon told me to check Keely, “this

wicked songwriter”: “If you and him a

link, ah murder!” I checked Keely, told him

my ideas, gave him my melodies and the

pieces came together. Claye came to Mallorca,

we met in the studio and all of a sudden,

it was a bunch of good songs! Without even

feeling the pressure of people liking it or not.

Through working with people like Don

Corleon, Daddy Rings, Claye, Capleton, Chris

Martin – people that you spar with for so,

so many years – but also through songs

like Warrior, that reminded me of the early

Gentleman dancehall vibe, of how much I

loved Heat of the Night on Trodin’ On, through

all of this I feel like Gratitude felt like this free

thing again from back in the days. Not like

conceptualising and thing… Would you agree

to that?

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INTERVIEW GENTLEMAN

Exactly! 100%. I’m glad that you see it like

that because that’s exactly how it was. Don

sent me one bag of roots riddims. I said

“Yeah, everything’s nice but I want something

bouncy”. Something that kicks, where

the beat’s stripped down to the bass and the

treble, like a Showtime kind of vibe. Even

Meska said that it’s coming back. They call

it shatta. I don’t know about shatta, it’s 90s

dancehall. I think two hours later, at three

o’clock in the morning he sent me this riddim

and I was like “Bomboclaat”. That’s a song

with bare vibes, rhymes with no meaning

behind. It doesn’t always have to have that

deep message. Sometimes it’s just a vibe

thing! I started to write a little thing, created

a melody and then got Keely into it again to

spice it up. It’s wonderful when you have a

team! After you put your personal thoughts

into it, they spice it up. That’s where it

becomes magic. But you have to open up; if

you put your ego in it “Me fi write it alone”

you go on this repeat mode. So, with Keely

one and one came together. And yeah, it’s

like Leave Us Alone, Runaway too… This old

school dancehall vibe!

Also voicing a song on Di Genius’ Hill & Gully

riddim with Nah Worry is a return to the

Jamaican side of your music and the concept

of jugglings with multiple artists voicing the

same riddim, that is gaining popularity again.

Yes, it comes back sweet and comes back

very selected. Also, with the WYFL riddim.

When I heard that riddim and I thought,

OK, there is something going on, there is

a vibration going on. I felt the riddim and

my thoughts of trying to please everybody,

they stopped. I immediately created a vibe,

put it online and the feedback was crazy! It

was super crazy! I put like 16 bars, just for

fun. I took it as a challenge, did my 16 bars,

put it online and then all of a sudden, Spice

wrote me in my DM saying “Bomboclaat,

ah wha dis?!” I got a lot of love from yard. I

felt like it’s the biggest thing I got from yard

in a long time and I felt inspired. I linked

Genius because we did a song together, back

in the days I was in his studio in Miami. He

answered the phone right away and said “Yo,

Gentleman, that thing mad, you know?!

Yeah man, you have to do the full song!”

That’s actually the next single after the one

with Michael Patrick Kelly. It’s going to be

released around the end of July. We did a video

for it. But the riddim, I feel like right now

the good dancehall music is coming back.

Musically you included not only classic

“Gentleman-like” reggae and dancehall, but

you touch a trap dancehall kind of vibe for

Same Struggle with Richie Campbell, slow

paced dubby reggae on So Good, some easy

island pop for Open My Eyes featuring Chris

Martin… a whole variety of genres and styles.

What is the glue that holds it all together?

Me! (laughter) I just follow my vibe, I do

what I feel. If you look at my catalogue it was

always versatile. There was never just a one

drop or just a dancehall thing. There was the

trap, and the hip hop and the collabs that I

did. For me, it’s whether I feel it or not. This

was the motivation, the inspiration. We started

to produce a one drop riddim with Claye

and somehow that didn’t go further. Chronic

Law was the inspiration, he said “Bomboclaat,

come mek we do some dancehall

trap kinda ting!” Then Claye went to the

keyboard and played the first sounds, and

I was like “Bomboclaat, that’s nice and

fresh!” And then Richie Campbell came

to Mallorca because he did a documentary. I

was a part of it. So I said, “You know, Richie,

I have a song, and I hear you on it”. Then

he came to the studio and everything happened

very naturally, Munchy. There was no

plan behind it.

Is that what you meant when you called Gratitude

an “anti-concept album”?

Gratitude is like the acceptance of things

whether it goes your way or not. When I

accept to be vulnerable it opens the door for

other experiences. But if you have too much

plan behind it you automatically reduce your

options. What I mean with anti-concept is:

whatever works, whatever makes you feel

vibrant, that’s it. Don’t stick to no plan! I

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INTERVIEW GENTLEMAN

wanted to put 12, 13 songs, a classic album

thing. But I had like 24 songs. Just give them

more songs! It ended up with 17 songs.

Nothing was really planned. I think a concept

album is when you plan something before

you’re doing it. Gratitude always changed its

path. It always took a different turn but at the

end of the day it’s still me. Because I mean it.

Let’s revisit the first day in the studio when

Claye said to you “Let’s have fun again!”

What did this sentence do to you? Was that

the moment to pick up the brush and paint a

brand-new start as you sing in When The Sun

Goes Down?

(Laughter) Nice turn, Munchy! Claye is a

very, very good friend of mine, really fair.

You don’t have a lot of people that you really

express your innermost to. Daddy Rings

is one of them, too. I had this moment of “I

think that’s it, man. I had my time. New

artists are coming in, the music business

changed, I can’t keep up…”. Most of those

old school artists are wack if they try to keep

up. There must be a time to say “OK, that’s

it. It was fine. Let it go, man”.. Then Claye

was the one who said “Yeah, but that’s not

the point. The point is not to please people”.

When I read Rick Rubin’s book where he said

that one artist – he doesn’t mention the name,

but I think it was Prince – came to Rick

Rubin and said “I don’t feel it anymore”.

Then Rick said to him “Alright, then don’t

do it”.. The moment you decide not to do it, it

immediately changes. It’s always this pressure

and this thought of reduction when you feel

like you’re only doing it for the people. But

the ancient vibe of a newcomer, the “I don’t

give a fuck” kind of thing, it disappeared. And

then you become this veteran artist who is full

of experience, which is a good thing, too. But

if you manage to combine these things, the

spirit of a newcomer and the experience of the

veteran, then it becomes magic.


I don’t define myself as Gentleman alone.

This is my luck. I define myself as a father,

as a brother, as an uncle, as a friend. This

Gentleman thing is one part of my whole life

story. I really tell you the truth, of course I

would appreciate it if people embraced it and

if it’s high in the charts but if not, really from

the bottom of my heart, it’s OK, it’s fine. The

peak was 2004/2005 with these big venues.

Now it’s a healthy downsizing.

There are many deep messages on this new

album, a lot I could identify with, which I

loved about the record as I told you. If you

had to pick one of them and could make that

phone call to yourself like you also sing in

When The Sun Goes Down, to yourself in the

period when you didn’t feel like making music

again: what would you tell that Gentleman

from before Gratitude?

I think it would be the last song, also Lion

and What If, because What If is super deep

in a way of imagination and that everything

is super small in this whole wide universe. At

the end of the day, it’s “Be real to yourself!”

It sounds a little cliché, but goosebumps

never lie. Anytime you feel something that’s

real you can’t pretend. And the people feel

it, too. They’re not stupid. They know if you

mean something. And they know exactly

the motivation behind. Why did you do that

song, is a very essential question. Did you

do it because you want to be on the charts?

Did you do it because you want to please

that type of group? Did you do it because you

want to be on the radio? If you do it because

it makes you a better man, it fulfils you and

you become in tune with yourself, then it’s

real and then it doesn’t matter what the

outcome is. Actually, it’s the whole album. My

gratitude was that I got thirsty again. I felt

the drive again. Vulnerability. Acceptance.

When you accept being vulnerable, it opens

up so many doors. Then the strength comes

back because we are all human beings. If you

think too much, you lose your innocence, you

lose that vibe of being light that people want

to feel. It’s a process.

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When I asked you earlier about the glue that

holds it all together on the album and you

said “It’s me”. To me it’s also you being real.

Exactly. Being real you have to be honest to

yourself and try to listen to your inner voice.

But of course, you’re on the battlefield out

there, because you really express yourself

and you have to deal with the fact that people

won’t like it and people have a different

opinion.

Right, but in this case, I think people are going

to love it. I don’t think you have to worry

about it. (laughter) I really did love it. Tilmann,

thank you so much for talking to me about

Gratitude today and thank you for sharing

your thoughts with us through this album. I’m

very happy to see you like that, making music

again and being happy with it. It feels good!

When we talk about being real and being

honest, look how long you, Munchy, been

doing it now. And I still see that passion in

your eyes with every interview. You still

love it. If you reached a moment when you

couldn’t bother, you wouldn’t do it. Give

thanks! Really, from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks for the support and I hope I see you

soon!

ALBUM REVIEW GENTLEMAN 131

GENTLEMAN - GRATITUDE WARNER MUSIC - AUGUST 28, 2026

Y’all have heard about

concept albums, right,

but what about the opposite

- an anti-concept

album? Well, I hadn’t, not

until reading the press

release of Gentleman’s

new album Gratitude.

“No plan, no ego, no pressure”

it says about the

creation of this 17-track

opus, “Only the genuine

urge to make these

songs”.

“These songs” were made

with passion, experience, talent and, most of all,

good friends and musical companions. On the

production side, people like Clayton “Claye”

Morrison (who also appears with Jahmiel on

Fireflies), Don Corleon and Jopez guarantee

a wide variety of sounds, from the laid-back So

Good via raw dancehall in Warrior and new

roots in Never Fail to the modern, trap-infused

sounds of Unity.

The latter is the second single release, out right

after Lion, which opens the album. A classic

Corleon reggae piece, the pondering lyrics have

been created together with Matthew Keely, the

newest addition to the family. He thus inherits the

rookie status from Milaa, a young singer who has

worked with Gentleman since 2025 and here introduces

her soulful voice on Show Me A Sign.

Most other tracks feature well-known names of

the genre. Collie Buddz shares in a wholehearted

praise of the value of real Friends, while

Christopher Martin reasons together with

Gentleman about the importance of gratitude in

Open My Eyes – not quite a title track, but close!

The fast-paced Same Struggle invites Richie

Campbell to the mic and, equally tempo-ed

but in dancehall mode, the great King Shango

aka Capleton is heard in

They Don’t Care. Fire!

With Queen Omega, a

powerful female artist

joins the gentle man in

What If, inviting us to

a mental experiment of

imagining a different, a

better world.

As long-time buddies

from Germany, Nico

Santos enriches Bypass

The Sorrow and

Michael Patrick Kelly

lends his angelic vocals

to Wildfire, released as third single alongside

a sun-drenched video. Speaking about angels:

dedicated to his wife Tamika, Gentleman recorded

I’ll Be There together with Sizzla’s son

Meleku, whose name means “his angel” in Amharic.

A personal highlight, the joyful Nah Worry combines

the mento history of Jamaican music with

current trends (Di Genius’ remake of the Hill &

Gully riddim!) and Gentleman’s unique ability

to dive into the culture he so endorses, both linguistically

and lyrically, and just flowwww – a

little breathless from the sheer speed. “Buckle

your belt, it’s a rocky ride!”

Perfect closure to this refreshing trip through

the different facets of Gentleman, the final

When The Sun Goes Down starts completely

acoustic, leaving the focus on the artist’s voice

and his message. Listen keenly! To sum up, this

new album is a beautiful expression of how good

it feels to be alive, and to be grateful for that.

In the artist’s own words, Gratitude “is about

becoming aware of the transience of life. About

appreciating the little things and the rare joy of

being fully present in the moment.”

by GARDY STEIN

INTERVIEW

BUJU BANTON

TOO TOO BAD

INTERVIEW BUJU BANTON 133

MUSIC FROM THE HEART


PHOTOS BY JAMIE CRAWFORD-WALKER

Buju Banton is throwing a grand dancehall

celebration on Rub-A-Dub Crescent, and the

whole world is invited. With the grace of a

master storyteller and the spirit of a cultural

ambassador, he rekindles the rich heritage of

his homeland, guiding listeners on a vibrant

journey through Jamaica’s musical history –

from the roots of Real Rock in the 1960s to

the stripped-back, hypnotic riddims of today.

The result is a dazzling, ever-evolving experience:

exhilarating, deeply authentic, and

triumphantly realised. This dancehall night

unfolds like a brilliant fireworks display of

Buju Banton’s unmistakable style. Elevated

by his immense musical gifts, enriched by

decades of experience, and guided by a rare

sensitivity to the spirit and concerns of the

times, this album stands as a remarkable celebration

of both tradition and renewal. The

Gargamel spoke with Munchy about the record,

its roots, influences, and collaborators.

You are about to present to us your latest musical

offering, the album entitled Too Too Bad,

a title that speaks for itself, meaning actually

very very good. A typical Jamaican saying

going along with a typical Jamaican cover

artwork, which looks like the advertising for

a classic dancehall party, a ladies’ night on

Rub-A-Dub Crescent starting at 8pm, with

refreshments on sale – the whole works. Why

did you go for that classic design and what

do you appreciate the most about a good oldschool

dance?

This is rather nostalgic in the sense that it

captures the essence of where we truly come

from from a dancehall perspective and what

our culture has emerged from. A lot of people

in this generation and this dispensation from

year 2000 until now, I don’t think they had

that experience to see what our creativity

brought and how it meant so much to us to

have this authentically done, to just see that

and the colourful displays. To me, it’s to tap

into the nostalgic feeling of reggae music,

dancehall music and show the world from

whence we cometh.

You kick it off with We Nuh Play and a good

portion of 80s dancehall taken from Junjo

Lawes’ Diseases riddim. Why did you go for

that instrumental in particular?

The Diseases riddim is a riddim that was

very popular when I was a kid. (Sings) “Min’

Jah lick yuh wid diseases”. We always try to

carry our culture with us. There are certain

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INTERVIEW BUJU BANTON

foundation riddims that speak to us innately.

They’d be missing, if I should leave them

behind. I have to always remind the people

of the rich culture that this music possesses.

So, you hear a Driver on the Taxi riddim,

you hear something on the M.P.L.A. riddim,

and so on and so forth… What we do, we

bridge the generation gap. We always have

to do it.

You were eight years old when that juggling

was first released. Do you recall that time of

your youth in the 80s and what role dancehall

played in that early stage of your life?

Dancehall was a pivotal role in the early stage

of my life because I lived across the road

from where a sound system would string up

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and the very

reverberation from the bass would shake the

very foundations of the house unmistakably.

So it is an ingrained part of our culture before

it has morphed into what it is now. Those

riddims are indelible, they made an impression

and it’s lasting even to this day. I want to

remind the people about the richness of our

culture, so I would go and dabble in things

that I know did something for me inside here.

(points to his heart) Hopefully, they feel it,

too.

Yeah man, they must feel it. We Nuh Play already

sets the tone of confidence and that is

taken to the next level in the following FAFO,

an acronym for “Fuck around and find out”,

warning people that they will face consequences

for their behaviour. Or as Jamaicans

would probably put it: “Dem cyan ramp wid di

Gargamel!”

It’s a general statement, you know? Because a

lot of people don’t know until they know. And

then it’s too late. We try to warn you before

you go do something stupid or something

silly, then you gotta fuck around and find

out. But this is also a part of what dancehall

represents, to bring modern day verbiage into

play and put it in our vernacular. Just word

play and relate to the masses from a different

level, a different standpoint because that is

the true essence of dancehall to be relevant.

So, it is more of an image, so to speak? A

symbol of confidence rather than what it

literally means?

No, no, we never try to make our music hurt

people. That’s never our intent and there is a

jovial side to the track as well. So, do not take

it so literal, I beg you.

Alright, we won’t then. For Eye To Eye – one

of my favourites by the way - a hypnotic

dancehall banger catering to the ladies. You

worked with Silent Addy and Disco Neil,

known as Bashment Sound who also produced

Shake It To The Max. How did you get

to collaborate and what do you appreciate

about their minimalistic, bass-heavy type

of beats?

Their minimalistic approach to me is

something that I can appreciate but it still

keeps the essence, and the core relevance

of what dancehall truly represents. I aim to

bring new blood to the musical arena, and

I’ve been working with people all my life.

Some have passed on. In order for us to keep

this going you always have to introduce those

who are doing good things to the forefront.

And I mean, I’m not introducing Silent

Addy, I’m just working with them to create

the same synergy that we want for the music.

Working with young people is always great

because we’ll never stop raising champions.

We don’t kill champions, we raise them. Raise

them up!

Yeah man, I love that spirit. Speaking of

producers who created quite a stir lately,

of course, you couldn’t leave out your

contribution to the WYFL riddim by DJ Mac

and CrashDummy which is entitled X Rated.

This riddim, and also the Hill & Gully riddim

by Di Genius, finally ignited the excitement

over jugglings in dancehall again. I think

jugglings are something so significant to

dancehall and I was really missing the

hype over jugglings rather than individual

singles. How do you view the concept of

multiple artists voicing one instrumental

and the importance of this being a typical

element of Jamaican music?


136


Supa Dups is a major contributor. We work

very closely together because we are very

close in proximity in terms of local. That

provides us with a modicum of freedom to

experience and experiment with the musical

feels. So, we did a lot of work together and

I want to say nuff thanks to Theron, Supa

Dups. I want to say nuff thanks to Dave Kelly

as well. I want to say nuff thanks to Silent

Addy, Dready, Taranchyla, the whole crew,

J.L.L. and the guys. We all make it possible.

This is a beautiful body of work and I’m

willing to represent it because I know it’s a

beautiful body of work.

The foundation was always a situation where,

when you play a particular beat, you could

accompany that beat with more than one

composition. It does something to the master,

your different vocal arrangements on the

same beat. It does something for the culture,

like a selection, you’re playing five songs

on this particular beat that resonates with

the masses. That was always a treat, that

people would find their favourite here, people

would find their favourite there. It’s also an

important aspect of where the dancehall is

coming from. We appreciate that and we love

the fact that that project incapsulates all that.

And a lot of brothers in the industry were willing

to lend their talent to make sure it was a

success.

Yes, we love their contribution. Speaking of

contributors… some people actually contributed

pretty much to your album: Suku from

Ward 21 did at least two riddims and Supa

Dups of Black Chiney produced a whole lot…

It’s wonderful that you’re shining a light on all

the individuals that contributed to the album.

What do you appreciate the most about the

vibes that, for example, Supa Dups creates?

Every one of these individuals is special in

their own unique way and what they bring is

not something that they replicate. It’s their

innate creativity on display. So, each one

must be viewed in the prism of how they

presented themselves and that’s what we did.

We just allow people to be free. When we’re

making music, it’s not a straitjacket procedure,

it’s more fun. If music is made with that in

mind, then the outcome is always much more

pleasant.

We haven’t mentioned one producer yet, who

is also like a feature guest: DJ Khaled is on

board of Too Too Bad. I was very excited to

discover that on the track with him, Wild Woman,

you blended in elements from Notch’s

Nuttin Nuh Go So on the Buy Out riddim. Who

decided to re-work this piece?

That was a song that hit it in the 90s. I don’t

think I ever got a chance to really and truly

express how I felt about that track, so now I

got an opportunity to remake it. It’s my first

time doing that actually. But it was a great

experience, and I love how the end result

turned out. It’s beautiful!

You included all sort of songs for the ladies:

love songs, sexy and sensual tracks, songs

of praise or empowerment, and you also

138


featured two women. On Down To Ride we

hear rising star Jaz Elise. Why did you invite

her on the album? What do you value about

her talent?

It is my duty to bring new life, new voices,

new faces, new presence, to usher in the next

generation. Someone has to do it. She has

a beautiful voice, and she was able to bring

this song home. I want the world to share

the joy that I experienced on this track. And

she killed it, she absolutely killed it. What

can I say?! I have to be the person who does

what he does. I can’t explain it. It just has to

happen.

Is Down To Ride the Action 2.0?

No, no. “She loves taking care of flowers and

such, a good night out, dinner date can’t

too much, a man that’s smooth…” no, that’s

something that’s speaks to the tenderness

that women require. How she wants to be

treated, how she wants to be cared for, how

she wants to be loved, how she wants to be

admired, how she wants to be respected.

This has nothing to do with Action 2.0, this

is much more different, much more heart, a

dancehall serenade. It reminds me more of a

song like Twice My Age with Shabba Ranks

and Krystal. That would be a more fitting

comparison to make.

The next female feature is US American R’n’B

singer Ari Lennox. How do you know her and

why did you invite her on this very gentle and

intimate love ballad?

Ari Lennox is a beautiful soul. She invited

me to work on her album with her, and I did a

song called Company. That act was reciprocated

when she came and did something for

my album. But how it came about, how it all

happened, is mystical. People in the music industry,

we are one family. We have to connect

and foster the unity even beyond the musical

borders that separate us, whether it’s R’n’B,


hip hop, rock, country. We all have one thing

in common: country music, hip hop music,

rock music, R’n’B music, reggae MUSIC,

and that music signifies that we are one big

family. So, the coming together with other entertainers

might not happen immediately but

through the passage of time, it will manifest.

And those manifestations will bear good fruit.

This is the perfect example of such a manifestation.

Ari Lennox is a lover of dancehall

reggae music, but she has not been in the

culture. So, I want to introduce her to what

we do. It’s just more love for reggae music.

Butterflies is another track undeniably for the

female fanbase, that has been released already

and was received extremely well. Many

call it the track for the summer 2026. Tell me

when you wrote the song and who inspired

this beautiful piece?

This song was inspired by just looking at the

industry, looking at the way music is being

made and there was a void. No one was

singing about the beautifulness of the female

gender. No one was praising or uplifting the

women. It was always something that you

have to question what the person is thinking

about. And I’m saying to myself: love is the

key! Without love in the music, we’re gonna

have nothing but chaos. Let us celebrate the

foundation of the music, because the women

are very pivotal. They are instrumental and

fundamental to us because without them, the

dance cannot be nice. The event cannot be an

event. Butterflies came out of a necessity to

celebrate the females. To let them know how

beautiful and how loved they are in this time.

Jamaica and was very instrumental in the

foundation of the reggae music coming up.

We want to always bring these great sounds

back, like I said earlier.

The album closes with a grand finale, Power

featuring Gramps Morgan. This song is brimming

with self-confidence and a sense of power,

over a massive, lumbering beat. Tell me

why you chose to do such a song together?

People think power is with the people who

are actually the fiduciaries, but the power

really lies with the people. The people have

surrendered their power and have relinquished

their rights to a lot of things. Some

based on fear, some based on security, some

based on what boogeyman created out of

nowhere, false narrative perpetrated by a

mass propaganda system to usher fear and

all these things. So, the people slowly and

gradually lose their power. We grow up with

That is reflected in the music so wonderfully!

Why did you choose to incorporate the classic

Real Rock riddim in the instrumental?

I love the Real Rock riddim immensely. The

Studio One production from back in the

60s/70s is something that laid the foundation

of Jamaican music. Even though it was

adapted by Henry “Junjo” Lawes, it was first

created by “Sir Coxsone” Clement Dodd,

and Jackie Mittoo also played on it back in

the days. He was a Cuban that migrated to

140


the narrative that the voice of the people is

the voice of God. If 10,000 people gather in

one place and reach out and say “God help

us”, that frequency alone will usher and help.

The voice of the people is truly the voice of

God Almighty. So, the power really belongs to

the people. Someone has to remind them. But

we come to you in a dancehall way because

back in the days when the dancehall was

such a vibe you would hear very explosive

sounds. Not something that we’re celebrating

but it’s a part of where we’re coming

from. Yes, we have moved away from that in

some sense. But reminding the people how

powerful they are. Reminding the young men

to look around. Don’t you see there is only

death, destruction and mayhem? Rise up and

take control of your environment, your space

and rule your destiny! Don’t become stuck!

You have the power!

I hope that creating this awareness and

reminding people will do something to the

listeners and also others.

Dancehall music beats and teaches, you

know?! We beat you and we teach you at the

same time. (laughter)

Were there any particular experiences, challenges,

or current events that influenced the

songwriting and the theme of this album?

There are always challenges. The person

who doesn’t have any challenges is the one

who is diseased. The person who is alive

will always have challenges.

My records are not based on challenges;

they are based on an experience of joy. I

want it to resonate with the masses on a

different level. I’m not coming through like

everyone else. This album is a stark contrast

to what you have been listening to.

In what period of time did you create the

album?

This album was made in over a year. What

happened was, I made my record before.

Then I came to the Americas and I was listening

to it and it didn’t resonate. I went back

in the studio and I remade my whole record

with some different producers.

Wow! Amazing! What message do you want

your fans to take away from Too Too Bad?

The message from Too Too Bad is that we

have a culture that we must protect. We have

a culture that’s rooted not only in wining,

gyrating and bloodletting. But one that is

ingrained in fun, laughter, thought-provoking

issues.

To make you feel like you want to hug the

person close to you and say “I love you”. We

are trying to let the people come back into

that moment through the music and also

giving you food for thought.

If you were actually hosting a party, would

this album be your soundtrack of choice?

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I’m a musicologist as well and let me tell you

this. This one is different from everything

that you are listening to currently. And when

you listen to this and you go back to listen to

what you’re listening to currently, you ask

yourself “What was I listening?!”. And you

come back to this again because you’re hearing

a texture that has been missing. You’re

hearing a frequency and a cadence that has

been missing, a delivery, you’re hearing a

bassline that has been missing. Not anymore!

(laughs) It’s just too too bad.

Seen! The people must be excited to listen to

this body of work! If you could add just one

song by any artist to your party soundtrack,

which track is an absolute must-play on Buju

Banton’s Too Too Bad dancehall party?

Shabba Ranks! (sings) “Love punany bad,

love punany bad” (laughs) At every party!

Apart from the album you have another

exciting thing to look forward to. You are

about to embark on the Roots and Rhymes

Tour together with Stephen Marley. Are you

excited?

Yes! I am absolutely excited because reggae

music deserves to be out there and what

better way to do it than with people you

share something in common with which

is the bond of music. This is great for the

music, great for the culture, great for Buju

Banton, great for Stephen Marley, great

for the fans. So, we look forward to touring

out there!

Also, we’re coming up on the two-year anniversary

of Buju Banton performing in UBS

Arena. July 17 th the album comes out but the

18 th we shall be in the UBS Arena to give

you a blast!


That should be wicked! What is the Roots and

Rhymes Tour going to be like?

The Roots and Rhymes Tour is going to

be packaged like a professional tour should.

Stephen Marley shall present himself and

Buju Banton shall also make a presentation.

It’s not something we want to elaborate

much about because you need to witness it.

We want the people to share this experience

with us live and direct! Come!

Can you bring that to Europe sometime as

well?

Yes, hopefully, hopefully! When the time and

the opportunity present itself, it’s my desire to

share the music upon the continent of Europe

and even the continent of Africa, Asia and

beyond.

When you watch a show by Stephen, what is

the element or song you look forward to the

most?

When I immerse myself in watching my

brother’s performance I look from an artistic

perspective. I’m more eager to know that everything

is sounding great, the keys and so on…

It’s a beautiful thing to witness a next person

do their stuff whether it’s in a Jamaican setting

or an American setting. If you’re an artist you

appreciate art, you appreciate another person’s

presentation.

Is there something you would say you learned

from Stephen while working together?

We always learn from each other. There is no

situation where you don’t. If you come to this

table with your glass full then you have already

lost. Your glass got to be half empty so that the

possibility exists that you might get a little bit

more inside of it. So, each one, teach one, and

together we all ascend. It shall be epic!

I’m sure! I’m sad I am missing out on this! You

should bring this to Europe, or what you should

also do… You know, I have asked both you and

Stephen already, but let me ask you again now

– to put on a little pressure on (laughs): When

are you going to drop an album together?

144


All that is in the making, through the

passage of time you shall be serenaded with

musical compositions that you never even

thought you’d have gotten. I’m not letting

the cat out of the bag but you’re on the right

course… (laughs)

(Laughter) That is enough for me. But for now,

we have Too Too Bad to fulljoy and get excited

about. Buju, all the very best for this album

coming up and thank you for speaking to me

about it.

I thank you very much!

OK, wow! See, I’m going to brace myself!

I’m not going to say more. All I will say that

you’re on the right path.

ALBUM REVIEW BUJU BANTON 145

BUJU BANTON - TOO TOO BAD VP MUSIC GROUP - JULY 17, 2026

“Welcome to Too Too Bad.

May your experience be

breathtaking!” (album liner

notes)

Buju Banton is back

with a new release, and

it’s not bad, not too bad,

but Too Too Bad! Released

as joint venture

of Gargamel Music

and VP Records, the

album brings 15 novel

tracks to your attention,

tracks that will set your

speakers on fire. Other

than the 2023 Born For Greatness, which was

almost exclusively focused on modern productions,

with traphall, gully, grime and whatnot,

this oeuvre is a return to dancehall’s golden

days (special shoutout to sign-painter Bug, who

gave the cover that nostalgic touch!).

Right from the start, We Nuh Play sets the tone

right on a fine Jermaine Reid remake of the Diseases

riddim which Buju rides with his unique

growl in deep patois. Another well-known quote

is heard in Wild Woman, which begins with

four lines of Notch’s banger Nuttin Nuh Go So.

The underlying Buy Out riddim, originally produced

by Tony “CD” Kelly, has here been refurbished

by none other than DJ Khaled, resulting

in a killer dancehall tune, a perfect playground

for the Gargamel’s voice.

Combining the best of the Real Rock riddim and

the iconic Love Sponge (has it really been 30

years since its release?), Butterflies is the kind

of love declaration that makes a lady’s knees go

weak, and while we’re in the mood, let’s hear the

saucy Good Good next. Bass-heavy and playful at

the same time, Buju’s delivery is top-notch, and

whoever added those slightly drunk pipes deserves

a medal – probably producer J.L.L. himself!

Up-to-the-minute riddims

are part of the album too,

of course. A hard-hitting,

brooding contribution

by Dready, the lyrically

explicit FAFO, an acronym

of “f**k around

and find out”, reminds

us that reckless behaviour

will have uncomfortable

consequences,

while Heavy Hitters is

all about representation.

As a logical continuation

of this profiling, House

Call invites all good-looking females to fill up

a party from rooftop and basement to the floor,

stating a bit shallowly that “Pretty girls need no

reservation”. Both Eye 2 Eye (produced by Bashment

Sound) and Good Pum Pum (produced

by André “Suku Ward” Gray, Supa Dups

and others) are fast-paced beats with explicit

descriptions of a woman’s – or rather women’s

– charms. Released in February, Buju’s take on

the viral WYFL riddim touches on a similar topic,

as does Like You.

Not only does he sing about the ladies though,

Buju also invited two female artists to sing with

him. First, it’s Jaz Elise testifying that she is

Down To Ride, another vibeful nod to the ‘90s

dancehall produced by Supa Dups and Di Genius.

Hands up who recognises that bass line!

The second feature is the young US-singer Ari

Lennox joining in on Satisfy Me, introduced

by the words “This is an emotional connection!”

Speaking of: Be Good shows the singer’s sentimental

side that hits deeper than some of the

slack tunes above, a welcome deceleration of the

album’s fast pace, just like the Gramps Morgan

feature Power that ends the album. Too Too

Bad indeed!

by GARDY STEIN

INTERVIEW

VYBZ KARTEL

CHANGE NOTHING!

INTERVIEW VYBZ KARTEL 147

GRATEFUL FOR THE JOURNEY


PHOTOS BY RILEY STRICKLAND & ACKIME SNOW

Vybz Kartel is, without question, one of

the most influential figures in contemporary

Caribbean music. With his deservedly

celebrated new album, God & Time, he not

only showcases his remarkable musical versatility

but also reveals sides of himself that

have long remained hidden from the public

eye. Through deeply personal reflections, he

offers an intimate portrait of both his spiritual

journey and the man he has become – at

peace with himself, uninterested in dwelling

on what might have been, and strengthened

by faith; a man who would rather dance

around in a bathrobe than worry about what

others think of him.

Yet Kartel’s love for dancehall remains as

vibrant as ever. The album is infused with

the sensuality, slackness, and confidence

that have always defined his artistry, while

an impressive lineup of guest appearances

and a diverse sonic palette further elevate

the project. The result is a body of work

that feels both introspective and celebratory,

mature yet unmistakably Kartel. How all of

this came together – and what exciting developments

lie ahead for him and his one-time

rival Mavado – was revealed in a surprisingly

candid, insightful, and often humorous

conversation with Munchy.

Your brand-new album God & Time came

out on June 5 th . You named it after a

Jamaican phrase that means “everything

happens according to divine timing”. An

expression that reflects patience and faith.

Why was this the right title for this chapter

of your life?

It was the right title for this chapter because

it’s a culmination of everything that I’ve

been through. Basically since birth, but going

through what I went through in prison… so

the album speaks to faith, it speaks to overcoming

tribulation, it speaks to adversity, and

it speaks to patience. So, it has to be God &

Time. Trust me, I think it’s a fitting name for

an amazing album.

It is truly amazing! What was the state of

mind, the mood you were in when you created

this album?

When I initially came out of prison I hadn’t

fully yet gathered my thoughts as to what I

actually went through. Very traumatic… Like I

said, the first rule of being a man to me is not

feeling sorry for yourself. So, I just allowed

myself time to breathe, to reacquaint myself

with the outside world and let my thoughts

gather in their own time. And then, over the

course of months, since I came to Miami, we

were recording, trying to piece the album

together and it culminated in this. So, my

mindset going in the album was; give people

an insight into the mind of Vybz Kartel while

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INTERVIEW VYBZ KARTEL

didn’t want to overdo it and make it not real.

It had to stay true to what we do which is

dancehall. I believe in God, I push God but

at the end of the day I still have to strike

that balance between the music, the art, the

faith. And I think we did well. So, for me –

to answer the question – it was natural. It’s

part of maturing.

I was going through incarceration. Through

songs like God and Time, through songs

like Watch Over Me. For me the album, even

though it has a lot of, I would say commercial

tracks, it still upholds that spirituality to it.

Because even in other songs I mention God.

“God please bless me; we’re making a child”

in the song with me and Wizkid. It’s all about

this faith-based lifestyle.

Both the first and the last track, God and Time

and Watch Over Me are deeply personal reflections.

You’re showing vulnerability in your

music, especially in dancehall where being

the tough one, the big badman is somewhat

omnipresent. Why would you say at this point

in life you are comfortable with showing how

you feel?

I think it has to do with maturity. Not

necessarily what I’ve been through, but just

if you’re a grown man. The person ten years

ago and the person today should be two

different men. You’ve lived ten extra years.

Your perspective should be different or at

least altered. For me, showing the vulnerable

side of Vybz Kartel was easy, was

natural, it was a natural process. Getting

it out artistically was the hard part. That’s

why we did it the way we did it, because we

You did this album with TJ White, the producer…

Yes! I mean, not “the producer”, that’s my

brother for decades! Who happens to be my

producer / manager. That’s family trust me.

Big up TJ! But we recorded the album in

different places with different people. Like

Red Boom, he’s an amazing engineer, he’s

also a friend. Chambah, he’s a young kid,

Capricorn like me, we’re actually born the

same day, amazing musician!

I’m a Capricorn too, by the way…

You?! OK, this is a goated conversation then,

yes! (laughter) So, that was the team. And I

had my friends’ support, moral support: Lenny

Matic was there, we’ve got to shout them

out, too. People that were around vibing. It

was teamwork, a team effort. The lyrics clearly,

it’s mine, but the energy is a team effort.

I know you know but let me add still: with

TJ, you do have the right person by your side.

I interviewed TJ in 2014 and in this conversation,

he told me that he had enough songs

to keep releasing Vybz Kartel music even if

it was the whole 30 years he would have to

push through. He was so determined to keep

your thing going, to push Kartel no matter

what. He is so loyal…

Yes, yes! And I mean teamwork, especially

when you’re doing stuff like music, does so

much more to the process. Because I’m not

just in this for a pay cheque, I’m not doing it

from 9 to 5. No, we’re in this 24/7. One of the

reasons Vybz Kartel has propelled to these

heights in dancehall without a major label,

and doing so much amazing things is the

team that I have around me. Big up the team,

big up TJ!

Speaking of people that are on board of this

project. The album brings together feature

artists from different generations, markets

and continents, like Farruko from Puerto

Rico, Wizkid from Nigeria, besides fellow

Jamaicans: Spice, Shenseea, Skillibeng and

Mavado. What was your vision behind the

guest list?

Like I said, it’s just maturity, understanding,

the abundance mindset, because

as you can see clearly Mavado is on the

album. Mavado and I have been rivals

for almost all of his career and for most of

mine. And look now, we have one of the biggest

songs on the album. Spice, that’s the

queen, that’s my sister. Farruko is someone

who always respects the culture, always

represented for the culture and I like his

songs. I can confess though, I don’t know

what he’s saying but that’s the joy with

music, you feel the intent behind it. It’s like

(sings) “Opa Gangam style”. I don’t know

what he’s saying - he’s probably saying “I

don’t like Vybz Kartel” - but the intent, the

passion he puts in the music... I actually

had the words written down, so I know

what he’s saying but it still hits different.

I don’t even want to know the words, just

the feeling. So, that’s one. Wizkid, that’s

my African brother. We already collaborated

on a big song; it has like 60/70 million

views on YouTube. Skillibeng is a protégé

of mine. I would say he’s one of my biggest

fans, who is an entertainer. So, if you notice,

the energy that I’m bringing towards the

album is one of just positivity, good energy,

good vibe, “Mavado, come on, let’s do a

big track! Shenseea, come on! Spice!” Two

controversial figures as it relates to them

and you know their thing who is the queen,

who is… You know what I mean?! You don’t

know, we have to represent for the queen

Spice, we have to bring the princess on

board to show the unity and that’s just the

whole idea behind the guest list.

Speaking of the unity and your song Hype Life

with Mavado. Was there a particular conversation

or moment that made this collaboration

feel possible?

Of course, he’s on my WhatsApp and I’m on

his WhatsApp. It’s deeper than that. We’re

not doing this for show. If it was for show I

would just come out and be the same Vybz

Kartel I was because it was profitable. All

I had to do was just chill and be the same

Vybz Kartel: start the feuds, do the gun

lyrics, create the controversy. I’m not about

150


that. This is real for me. So, yeah, Mavado is

on my phone, we speak regularly. And Frass,

his manager and TJ are also brothers. This is

no joke. God is the greatest and we’re outside

doing the thing for real.

The rivalry between you and Mavado defined

an entire era of dancehall…

Which is good, too. Don’t get it twisted. Rivalry

is amazing.

It has been a part of dancehall culture from

way back in the days, right. How do you

reflect on that chapter today?

I love it. It’s what brought me – and him

– to where we are and if you notice on the

song, this is my favourite part of the song

that he did when he says, “There will never

be another me or another you, millionaires

from the ghetto”. That line speaks volumes!

That feuding, that war in dancehall is what

elevated us not just financially, because we

put in the works so we knew the money

was going to come, but it elevated us

socially and it elevated us in a way where

we could take care of our family. And also,

it brought a big awareness dancehall that

I think never really happened until that

clash, where you have the whole of Africa

literally split in two like Gaza / Gully. That

brought so much awareness to dancehall

music and Jamaican culture. So, I have no

regrets where that is concerned. But just

for me now, I’m too old to be feuding, I

leave that to the kids. But nothing is wrong

with it as long as it’s kept peaceful and the

fans understand. I have no regrets as it

relates to me and Mavado and as you can

see this is the end result. We are still here

and we are closer together, more than ever

now. We actually live in the same State.

And you’re about to do your stage reunion

with Mavado, that is set for Reggae Sumfest

in Montego Bay first and then Freedom Street

Europe in Malta later this year…

Plus shows in America, too but I don’t want

to jump the gun, so let me not speak about it

but you heard it on… (whispers) you heard it

on Reggaeville now.

152


(Laughter) How is that going to be like? Are

you excited for the moment to go on stage

together?

Of course, of course, the last time we were on

stage together was in West Kingston where

we did the Peace Concert and we actually

unified then. That was crazy! That was like

50,000 people. I can imagine this year it’s

probably 100,000, I don’t know. It’s going

to be crazy. This is so big in the culture and

think about this, this is the kicker: So many

people who were a part of the original feud

but were too young to come to the shows,

now they’re at the perfect age. They’re in

their 20s, their early 30s. Plus, the ones that

could come that are like my age now, 50s,

late 40s. So, the demographic is going to be

crazy. A father and son can pull up!

On God & Time you present spiritual messages

and personal reflections, sensual tracks

for the ladies like Soft Girl Era or Stay For The

Night, genuine love songs like Some Days,

raw dancehall with I Like This Feeling or

Round And Round, the fusion of Latino music

and reggae on Casi Casi and so much more.

What songs were you most excited about to

finally share with the fans?

The collaborations and not just on an artistic

level. Because I’m a fan of music as well

and I have great respect and admiration for

artists that put the work in, so much so that

I recognise them. The same way I put the

work in and they recognise me. Case in point

Farruko, speaks Spanish, different culture,

everything. He understands and appreciates

Vybz Kartel, and vice versa. For me, I

would say the collaborations. The two most

important ones to me would be the Mavado

and the Farruko, only because: the Mavado,

the significance of the unity that I’m trying to

portray and the maturity. And the Farruko

because of the commercial value of us collaborating

between dancehall and reggaeton.


But yeah, the collaborations overall I would

be most excited about.

You know, one of my favourites is actually the

one with Spice…

I told TJ! I told him! Confessions! I told him, I

even told Spice… That’s one of my favourite

songs but I didn’t choose it when you asked

me about the most important ones because

of just the significance outside of the music

for the Mavado and the Farruko. But the

Spice?!? Bomboclaaaaaat…. Yoooo (laughs

and sings) “Hey Spice, how you so nice?!” I

love that song!

You and her, you mentioned it already, you are

friends, it’s beyond being musical colleagues.

Tell me about the relationship you guys have?

We grew up together! We’ve known each

other since we were broke, like teenagers.

And now I’m 50 years old, so you see the

time, it’s well over three decades. We grew

up together in Portmore. She’s from a different

community but we grew up the same

way socio-economically. We were poor kids,

just with a talent and a dream. Then I met

Andrew Nelson, which is Nuffy, ‘cause

I’ve known him for years as well and that

was the little group, the little trio that kind

of helped to push the Portmore music till we

got accepted to Sting. We were young artists,

we performed early before anyone was really

there but we created such an impact, we did

it the next year and it just kept getting bigger

and bigger. And then the collaboration with

me and her Romping Shop, that sealed the

deal. So, it’s good that the king and queen are

from the same part of Jamaica, we grew up

together. Big up Spice anywhere you deh!

Speaking of surprising things, songs like Casi

Casi that I think no one was expecting… but

also what your fans are getting to see on social

media from you. Lately you posted a bunch

of videos that are hilarious. The dancing with

shower cap and bathrobe, that went viral oh

so quickly, or my personal favourite, you and

Rvssian performing Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls…

154


… and I was there with my Louis V guitar.

(laughter) Thank you, thank you!

Is Kartel in 2026 a different person in terms of

not taking himself too seriously, approaching

life a little differently from how it used to be?

I would say yes and not just Kartel, but

Adidja Palmer that is the foundation, which

is where Kartel comes from. I’m just happy,

I’m grateful, like I said I have a renewed faith

in God and I just want to share that with the

world. It’s OK to smile, bro. What’s wrong

with you? It’s OK to make TikTok videos with

your daughter and just chill. Like, what’s

wrong with you? Who hurt you, sir?! We just

want to give people a vibe like it’s cool, let’s

chill, hold a vibe. Not everyone is going to

be on that, and we understand that, which

is kind of what makes mankind so special.

Variety is the spice of life. But for me personally

I’m so grateful that I have to express it.

I couldn’t stop it; I couldn’t stop myself even

if I wanted to and I don’t.

I am really happy to see you like that. With

that in mind, what do you think is one misconception

people have about Vybz Kartel?

I could give you an answer but… (pauses)

I don’t even care how people conceive me.

Because if you are my fan, you’re going to

love me. And if you’re not a fan and I interest

you, you’re going to become one. Everyone

has flaws, including me. Everyone has a good

side, including me. I don’t know. Maybe ten

years ago I would say the biggest misconception

people have about me is that I’m not a

jovial, humorous person. But now I don’t even

care about the misconception because I’m

comfortable in my own skin. Clearly, because

I’m not bleaching anymore… (laughter) and

I’m comfortable just living and knowing that

I’m not faking it. My goal is not to hurt anyone,

my goal is just to do music, make people

happy and live. That’s it, bro. And you live,

you do the same and we’re good.

In the beginning of the interview, you mentioned

that the Vybz Kartel from ten years ago

is a different person from the Vybz Kartel of

today. If you could sit down with the Vybz

Kartel from like 2011 for five minutes, what

would you tell him?

Change nothing, cause life is a process.

Change nothing. Because you could say “Oh

you could have told yourself to change and

then you wouldn’t have been through the

ordeal you went through”. Yeah… but I could

have died, too. I could have not gone to prison

and died nine years ago, eight years ago…

I never like to think about the “What could

have been” or the “What if”, I just like to keep

it moving. So, I would tell Kartel ten years

ago: change nothing. Terrible advice, I know.

Because the Kartel ten years ago had to find

himself his own self. Nothing exterior could

have changed him, not even a visit from his

future self. Which is why Einstein lied, time

is not relative to the observer. I’m joking…

(laughter) But no regrets, man! I suffered a

lot but it’s a part of life. We’re on the earth to

experience and maybe that’s a crazy mindset

to have but it’s just my mindset. I am grateful

for the journey.

What role did faith, spirituality and – as the

word is in the album title as well – God play in

the journey?


epitaph. That’s all you’ve got to do. Wake up,

give thanks and try! Just do it! We all have

a purpose, most of us just don’t know the

purpose because of how society’s set up, the

schools and so forth… but it’s inside of you and

if you look deep enough, you’ll find it. A lot of

us don’t have time to look because we are too

busy paying bills, we’ve got to get the kids to

school… but it’s there. Once you can find the

time, you’re going to find it. So, when you’re

writing about Vybz Kartel with all my great

attributes and all my flaws, because I am human,

I just want them to say I put the best in. I

gave it all I could. That’s it. ’Cause I did.

An amazing role because in hindsight God

has been carrying me all along, even when

I was playing a big idiot, a fool not respecting

or appreciating or being grateful for my

blessings. We get that and I could blame the

system and bla bla bla… “Oh, I grew up in the

ghetto” but I mean, whatever! God was always

protecting me when I look back in hindsight.

And that motivates me more to stay focused,

to stay positive, to bring positivity into the

world as much as possible. Even then before

I even wanted to acknowledge it, because I

was so egotistical and I was so hype, God was

always there. I think and I feel it. And that’s

what faith is, it’s about feeling it. So, God is

at the top of the list as it relates to the Vybz

Kartel now and in hindsight, like I said He

was always there, I just didn’t know because I

was an idiot.

When the story of Vybz Kartel is written decades

from now, what do you hope this album

represents in that story?

Just like I said earlier, culmination of super

talent, which is undeniable, finding himself

and finding God, incorporating them in one

and just giving it his best. On my tombstone

“I tried my best” would be an amazing

I think people can feel that. I think that’s

what makes this album so great beyond the

musical and the lyrical aspect, that you can

feel the realness about it.

Yes, thank you. We tried, we went hard. I’m

glad the people like it. It’s just 14 tracks. We

recorded like a hundred tracks. I’m serious.

Like TJ told you.

Of course, yes, since I know from TJ and everybody

knows you… When you go to the studio,

how many tracks do you do in one night?

The most I’ve ever done since I came out: 13.

One night. The other night I called Chambah

by my house. He came at around ten minutes

after 2 in the afternoon. He didn’t leave until

3 o’clock the next morning. He said no one

has ever done that. He said he has never met

a deejay that did that. Yeah, it’s crazy.

Would you write down any words or you just

go into the booth?

Oh no, just go in the booth and off the dome.

’Cause I’ve been doing it so long. It’s not

magic. It’s just experience and the love for

it. People say to me “What do you do? Is it

something special?”. No, I just work harder

than everybody else. If I kick ten shots to the

goal and you kick four shots, then how can

you complain when I score five and you score

one?! It’s math. I’m sure Michael Jordan

made 10,000 shots that he missed in order to

be the one with the most shots that scored,

right?! That’s usually how it works.

156


I and I love music, I love to be in the booth. I

humble myself to the sound, absorb it in and

just express. That’s the most beautiful part

about music. People think it’s the money and

the fame. That comes with it if you put the

work in. That’s expected. So, whatever… But

just the creation of it, that’s the joy! Look,

goosebumps (shows his arms to the camera).

I’m telling you, music, dancehall forever.

That’s the real magic!

Thank you so much, Adi for speaking to me

today and for this honest and joyous conversation

about life and your amazing new

album God & Time. I truly appreciate it.

I just want the people to continue supporting

the music, stream the album, buy

the album, not just Vybz Kartel’s album

but dancehall in general. The kids are

doing amazing stuff. My son has an album

coming out this month, too. We just doing

stuff. Big up the people! Nuff respect for the

support and for believing in Vybz Kartel.

Just know, as long as me have breath, I’m

a keep delivering to the best of my ability.

God & Time! Remember, Reggaeville been

putting out Kartel articles, we have that

relationship since jump. Maybe them times

you were going to high school…

(Laughter) How old do you think I am? I was

in Jamaica when Tek Buddy Gyal was all over

the place, Picture Me & You… Those songs

taught me a good portion of vocabulary, like

“blender pon di fridge top” and all these kitchen

utensils… (laughter) That was the high

time, Tek Buddy Gyal, Picture Me & You and

all the songs that followed. It was crazy!

That’s why I have to give thanks cause that’s

22 years ago and see, I’m still here. You have

to count the blessings, trust me! Big up yourself

my G, anytime! We outside!

158

ALBUM REVIEW VYBZ KARTEL

VYBZ KARTEL - GOD & TIME TJ RECORDS / VYBZ KARTEL MUZIK - JUNE 5, 2026

Few artists in contemporary Caribbean

music have shaped their

genre as profoundly as Vybz

Kartel. With God & Time, the

self-proclaimed World Boss delivers

an album that feels less

like a victory lap and more like

a statement of purpose. Arriving

after a remarkable resurgence

that included two Grammy-nominated

albums and his

long-awaited release from prison,

this 14-track set finds Kartel

balancing reflection, celebration, vulnerability

and raw dancehall energy in a way that only he can.

The album has been described as “his most personal

and sonically expansive” project since regaining his

freedom, and that claim largely holds true.

The title track as well as the grand finale, the goosebump-inducing

Watch Over Me, establish the album

title’s central theme: faith, patience and trust

in divine timing, which is what Jamaicans mean

when they talk about “God and time” as a common

phrase. Built on contemplative moods reminiscent

of the spirit that also powered God Is The Greatest,

the songs present Kartel not merely as a dancehall

superstar but as a spiritual individual and a survivor

reflecting on the twists of his life. Both songs are

touching emotional pillars that frame the record as a

story of rebirth rather than simple triumph.

In between, God & Time moves effortlessly through

different shades of Kartel’s artistry. Soft Girl Era

and Stay For The Night featuring Nigerian superstar

Wizkid, showcase his ability to craft melodic,

sensual tracks for the female listeners, while Dancehall

Ting or Big Business are reminders that few

artists understand the genre’s core mechanics better

than Addi Di Teacha, “the G.O.A.T. (the rest ah

dem ah sheep)”, who beats dem with the “tall belt”

and whose “name inna yuh mouth, ah when mi tun

Wrigley’s?!”. Yes, Kartel still has the lyrics locked

and this record certainly carries the unmistakable

confidence that has defined his

career over two decades. Exquisitely

chosen guest appearances

broaden the album’s reach just

like the musical variety.

Longtime collaborator Spice

adds raw energy to the explicit

Confessions, while Puerto Rican

artist Farruko brings Latino

trap flavour with the delicate

Casi Casi – which surprises

with a reggae break in between.

Skillibeng’s appearance on Try Again connects

two generations of Jamaican hitmakers, and the

breezy, playful Panic features Shenseea, whose

modern pop sensibilities complement Kartel’s veteran

presence perfectly. One of the album’s highlights

is Hype Life, the highly anticipated reunion

with Mavado, coming ahead of their mutual performances

slated for A Taste of Reggae Sumfest

in Jamaica in July and the Freedom Street Europe

in Malta in September. Given the pair’s legendary

rivalry, hearing them share space on the same project

carries symbolic weight and reflects a broader

sense of maturity running throughout the record.

Produced by Kartel and his trusted confidant

for more than 20 years and steadfast manager TJ

Records, God & Time benefits from polished yet

flexible production that accommodates dancehall,

crossover pop and Afro Caribbean influences without

losing coherence. This record captures one of

dancehall’s most influential voices (if not the most

influential one) at a pivotal moment in his life. The

result is an engaging, heartfelt and remarkably multifaceted

album that confirms Vybz Kartel’s enduring

relevance, not only as a cultural icon but also

as one of contemporary music’s most compelling

artists. Above all, it is an exceptionally strong album

whose quality and consistency showcase the depth,

versatility and creative vitality that have made him

a defining force in dancehall.

by URSULA ’MUNCHY’ MÜNCH

FESTIVILLE 2026 - Reggaeville Festival Guide

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