(via The Toronto Star)
Kingston, Jamaica — “I still do gun songs and raw dancehall songs, but, at this point, I don’t need to do a gun song. After what Jamaica — and the world — has been through, I don’t need to sing another gun song my whole life.”
I’m in a famous recording studio at 23 Westminster Rd. interviewing Busy Signal, 28, a top dancehall artist, known for, among other things, the song Tic Toc, which made Rolling Stone’s list of best singles a couple years ago.
Busy Signal, born Reanno Gordon, spent his teen years in the garrison communities of Standpipe, Papine and Tivoli Gardens. He is grateful he’s been able to build a career as an artist.
He recently hooked up with reggae producer Shane Brown. His inclination to fuse genres and blend influences have given his recent work an eclectic, cross-over feel. This might be called The Difference of Busy. D.O.B. is the title of his new album on VP Records.
“Most a my music is from the people around me, the way I grew up, the way the system is, whatever we’re going through. We just try to make songs outta it for the people,’cos sometime the people want to say things they can’t say, or are not allowed to say.
“We, as artists, we really listen to the people. We are among the people. The people see us more than they see the MP. We can mix and mingle.
“What happened in Jamaica in the last two months, I’m so happy that has nothing to do with music. It has to do with corruption, the jacket an’ ties. Music don’t do these things. Politics do these things. Politics separate people.
“A political party divides people. A musical party unites them.”
Busy has lost fellow musicians to gun violence, but sees signs of change. Along with many Jamaicans, he is optimistic.
“I seen a lot of changes since what happened. It’s like a wake-up calll for all Jamaicans, especially in the dancehall.”
I ask him what he plans to play for Caribana, where he will play at the after-party. “This is a festival weekend. People come from all over to go to that Caribana thing. It’s just joy and people enjoying themselves, so I pick the songs that fit that. I just make sure people enjoy themselves. No fighting. No negative thing. I’m just trying to put out 100 per cent, so people will come to my party again, just like people come from all over to go to Caribana or to come to Quad.”
Ah, yes, Quad. The night before, I’d missed the reggae at the launch of Reggae Sumfest, a summer festival, so I ended up at a club called Quad, where I thought I would find real dancehall. What I found, instead, was a lot of dull hip-hop. Reggae gave birth to dancehall, which, in the U.S,, spawned hip hop. It appears the Jamaicans are importing it now.
“We can’t kill out the culture to buy into something else. We can’t sell out our soul and sell out the culture,” says Busy. “The producers play a big role in this. They are the directors. Artists and producers, we give the people these things. The moment fans start dictating to the producers, we become the fans and they are the artists. We don’t want them [these roles] to be reversed.
“We have to correct all a this thing what’s goin’ on right now. ’Cos a lotta watered down stuff is goin’ on in dancehall music. It’s going to the hip-hop side too much.”
Busy’s latest album draws on many influences. Among the original compositions, some of which remain fairly hardcore, he’s even got songs by Phil Collins and Lionel Richie. (One More Night set to a Jamaican beat is a definite improvement.)
It’s the reggae cuts that stand out.
“Gi’ me a likkle a di grades an’ pass me a Rizzla… aright den,” he sings on High Grade, against a reworking of the Stalag 17 riddim. A well known reggae beat.
Denise Jones, the producer who booked him into Caribana, asks if he’ll record a promo spot and he graciously agrees. He’s behind the glass. It’s suggested he do it a capella.
Busy’s pitch-perfect deep baritone fills the studio on the ultra-crisp sound system. He’s toasting in patois, rapping off the details of his gig around his trademark sound… “hott ed, hott ed, hott ed, Busssy.” The results are pure magic.
Ah, that’s what I came for! And I know now where it comes from.
Busy Signal will be appearing at Temperature De Festival, July 31, the after parade concert and party, featuring soca and reggae acts from the Caribbean. For an audio clip of his Big Yard recording, go to the star.com/caribana
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