Veteran reggae singer Tony Rebel says the new music being made in Jamaica is not like the music of the past and among the reasons is it’s not “danceable.”
In an interview aired in collaboration with WMV’s cable partners “The Business and Entertainment Show” on the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s CBX Network, Rebel was asked the difference is between music of the 80s and 90s and music being made now?
“Well the difference to me is the lyrical content and the Rhythm, the rhythmic accompaniment like the trap and all that, it is not danceable. In my time the rhythm was first and foremost the driving force of the music and then with good melody and good lyrics on top of that, it used to work,” he said.
The Rebel Salute organizer continued, “you see we as some artist we read a lot and we open our vocab and we find words to put to melody. Nowadays these youths just say some things and the rhythm is not right. It’s not danceable, I think that’s the biggest difference, today’s music is not danceable.”
“The lyrical content is all about chopping and woman and guns and all of that, we had a variety of topics, we talks about guns but “why so much guns and ammunition,” he added.
At Rebel Salute 2023 dancehall DJ Jahshii came backstage to meet the Nazarene Vow artist for a shot moment where they embraced and Rebel endorsed his passionate performance at the Festival.
“Him perform good, him a the future,” the Weekend Love singer said.
Among the acts to have got their big breaks at the annual reggae festival Rebel Salute over the years include Garnet Silk, Chronixx, Tarrus Riley, and most recently Koffee and many others.
Tony Rebel has had an illustrious career as a recording artist and live performer. He was signed to Columbia Records in 1992 and released “Vibes Of The Times” in 1993.
“I signed to Columbia Records and contributed to the Gold(album) with Queen Latifah,” Tony Rebel reflects.
“Weekend Love” , track 13 on Queen Latifah’s gold selling third studio album Black Reign features the reggae legend Tony Rebel, real name Patrick George Anthony Barrett. The single didn’t reach gold, but the album did and it peaked at number 60 on the Billboard 200 and number fifteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Phot by Bryan Jahn IG
“Before the Columbia(Records) deal I had Fresh Vegetable, Sweet Jamaica, Chatty Chatty and Nazarine Vow,” he said assuredly.
He prides himself in making conscious music throughout his career and one of his most formidably songs is Nazarine Vow, a song declaring his loyalty to the Rastafarian Faith. In the Hebrew Bible, a Nazarite is one who voluntarily put themselves under a ‘Nazirite vow’, thereby separating themselves with “a degree of sanctity”.
“Nazarite Vow, was produced by Phillip ‘Fattis’ Burrel, he called me one day and said Coca Tea, “Grow your locks” and I did that song, but I did so much lyrics that I had an extra song.”
“When I was signed to Columbia Records, I bought Nazarene Vow because I liked what Sly and Robbie did with the music and I gave it to Columbia to put on the album.”
