Reggae trio burn the ‘fire’ on injustice

Reggae artistes Fantan Mojah, Turbulence and The Carey James are taking a stance against "injustices" and "wickedness" while encouraging the nation to embrace "righteousness" in their collaborative single Fire.

"Wi a bun a fire pon everything weh nuh righteous man - injustice a get bun. Mi a target specific societal issues. Fantan address the militancy and Turbulence a mek yuh know seh yuh affi look within yuhself and try and be a better person. Suh wi a bun di fire but wi also a teach yuh bout self-love and giving you solutions," The Carey James explained to THE STAR.

In a recent TikTok live segment on Foota Hype's account, he opined that most "Rasta artistes stop bun a fire on certain [immoralities] because they are afraid of the comments and backlashes". However, for these three acts, they are fearless in making this stand.

"It's not just any type a fire, enuh, it's an excessive hell fyah a bun pon dem yuh nuh," Turbulence laughed. "A nuh like wi jus a seh bun a fyah dis, bun a fyah dat outta matches box, it's a consuming hell fyah. If yuh are true warrior of this music - fight! Don't be afraid to bleed." Since the track's release, the artistes said the responses have been "positive".

"The reactions are very warm and receptive because people need these type of music. These kinda songs will live on and live inside a di people dem so dem crave dis music," said Turbulence.

With fans calling the single "a proper reggae song", Turbulence said he strongly believes that Fire will reignite and add to the righteous side of reggae. The Carey James opined that "society has somewhat lost the morals and values and each person has to look within themselves first and make a change".

"We can only bun di fyah but yuh affi accept di fyah," he said. Fantan Mojah called out selectors not giving reggae music enough play in dances.

"They tend to play more international songs and less of what's benefiting our culture and dem need to come together and fix back di reggae genre inna Jamaica, and dats what mi waah di people dem grasp from dis one - di togetherness and authentic feel of reggae. Reggae naah dead. Mi travel di worl and it's one of the most popular music worldwide," he opined.

The Carey James agreed, opining that local fans are no longer connected to reggae music.

"If as artistes wi nah gi di people dem di music weh really mek a difference to dem, weh yuh a sing a nice, pretty song and it nah seh nutten, there's no message or reason fi di song, den it naah guh connect," he said. Turbulence chimed in, saying modern-day artistes are taking "the easier way" which is more commercial.

"That side of music is easy on the ear and nobody nuh waah hear seh dem a live dutty life and dem fi change dem kinda dutty life. Dem waah duh dem ting and [be] like an artiste weh a encourage di dutty life, not di ones weh a seh she fi put on her clothes and stop tek 20 man. Dem kinda music deh kinda heavy fi people and nuff artiste naah mek dem music deh again. But mi a stand steadfast pon everything and burn di fire same way because salvation is everything and material will fade away," Turbulence confidently declared.

"I want this song to make that difference where it can bring back some morality," he added.