Interview with Beenie man

Yesterday, you played at the Openair Frauenfeld Festival in Switzerland, the sole dancehall artist amongst all the rappers who are hot for the moment, like Drake, Nas, KRS One… How did you feel amongst them?

Well, I'm a superstar. All the hip hop artists who were there yesterday buss after me. I was there before all of them. Regardless of who they are or what kind of music they play, or the kind of music they sell, I am Beenie Man, I am legendary to them: they all know me.

You've been riding riddims for about 30 years. What keeps you going?

Well I was born to do music, I started the day I was born: I cried! I cannot change a bulb or patch a tyre, I don't do plumbing, I don't sell drugs or guns. I sing music, this is what keeps me alive. To dedicate my life to music. I've been doing this for 30 years, so what else could I do ?

What is left now for Beenie Man now after all these years of hits?

Three words: Do it again, and again and again…

Through these 30 years, you've been doing mostly dancehall music, could we expect to see Beenie Man doing a reggae album like Busy Signal did?

Well I'm not a roots reggae artist. I'm a rastaman from Jamaica who sings dancehall music. My next album will have some reggae on it because I've been doing reggae for all my life. Because that is the gateway to music. I won't do a full length reggae album. I am a rootsman because my roots is Jamaica. But I'm a deejay so I'm gonna keep on sticking to dancehall.

How does rasta influence your daily life?

I was born as a rasta. So there's nothing else could influence my life. Some people want to take rasta or blackheartman for the most seriousless man in the world. But I will stick to it. Let me explain you how my life goes. I believe in myself because if you don't believe in yourself, you can't believe in no-one. I trust myself because if you don't, then you can't trust anyone in the world. And I love myself all the same because if I don't, then I can't love no one. If I don't respect myself then I couldn't respect you. This is how my life goes, this is my motto, this is the way I live my life.

You've had a lot of hits with international artists, but it seems that now you're more focused on Jamaican dancehall music?

I had to go back to Jamaica to balance the music because the music was getting out of hand. If I'm thinking of the international market, then my market will go down and if my market goes down where will I find my roots again. If the house pops down, where will we turn to? So I had to go back home, rebuild the foundation, keep the youths in line and make sure the music stays on a certain level.

Your latest show in Belgium was cancelled through some activism from gay rights activists.  This summer you will finally play in Belgium. What has happened in between?

Nothing has happened, people just realized Beenie Man has to be there. So I am there.

How do you consider the talks between reggae concerts organizers and gay rights organizations?

It is positive. I personally have had no direct contact with any of them. But I think everyone has realized that I am a man who loves people, regardless of who you are, race creed, or color. Because your life is your life and I have no right to tell you how to live. Each man has the right to decide his own destiny, Selassie told us that a long time ago. I appreciate the work of getting people together. People are people, they are not animals, or aliens, …

Which artists did give you inspiration as a youth?

It was Jimmy Cliff before all, respect to him for life!

When you sit at home, which artists do you listen to?

I am not listening no music at all, because there's the risk of getting an idea from another song and later on they will tell you that you pirate the idea. So when I reach home, I turn on the TV and watch it all night. I'm a TV man, I watch the most movies in the world: big budget, low budget, in-between budget… (laughs)

We've seen you a long time ago in the Dancehall Queen movie. Would you like to try the experience of movies again?

I have to put my music out there first before I think of my picture on a screen. If you see me on the screen, then it's in a video with my music behind.