The first time we interviewed Capleton at David House truly sticks out in my mind. Why? Because it was the day of the 2006 Champion’s League final between Arsenal and Barcelona. Which we had to wait until it was over before the interview & photo shoot because Shango haffi watch him side ( he supports Arsenal). Although his team lost, cruelly I might add, Capleton came out and gave us an outstanding interview which really set the tone for that issue — BAY 3 —

The second interview was a much quicker affair some 6 years later. We were collecting artistes impressions of Jamaica in its 50th year. We decided to combine the interviews in one long form set for ease of reading. Hopefully nothing was lost in the transcription. please enjoy.

2006

What are the origins of your names?

Well, my birth name Clifton George Bailey, yuh done know dem name a slave master name. Cau yuh know seh Clifton is a English name, George is a Greek name end Balley is a Irish name. Capleton, I got that name from friends, yuh nuh. There was a iawyer by the name of Capleton so really that is where di name is coming from. Growing up as a yute, yuh nuh, we love to talk to illustrate you know what l mean. So mi get di name through di taiking and ting.

What about the name King Shango?

Well, di word Shango a come from this great warrior in the ancient of time by di name of Shan0o who defend liberation. And di word Shango means fire or lightning in an African language I can remember which one right now.

When Did You Start Recording as An Artiste?

Well, I started recording in about 84, 85.

How Did You Start Doing Music in The First Place?

Musically inclined from a child, natural inspiration, yuh nuh, born wid the music. I started out on sound systems.

Which Sound System?

Well, yuh nuh, many many, most a di top sound dem. But mi used to have my own original sound by di name of African Star. This is di same sound that mek mi even get my first flight to Toronto. Then Canada really recognise mi and know seh yaah mi have di talent.

What Caused You to Devote Your Life To Rastafarianism?

We grow up mongst nuff Rasta man and we see di naturalness, we see di culture and we set the whole livity in terms of equal rights and justice for all people, salvation, redemption, repartition, You whole hundred. So as mi seh is an inborn ting because I and I Rasta but only true we neva realiy did know di principles and the lifestyle. So wi did haffi grow fi know dat. So, when wi analyse and calculate and check di levels of di life of Rastafari. We see seh, well then, this a di way how mankind shoulda live and this di direction that we shoulda tek towards life. In terms of even eating natural and defending yourself, your heritage, your culture, your philosophy, your curriculum, yuh know what I mean. So, we embrace Rastafari to di fullest. We embrace Bobo Shanti, we love Nyabingi same way, Twelve Tribe, Orthodox, whichever cau — we don’t see the separation within di levels of Rastafari. So, we don’t bring it as denomination ting. yuh nuh what I mean. Weh yuh know yuh have Anglican a fight ‘gainst Baptist and Baptist a fight ‘gainst Church of God and Church of God a fight ‘gainst whatever. We just know seh Rastafari a one order, yeah, yuh might have different branches. Weh man generate a certain power, In terms of both governmental and sabbatical. So, we just embrace di livity and gwaan put it through words, sound and power- Through di music, yuh know what I mean and di people tek on to it and we give thanks.

Which Year Did You Officially Devote Your Life To Rastafari?

Well, I think mi did start grow mi locks bout 93, 94. But even before that, we did leggo certain things. Like we no eat certain thing we no drink certain things, we nuh go certain places yuh know what I mean.

Which of Your Songs Would You Say Is Your Favourite Recording or Your Favourite To Perform?

Well, I have so many favourite but I can say a few. ‘Raggy Road’, was one of the songs when we a go through the struggle and people a fight the energy of Rastafari. ‘Jah Jah City’, was a next great song cause Marcus Garvey seh “from we chant for life then that is the ultimate”. “Tour’ was a next transition for di yute dem. Yute and yute dem start realise seh Yo di politics ting nah help we it only mek we a fight ‘gainst each other and kill off each other Nuff yute stop diss Rastafari, yute start grow dem locks and start hold a different order and di whole world change yuh see wah me a seh. So, we give thanks fi that power deh again same way.

Which Tune Would You Seh Buss Yuh?

Buss mi? Well it was ‘Bumbo Red’, mí caan forget ‘Bumbo Red’ cause a ‘Bumbo Red’ start it. I was watching T.V and I lie down on the bed when I hear ‘Bumbo Red’ a clap up through the T.V. And mi did a wonder wah a gwaan. They were interviewing some yute weh do skiing and di yute dem have di song a play inna di background. So yuh know di next morning it a come over on sports news 7 o’clock in the morning pon di radio. That gi it a big break, yeah man fi real. a ‘Bumbo Red’ mek it happen. Give thanks fi Ninja Man introducing me to Fattis Burrell at di time. I was at Ninja Man house; African Star was playing and we deh deh a perform and a hol a energy. At the time, I was the one who wrote ‘Long fi Release’ di hol style and pattern. And yuh know dah style deh buss Ninja Man big that was Capleton energy. So, him introduce me to Fattis and Fattis seh yeah come a di studio come check out di vibe. We go deh and Firehouse band come in and we lay di riddim hol night. Mi neva voice it til bout 4:30, 5 inna di morning, it was a greal vibe yuh nuh and we give thanks for that. A deh so everything start.

In Which Country (Other Than Jamaica) Do You Feel You Have the Most Fans?

Bwoy, everywhere inna di world we guh we always have nuff fans But yuh done know seh Jamaica a yard and we nah sell out yard fi nuh weh. Even when we go out den, people really embrace di music. More time with a lot of love yuh caan realy believe how dem deal wid it. Moe time dem mek yuh feel at home. Dem treat we like ambassador and diplomat. People waan worship we, I remember once I was in this place called Lecce in Italy. And di people dem actually bring wings come and put across my back and tek picture. So yuh muss kriow di heights, dem have we in terms of di music. So, yuh muss know di heights dem have we in terms of the music. Music IS power, especially reggae music. Cause this a di music of soul, this is di music of love. This is di music that touch heart: this is di music that speak for di less fortunate. Di people have been oppressed and suppressed by the system, so this music is really the voice of the people. That’s why dem brand it as protest music throughout creation. And we do haffi give thanks fi di icons and pioneers who paved d way and set fi di yute within dis.

Along Those Lines, Which Dancehall Reggae Artiste Do You Rate?

Most a d yute dem, every man who a do dem ting we glorify dem some way. Yuh haffi glorify each other’s work in order to make your establishment bright and glorious, and if yuh notice from Ninja Man to now, most a yute dem buss through Capleton, Capleton ideology, Capleton style, Capleton pattern you know what I mean. So mi haffi glorify every yute cau a my energy same way.

What Can We Expect from David House In the Future?

We have Munga a gwaan good right now. Little Capes. Jah Malo. yuh done know we have Moses I from long time. We have nuff more of di yute dem weh a go shine cause dem talented and dem ready fi it. But nutten nuh happen overnight. di yute dem know seh dem haffi grow. Yuh caan just plant a seed today and expect seh it a go bust out a di earth tomorrow and bear fruit di next day. Yuh haffi nurture it, water it. shape it. mold it and watch it grow to perfection.

When Did You Start David House?

From we rise within the powers of Rastafari, from dem time deh David House emerge, yuh nuh if you should read the Maccabee Bible, it tell you about the powers of David House. The militancy and the humility of the yute dem and how Jah really bless dem yute deh with a different blessing, That’s how more time people wonder how people drawn to we so. In terms of interacting wid people, you understand. Because di book me yuh know seh ever when the people were running to the almighty asking for ideas on what to do, Him send dem to listen to David House, listen to the message, listen to the word, listen to the power and the sound. That is why we embrace to dem level deh.

Is David House Also the Name of Your Label?

Same way you know what mean. We a setup we own ting. We a try get we own distribution together, Yeah Man, under the name David House or Capleton Music.

How Long Do You See Yourself Still Doing Music?

The man nah stop Music is life, music alone mek Jah live and never die yuh nuh. The only other thing else we can try is agriculture. Because at the end of the day food a go be the ultimate. Food and music you understand. And you know we have food fi di brain, food fi di eye, food fi di belly. So at the end of the day we haffi plant food.

How Many Children Do You Have?

Yeah mi have children. MI have sons and daughters more time we nuh like give out a number because people waan get too personal We just let dem know that we have sons and daughters. Yeah Man

Are You Planning to Push Them in The Music Business?

Me nah force down certain ting to mi yute dem. From dem born wid music it a go inna dem. Dem haffi just grow and come to perfection and establish dem own vibe and dem own energy. The countenance of dem father a go brighten fi dem glory but at di end of di day dem still haffi do dem own ting. ‘Cau neither Junior Gong nor Stephen Marley caan be Bob Marley. More time we go out deh round the earth and people would ask “Yo, weh a di next Bob Marley” and me would a seh no. Bob Marley is Bob Marley no man caan be di next Bob Marley, ‘cau Bob Marley works a Bob Marley works. Every man get dem own call, yuh nuh, dem own vibe and dem own energy fi carry out dem work and dem message.

That Is Why the Music Is So Great Because You Have Different Message from Different People.

Our music is so influential all over the world. Our culture is embraced by people from the four corners of the earth. More time it unbelievable, you know what I mean, even when we go to different countries. People still rise di Jamaican flag and when dem keep di big show dem. Dem come and all camp out wid tents and dem speak different languages but dem still sing di song dem word fah word. It’s a joy, yuh nuh: there is no border or boundary to di music.

What Don’t You Like About the Current Music Industry?

In the industry there will always be injustice nutten nah go change. Within the levels of music, yuh a go have different man from different camp a defend dem own ting. And a say fi dem ting govern di ting. That is why Rastafari chant fi unity and collectiveness.

Anything Else You Want to Leave the People With?

Well just tell di yute dem. Job ova prison, life ova death- money ova gun. Tell di yute dem go to school get dem education, be re-educated. Re-Educate through self-value, self-esteem, self-awareness, self-reliance, self-thought, and self-control. With strong determination, discipline, diligence, yuh nuh. keep di fire burning. Be yourself know who you are and where you are coming irom. Don’t try and please everyone because you will never do that. And don’t try helping everyone neither help who you can help. Even when yuh help certain people, it is like yuh never do nutten. A so di ting setup. Practice truth, love and compassion from that everything else come. Never be a traitor to your own self, your heritage, your philosophy nor your culture. Never forget where you are coming from, if you are ablack man you are an African. Most importantly, tell di people dem. Love Rastafari.

2012

Where do you think Jamaica is at 50 years as an independent nation?

I think we reach far, we got alot of mileage through sports and through music. You know music is the heartbeat of the people and reggae music is a galactic music that travel the four corners of the earth. There is no limit to this music, yuh nuh, so I think we came a long way. Independently I think we could reach further as a people in terms of our indigenization, in terms of us embracing our culture more. Not been too Americanized or too Europeanized or de-Africanized or de-Jamaicaized but yeah we came a long way.

Where do you think the music, the art and the general creativity of the people are at after 50 years?        

Well as I seh di music tek over di world galacticaly. Reggae music has definitely paved di way even through tourism and di ‘hol works. This music tek on to every nation, every nation gravitate to di ting. In terms of di soul of di music in terms of di spirituality in terms of di message of di music which really uplift di people throughout creation. People have been brainwashed, enslaved even I and I people and I and I nation out there in the world people have been oppressed and suppressed by the system systematically through financial constraints. This music is di music that speak for di less fortunate, this music is di music that tell di people to go forward and keep di focus don’t worry about di obstacles and di struggles that is a part of it but yuh haffi jus keep di faith and di focus. Embrace our music and our musicians and we suppose to mek our artiste feel comfortable, yuh nuh, because they are the ones who are di messengers the ones who go out there and spread di message and bring di music to di people. Jah already said that players of instruments and musicians all of my springs are within thee.

Where would you like to see Jamaica in the next ten years?

Jus continue what we doing, jus be successful in sports and music and we need to spend more time in agriculture. We need to plant more food cah food is definitely di staff of life. We need to support di farmers more; you know what I mean, definitely want to see Jamaica do more agriculture. We definitely NEED to do more exporting than importing. That is di key fi di ‘hol a wi future.    

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Amilcar Lewis

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