INTERVIEW : CUTTY RANKS
Interview by : Irie Nation
Pictures by : DR / Rik De Blick
on Friday, October 04th 2013 - 9 093 views
The formidable deejay Cutty Ranks, who made slackness and gun lyrics his trademark, now shows a completely different face. The former butcher, a leading figure of the genre in the early 90s, wants to "get messages across", without turning his back on his past. On his latest album, "Full Blast", self-produced and released in 2012 on his own label, Philip Music, there are only two dancehall tracks. All the others are reggae and even lovers rock: "It's clean, it's beautiful, you can listen to it with your wife and kids no problem".
Cutty Ranks made one of his rare appearances in Europe at the Reggae Geel festival 2013, accompanied by the Ruff Kutt Band. We caught him as he came off stage.
Reggaefrance / You released a new album last year, "Full Blast". Can you tell us about it?
Cutty Ranks / I named it after one of the songs on it, Full Blast. It's a very powerful song in its message. I'm not the kind of person who pats himself on the back, but I like this track. Just like Mass Grave. Because a lot is going on on our planet. And this planet doesn't belong to one single person. At home, I look at what's happening in the United States, in Greece with the financial meltdown, in Spain with the economic crisis, in other parts of the world where people are simply being wiped out... And then I ask myself the question: "Who created all these crises?" It's an important question. There are big fish, who aren't at the front of the stage and whose names aren't even mentioned. They are the ones who create all these problems. And they don't like people like me. They would like to get rid of people like me because I open people's eyes. That's why Bob Marley was so great, because he opened people's eyes and tried to make them aware of the realities of the world. Nowadays, even more than back then, it's important that people realise what is going on around them. Because politicians in general have no interest in the people, they only think of themselves and their cardboard friends.
Full Blast is about police brutality.
Yes, that track is about human rights and police brutality, particularly towards young people. Mass Grave is about the global crisis. There are entities - let's call them "entities" - that kill a lot of people on this planet and then cover up their crimes or use the mainstream media to hide the truth. We know all this, we know what's going on! But I wouldn't want to dwell too much on this subject. Because these people are powerful. And they are murderers, who don't care whom they murder. And they have henchmen to do the job. Every time someone tries to rebel and fight for their rights, they send in their mercenaries.
After a rather quiet period, you're back as an artist with a message. Does that mean it's over with dancehall for you?
I still have the dancehall vibe in me. Because it's dancehall that made me who I am. But, after all these years, I thought I should put out tracks with a roots, one drop vibration, through which I can get messages across. Tracks that can uplift people. There are more than enough subjects on this planet. And then this album is also a way for me to broaden the spectrum of my music. I had never made a full reggae one-drop album. There are two dancehall tracks on it, but everything else is reggae.
 J’aime les Européens parce qu’ils savent se battre pour leurs droits. 
It's a style you hadn't really touched in the past; what motivated you to make that choice?
I've done commercial lyrics for some fans, gangsta lyrics for others. I've also dabbled in hip hop and crossover styles... and now reggae. I want to master every sub-genre of music. I don't want to limit myself to one single style. That's why I've lasted so long in this business. I believe the public likes change. Don't you think? I think diversity is remarkable. When you see people of different races, with different ideas, mixing, sharing their ideas and coming out united from that sharing, it's something very powerful. I love that, as long as it stays positive. My music has been remixed in all sorts of styles like drum 'n' bass or jungle, and by people from different parts of the world. I have fans in Japan, in Africa, others in the Caribbean and even in Russia. The only place where I'm not sure I have fans is China... because the Chinese remain very withdrawn... But I also have fans in India and Pakistan.
How do you look back now on the gun lyrics of the past?
I still sing those tracks. You know, I think everyone has the right to carry a weapon. Because everybody already does. The problem isn't the weapon, it's the person who carries it. Me, I'm not the type to go looking for trouble, so I couldn't find myself in embarrassing situations.
Are you a revolutionary now?
I just feel the need to talk about these subjects, the crisis and the situation in Europe and elsewhere in the world, as well as in Jamaica. Because things are happening in Jamaica too. The Jamaica of today is not the one I knew in the past. Everything is changing; the government uses dirty tactics and works for elements that pull the strings from behind the scenes and whom nobody names. Jamaicans know what's going on but they just sit on their backsides and don't get up to rebel or demonstrate like Europeans do. I love Europeans because they know how to fight for their rights.
Can you tell us about the label you created a few years ago?
I called it Phillip Music because my surname is Phillip. The album was the first project I released on it, and I also have a one-drop riddim that came out recently, the Tax Money riddim. It features young female talents like Abby and Ali Azwood. I also wrote for some of the artists who voice this riddim. For myself, I wrote an "X-rated" lyric, Pussy A Fi Sale, which is about girls who literally sell themselves. I then wrote Scream Like a Bitch for Peter Metro. I wanted to give him a boost to get back into the business. I respect him because he is a veteran artist who has been in the game for a very long time. Lutan Fyah and Turbulence are also part of the Tax Money riddim.
Most of your fans know your ragga tracks, and some were quite surprised tonight to see you perform a few roots & culture tracks. Did you notice these reactions?
I noticed that kind of surprised reaction. Many fans are discovering that side of my music, but I think they like it. Because what they want is to hear a sincere message and feel the power of the messages carried by the music. I enjoy making this music. On the album, for example, there's even some lovers rock. It's clean, it's beautiful, you can listen to it with your wife and children without any problem. You'll also find a feature with Beres Hammond and another with Luciano, which I wrote and which is called Long Life & Prosperity.
When you're on stage, one can tell you belong to that generation that knows how to chain its lyrics together...
Yes, when I start a song, I go all the way to the end. Me, or Bounty Killer, who followed me on stage, are not like that generation of artists who say three words and drop the rest. At the moment, though, I'm a little out of practice. After this tour, I'm going to get back into fitness and regain that long breath. And when I come back, I'll be like an animal! And those young artists are going to have problems...
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