Right in the middle of the storm of his many cancellations, Capleton made himself particularly available to go back over the whole affair with us. Here he gives his version of events, and dwells at length on the points he considers important: the correct interpretation of words, knowledge of the Jamaican context, and the influence of the Bible.
Interview with the fireman on a burning subject.
Interview with the fireman on a burning subject.

What is your position on the cancellation of the concert (first the Zénith, then Vitry, on 26 June, ed.)?
Capleton This isn't the first concert to be cancelled. There is a misinterpretation of the lyrics, people take them literally. Whereas they are metaphors, like that of fire, which we’ve already talked about together (see interview of 10 May 2004). It's a problem of interpreting the meaning of words. This fire is biblical, they are purifying flames. It also serves to fight injustice, inequality, the oppression of humanity. Yuh understand?
Would it all be linked to the misunderstanding of ''fire''?
Capleton Exactly, it's an interpretation of a word spoken in patois, a dialect... You can't translate these words literally.
You explained to us that you burn the sin more than the sinner.
Capleton Exactly, that's what I mean, my fight is directed at all the oppressors of the system, we fight against murderers, social injustice, poverty...

Do you think the Bible is always right?
Capleton I'm not saying that, you know, we grew up with the Bible, it brings us serenity. We grew up in Church, with the Bible... and the Bible condemns Sodom and Gomorrah, those two sinful cities. That's why we sing about it.
But in Leviticus, you also find the legitimation of slavery...
Capleton Yes, it's a bit contradictory. You can read the Bible and find the truth in it, your truth. It's strictly personal, nobody said to do everything the Bible says. I'm just saying that a man should read the Bible with an open mind, a pure heart and conscience, and then he will be able to find the truth he is looking for. It's something you adapt.
The associations demanded apologies...
Capleton ...There are no apologies, it's a misinterpretation!

They asked for apologies and you didn't give them, why?
Capleton I think it's immoral. You can't violate people's rights. If a man thinks it's dirty for a man to love another, can you go against his opinions? You know, it's also a fight against music and against its power. Last year, we did a festival at Bercy, it was sold out, and then another in Germany. And this year all this propaganda started. But it's not like that and wise men understand it. Remember, Bob Marley used the word ''burn'', Jacob Miller too, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, Culture and Toots & the Maytals, you see. What I'm saying is that when it was icons or pioneers using the same terms, they were considered metaphors; why would it be literal when it comes to Sizzla, Capleton and other artists? It's truly a fight.
With the pressure Jamaica is under, do you think the laws could change?
Capleton I don’t know... I don’t think the laws can change, these laws date from slavery, we grew up with them. Slavery, the plantations, it all stems from a system.... no, I don’t think it can change just like that.
No man can condemn another, man condemns himself by his actions, by his words. I can't let men destroy themselves. If you want to fight against righteousness, you want to fight against something positive. Capleton's money goes to hospitals, schools, to educate young people, to help people on the street who need it. So if you stop me from putting money in my pocket, you should also know that many people, many suffering people, depend on that money too. This whole business, these concert cancellations, is first of all an attack on our wallet.
No man can condemn another, man condemns himself by his actions, by his words. I can't let men destroy themselves. If you want to fight against righteousness, you want to fight against something positive. Capleton's money goes to hospitals, schools, to educate young people, to help people on the street who need it. So if you stop me from putting money in my pocket, you should also know that many people, many suffering people, depend on that money too. This whole business, these concert cancellations, is first of all an attack on our wallet.
Relations are becoming more and more tense in Europe, could you stop coming there?
Capleton (His manager joins the discussion): That's what we're trying to clarify. You must pass on a message to anyone who misinterprets the lyrics, and tell them that Capleton's lyrics are wholesome. That's what we have to clarify. These lyrics don't call for killing gays and lesbians. It's not about Europe. It's about lies being told, which affect our music.
(Capleton continues:) I won't let the gay leagues stop me from coming to Europe when fans want to see me, I won't say ''OK, forget Europe, forget France''. It's good against evil.
We've been fighting for a long time, we're not going to give up. We fight for uprightness and the uplifting of the spirit, for all people, not only for Black people, but for all nations. This music brings together people from all backgrounds. That's what it's about: Uplifment, righteousness, salvation, redemption, repatriation, liberation, self esteem, self awareness, self reliance, self control...
(Capleton continues:) I won't let the gay leagues stop me from coming to Europe when fans want to see me, I won't say ''OK, forget Europe, forget France''. It's good against evil.
We've been fighting for a long time, we're not going to give up. We fight for uprightness and the uplifting of the spirit, for all people, not only for Black people, but for all nations. This music brings together people from all backgrounds. That's what it's about: Uplifment, righteousness, salvation, redemption, repatriation, liberation, self esteem, self awareness, self reliance, self control...

You agreed to stop singing your anti-homosexual songs on stage...
Capleton Yes, regarding the lyrics that have been published for a long time, I must say that I will no longer perform those tracks on stage. Most of them are old tracks from another era. Besides, in Europe, people don’t know me for those titles, they are less in the dancehall style. Songs that come from the heart, the “one beat”, the “nyabingi”, that’s what interests me and that’s what interests people. If gay people come to Capleton’s concerts, they won’t hear any homophobic titles, they won’t hear certain tracks any more. Capleton has thousands of songs and many of them are roots rock reggae
But only a few songs are targeted.
Capleton They should try to find out more before jumping on records, drawing hasty conclusions and discriminating against people.
Outrage! and Amnesty and several record companies have already reached an agreement. All this reveals how behind France is, everything has already been settled.
It's a violation of my rights. It's not fair either to the artists or to my country. Behind this music, there is a heritage, a culture, a philosophy, a journey. You can't take a song out of its context, ignoring how and where it was born, and why it became famous. People have to learn.
Outrage! and Amnesty and several record companies have already reached an agreement. All this reveals how behind France is, everything has already been settled.
It's a violation of my rights. It's not fair either to the artists or to my country. Behind this music, there is a heritage, a culture, a philosophy, a journey. You can't take a song out of its context, ignoring how and where it was born, and why it became famous. People have to learn.
The Jamaican music scene is very particular...
Capleton It's very competitive. Most artists have rivalries between them. When they sing, they're not addressing the whole world, but their friends. You have someone like Bounty Killer, who says he’s a gunman and talks about taking people down. But you have to know that Bounty Killer sees himself as a revolver, and considers his lyrics as bullets.
People don't understand. In Jamaica, when you say ''kill'', it doesn't mean ''to kill'' in the literal sense of the term. An artist will say: ''I just killed a show last night'', meaning he gave a very good performance. He's not going to kill the audience! In Jamaica, when people really kill, they don’t talk about it, they do it… It's propaganda, and the language barrier gives a wrong interpretation. I say you shouldn't take all that literally, they are metaphors. If we agree that a firearm can be used as a metaphor, we have to accept that not everything has a literal meaning. Bob Marley used the same terms. He sang: ''I Shot the Sheriff''. He didn't literally kill him! Why, when Capleton says ''kill'', does it become literal? Bob Marley said ''let’s burn the churches'', he never burned a church. He burned the Church with words, sound and power, by saying the preacher was lying. It wasn't literal.
People don't understand. In Jamaica, when you say ''kill'', it doesn't mean ''to kill'' in the literal sense of the term. An artist will say: ''I just killed a show last night'', meaning he gave a very good performance. He's not going to kill the audience! In Jamaica, when people really kill, they don’t talk about it, they do it… It's propaganda, and the language barrier gives a wrong interpretation. I say you shouldn't take all that literally, they are metaphors. If we agree that a firearm can be used as a metaphor, we have to accept that not everything has a literal meaning. Bob Marley used the same terms. He sang: ''I Shot the Sheriff''. He didn't literally kill him! Why, when Capleton says ''kill'', does it become literal? Bob Marley said ''let’s burn the churches'', he never burned a church. He burned the Church with words, sound and power, by saying the preacher was lying. It wasn't literal.

A last word for the French?
Capleton Not only for the French, for everyone. For the younger generations, I call on them to build a better world because they are tomorrow’s hope. I urge them to go to school, to educate themselves, and that also means respecting their parents, their family and others. And never mind if nobody can teach you, you have to seek to know yourself because you can’t lie to yourself! (laughs) More love, more blessings, more prosperity... Keep the fire burning, fire is for the purification.
Comments (40)
bisou
nico · · rating: 2 out of 5
wilson ·
sist muriel · · rating: 5 out of 5
ISSY · · rating: 5 out of 5
Il a le droit d'etre homophobe, pourquoi ça serait considéré comme un délit ??
Ils grandissent comme beaucoup de personnes avec la Bible et vont à l'église, et dans la bible c'est un homme et une femme qui vont ensemble, et pas un homme et un homme ou une femme et une femme, et puis c'est dans la logique des choses et de la nature, cela empeche la procréation, comme disait Coluche," ils peuvent pas se reproduire, mais tout les jours y en a plus ."
Bref, les battybwoys ne devraient pas censurer notre musique tout ça parce qu'ils n'assument pas leur statut et ont "honte" laissez nous le reggae en Europe, sinon un jour, ça va partir en couille
Capleton Jah keep & Bless You
Tejah · · rating: 5 out of 5
nicolas · · rating: 5 out of 5
asmaa · · rating: 5 out of 5
Si dire que c'est pas naturel, c'est etre homophobe alors je suis homo phobe, voleurphobe, violeurphobe, pédophobe, escrophobe, mytophobe, hainophobe, alcolophobe, taxophobe, impotphobe, tvaphobe....escroquerieMoralophobe!
L'astuce est de mettre tout au meme niveau que les 400 ans d'Esclavages des Kamites. C'est une escroquerie morale voir une forme subtile de dictature de dire :" q'un gay qui ne se sent pas bien a cause des parole de L'Impérial Capleton , subit 400 ans d'esclavage"! Hum, acheve-moi sa!!!lol
Tout n'est pas egal, tout les maux ne sont pas egaux, et tout ne peut prendre la meme forme! Tout ne se vaut pas!!!
Aussi, cher ami gay, ne vous attendez pas a ce que je vous tende mon anus, rien que pour ne pas vous frustrer!
Pour revenir a l'essentiel : Capleton is just my black Jésus. I just have to say you Man, look around your back nd watch out your enemies...We don't want lost u! Stop any men that want to stole your wins like Bob Marley....!
Hang on nd go spead the Love all around the world!!!
Openmind7 · · rating: 1 out of 5
c'est énorme ils parlent d'émancipation mais celle ci ce limite a eux meme genre le droit des femmes si on pouvai se torcher avec sa serait pas plus mal non plus sérieusement c'est bien de ce dire conscient mais c'est mieu de s'y tenir et de faire une chanson de bourrin ou tu insultes beaucoup de monde puis une chanson ou tu dis qu'on est tous des freres etc... arretez de faire les girouettes ils font pareilles dans le rap français et vla la qualité du truc maintenant... Ensuite chaqu'un fais ce qu'il veut temps qu'il casse pas trop les couilles a l'autre... rester l'esprit ouvert sa peut vous etre utile
djo · · rating: 1 out of 5
je pense ke tt est dit,ils s'attaquent a kel ke chose de tres grand "le feu ".fo juste continuer a ecouter la vibes sans pr autant faire ce kelle raconte.C les moutons de panurge kil fo brulé, ce sont ces gens ki vehicule la mauvaise image du reggae, rootset ki par leur incredulité fusille nos chanteurs de reggae.laissez les gens s'exprimé sans les jugé. BLESS!!!
golberg · · rating: 1 out of 5
chef de guerre · · rating: 2 out of 5
zazoo · · rating: 1 out of 5
yes · · rating: 5 out of 5
benjamin · · rating: 4 out of 5
amiral saïba · · rating: 5 out of 5
il dit ce quil dit et je compren quil parlé des baty boy il a raison c sa liberté dexpression
ganjamaica · · rating: 5 out of 5
tonymontana · · rating: 5 out of 5
sow jean yaya · · rating: 5 out of 5
KARTER · · rating: 5 out of 5
ses metaphore sont pa nouvelle et on en utilise en francé enfin bon c toujour la mem ya ceux ki dise amen a la propagande é o rumer ceu la je les faya comme les batttyman. capleton respect yuh forever
fleury · · rating: 5 out of 5
Ses moeurs sont trop éloigné des moeurs occidentale, on a pas la même vision car nous ne sommes pas aussi croyant.
Antonin · · rating: 5 out of 5
samba · · rating: 4 out of 5
dire que c'est pas cool c'est presque illégal.
un gars cool ne peut pas venir s'exprimer.
IL(+) EST VRAIMENT BON...BLESS
thony · · rating: 1 out of 5
T-RAS · · rating: 5 out of 5
C'est bien la tout le problème : quand un homme s'arroge le droit de juger de la qualité humaine de son voisin, il dépasse les limites de la liberté individuelle. C'est dommage au fond, car capleton a evidemment raison quand il met en avant l'éducation par exemple (à l'image d'autres artistes comme KRS-One dans le rap). Mais cette éducation ne peut pas se faire par des textes sacrés : ils expriment des points de vue bien trop anciens, n'ont aucune légitimité scientifique, dispensent des conseils souvent contradictoires...Pourquoi ne pas poser ces maudits bouquins, sonner chez le voisin et boire un coup avec lui, en oubliant ses différences et avec qui il couche. Avant de juger, il faut toujours connaitre. Et ca ferait du bien a certains d'avoir des amis gays ou lesbiennes, qui ont souvent une sensibilité à part, du fait de leur expérience et des douleurs qu'occasionnent ce genre de messages.
mangrove · · rating: 1 out of 5
Ceux qui prennent les paroles à la lettre, parmi les fans, et revendiquent leur culture homophobe pum pum ect ne sont qu'une bande de crétins, de même que certains artistes qui en font trop dans ce domaine selon moi, mais bon, ils chantent bien et la musique est bonne, donc on continuera à les écouter. Mais si on pouvait revenir aux valeurs essentiels du reggae et moins généraliser ces conneries d'images sex et autres, ça serait pas plus mal. Sur ce, je vous laisse, faut que j'écoute McDoom Dead :D
Ultrasyd · · rating: 5 out of 5
Vip · · rating: 1 out of 5
lola · · rating: 1 out of 5
nico · · rating: 1 out of 5
Lolly971 · · rating: 5 out of 5
des propos racistes provoqueraient une censure sur ce site. c parfaitement normal car en France tenir des propos tracistes est illégal. Depuis peu il en est de même pour les discours homophobe comme l'est cette
interview chargée de haine et d'incitation à la violence homophobe. Mais visiblement reggae france à l'air de vouloir les laisser se propager.
nico · · rating: 1 out of 5
Nous ne pouvons pas condamner un ?tre humain pour ses id?eaux... et surtout pas pour le fait qu'il exprime sa pens?e .....
Vos r?actions ne sont pas mieux que celles de nos politichiens qui viennent et nous braquent les droits de l'Homme ... M?me Hitler a le droit de s'exprimer dans une d?mocratie ... libert? d'expression !!!! Boom
C'est la libert? d'action qui doit ?tre censur?e ... Vous vous comprtez comme nos dirigeants qui nous suppriment toute libert? sous couvert de prot?ger la libert? et la d?mocratie, ? la fin notre seul droit dont on va disposer sera de marcher dans la rue ..... BOW
Capleton n'est pas un proph?te, par cons?quent ses mots peuvent ?tre faux ou erron?s ....
Mais m?me Sadom ? le droit de parler ...
Laisser vivre la d?mocratie au peuple ... censurer une libert? de pens?e et une libert? d'expression c'est tuer les droits de l'Homme par cons?quent la D?mocratie ....
Qu'a fait JAH dans ces cas l? ?
Bless It Up
Chaque genoux devra se plier
JudaIse TAFARI · · rating: 5 out of 5
IL le prendrait surement très mal et c est pour cette raison qu il faut combattre toutes les formes de discrimination. Mais comme il le dit on doit vraiment être très con et mal interpréter les paroles.
Mr Boubouf · · rating: 1 out of 5
C pour tjrs plus de pouvoir que des perssonnes
veulent en empecher d'autres de dirent ce
qu'ils veulent,et ca ca regarde les politiques,
et le bizness,mais pas le public qui veus danser,
chanter,oublier l'égau humain qui nous emprisonne constamment!!!
Merci capleton pour toutes ces années de vib'z!!!!
akon · · rating: 1 out of 5
BLEss · · rating: 1 out of 5
david · · rating: 3 out of 5
boubou · · rating: 5 out of 5
steph · · rating: 4 out of 5
vizz · · rating: 1 out of 5
Alan · · rating: 1 out of 5