Interview by : La rédaction
Pictures by : DR
on Monday, January 14th 2008 - 11 546 views
His album "Parables" came out in 2006 but it is this year that Tarrus Riley has truly exploded. Beware and above all She's Royal barely left the charts all year, making the son of Jimmy Riley (The Techniques) the roots sensation of 2007.
Reggaefrance / Your album "Parables", released last year, enjoyed late success. Were you surprised?
Tarrus Riley / I wouldn't say surprised, because I knew the songs were good. I didn't know how long it would take for it to find success. But I did know that VP was a major distributor who would give me access to a wider audience. My previous album never grabbed so much attention, mainly because of the distribution.
Did you write all the songs on "Parables"?
All of them, apart from Stay with you, a John Legend song, and my combination with Duane Stephenson, Let Love Live, which we wrote together.
Dean Fraser produced the whole album.
Dean has a big influence on my music. He was a very good friend of my father's, and he is a very good friend. He's someone I have the deepest respect for, he's like a big brother to me. He had already done my first album. Working with Dean in the studio is disarmingly simple. He's a friend, but when we go into the studio, we put the friendship aside and concentrate on the "business" side. He's a great musician and I learned a lot at his side.
Many artists like to produce their own songs; is that something you are heading towards?
I was involved in the production of this album. Some songs are the product of my musical progress, at the level of the arrangements. I may not have been the boss like Dean, but I still had my say on the music, in a way.
What is your relationship with Don Corleon?
I have two tracks produced by Corleon, Far away and Back Bitter. One is a love song, the other is a reality song about friendship. What I like about Don Corleon is that his music is fresh. It's good sometimes to go to other producers to get new sounds. In that sense, it was just as good to record songs with Bulby and Fatta of Fat Eyes (Protect your neck with Bling Dawg, editor's note).
Are you already working on a new album?
Yes, we're working on it, but we haven't entered the recording phase yet. We have loads of songs. I'm always writing, whether for myself or for other artists; I'm constantly working on new projects.
You grew up in a musical environment. Which artist influenced you the most?
To be honest, I can't narrow my influences down to a single artist. Music itself is my inspiration.
Jamaicans nicknamed Damian Marley "The younger the better". What name have they given you?
Singie singie! I give thanks for people's support. Being given a nickname is like being adopted by them.
Mavado and Busy Signal share the charts with you. What is your relationship with them?
Munga, Mavado, Busy… we represent Jamaica and reggae. I'm 27, and I don't know how old they are, but we are obviously connected. Our messages are different. It's like fruit: they all belong to the same family, but each has its differences. I am a part of the reggae fruit basket. All the artists contribute to Jamaican music.
Which young artists do you rate the most?
Jamaica is full of talent, and once again, I can't limit myself to a few names. Every day, a star is born in Jamaica. People only talk about Jamaica as the country with the most murders and crime, but above all it's the place with the most talent. The list is long, whether they record or not.
Many artists denounce violence in their lyrics, but unfortunately many of them are also involved in crime. Is there pressure from their communities, or is it just hype? Artists who didn't grow up in Jamaica, like you, seem to behave differently.
Violence is everywhere, not only in Jamaica. Behaviour also differs according to the upbringing given by the parents. There is pressure in every community. It's simply a question of how you handle that pressure. Young people growing up in high society or, on the contrary, in a tough environment, won't grow up in the same way.
It's the balance of life: sometimes tea, sometimes coffee. Violence is not an answer. Rastafari is about self-control and knowing how to conduct yourself, that's what Marcus Garvey said. All of that helped build me: the teachings of my father and mother, of Jah Rastafari, my environment… All of that makes you behave differently. You must remain a warrior because you can't be too passive. But violence is never, ever the answer. Because you can't win a battle by battling.
You were due to tour the United Kingdom with Jah Cure. How do you feel about the way the British authorities treated him?
To be perfectly honest, I think that whatever the reasons Jah Cure was convicted for, he has served his sentence. Now he has a life waiting for him, after all that time spent in prison. You do wrong, you serve your time, life goes on… But the system isn't really set up that way and keeps depriving you of your rights after your sentence. Jah Cure has served his time; it's not as if he hadn't been punished. Many great men have gone to prison. Marcus Garvey, for example, was locked up. The authorities know who they are and are aware of their powers.
Do you have plans for a European tour?
Yes, definitely, we'll be in Europe very soon.
You spent a lot of time in the United States. Where do you live now?
I live in Jamaica, I'm Jamaican. Living in the USA taught me a lot. I'm grateful for that experience. I've lived in Jamaica since I left high school.
How did your return to Jamaica go?
It was easy, like a Sunday morning… Because it's my patch! A walk in the park!
Is there more pressure to be a Rasta in the USA than in Jamaica?
(firmly) No. There is more pressure on Rastas in Jamaica, behind closed doors. Because the rastaman is bittersweet. He's like a fruit with thorns but a tender heart. The whole world and Jamaica esteem Rastas but don't show it. The youths of the ghetto, in the street, say to you "Yes ras!"; those from high society are wary of you. In the United States, the dreadlocks fashion is very present, lots of people wear them. There are many different cultures in the United States, so Rastafarian culture is more respected there because the USA was built by immigrants. People from all over the world came to settle there. In Jamaica, it's nothing like that. Even though the country's motto is "Out of many, one people", there are only a few cultures. In the USA, the Rasta is like a king in Babylon. People say "oh look at the rastaman". In Jamaica, it's more like "oh look at that rasta bwoy". And it still happens today.
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