JUNIOR REID
Interviewed by Jesse I -- August 13, 1999

This interview with Junior Reid was conducted via phone for airplay on Chant Down Babylon (PBS-FM). In addition to what is transcribed here, we also spoke about Reid's 20 years in the music business, his label "One Blood" productions, and the slack dancehall climate of the 80s, but due to phone line drop-out this was mostly lost. After hanging up and calling back, the connection was much better. I have transcribed all of the audible parts of the interview, as closely as I could manage.

 

JESSE: With me right now on the line, I've got a true reggae legend. Junior Reid, thank you for taking the time out to speak to me.

JR: It's a pleasure, y'know, to communicate with all my fans and my people.

JESSE: You're working on a new album, "John Law", how is that coming along?

JR: Well, it's coming along great. I was thinking of calling it "John Law", but maybe we'll call it "Junior Reid: Here and Now".

JESSE: Okay. I expect this will be a very conscious album, yeah?

JR: Yes, a conscious album. It's education, entertainment, fun and joy, and happiness, y'know.

JESSE: On your last album, "True World Order", you had a lot of guest stars; people like Bounty Killer, Big Youth, and Anthony B. Are you going to have any guest artists on this new album?

JR: Yeah, I'm looking forward to putting some guests on this new album. Right now we're in the process of getting things together, and deciding on who we really want to work with y'know?

JESSE: Okay. And when can we expect that album out?

JR: Well, by October, it will be in the stores.

JESSE: Excellent. Now, you obviously take a lot of inspiration from the Most High. What sort of process do you go through when you're writing your songs?

JR: Well, the process I go though, for writing my songs, is by linking with the people. Y'know, I sing about what the people face. Cause the people is my boss. I work for the people. Y'know, cause they're the ones who cheer for me, and rave for me. So... they're the ones who give me the inspiration. Just by driving sometimes I get inspiration. Just by the things that I do. Every day is inspiration, y'know? Everything, y'know.

JESSE: Right. And for the people that are listening to this at home, the reggae fans that are listening to this in Melbourne, can you explain a little bit about your faith for us? You're a Bobo Rasta, right?

JR: Yeah.

JESSE: Can you explain a little about what that means?

JR: Bobo? Yeah, well Bobo, y'know... Trodding as a Bobo Shanti, you're trodding as a king. You know the importance of yourself, y'know. And know importanties, and just live... try fe adopt the way the king live, y'know... Bobo Shanti is just a order where it's a equal rights and justice for everyone, and a kingly, royal living...

JESSE: In the last couple years we've seen a real rise in the Rasta message back in the dancehall, and there's another big group of Bobo Rastas coming up. Sizzla, Anthony B, Jah Mason, guys like that. What do you think about the state of reggae these days?

JR: Yeah. Well its me that make the change y'know. Because... since Emmanuel inspired me to put on my turban, and come as a Bobo now... y'know, a lot of youths just follow. Yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yes I.

JR: So that show me the power that is in the music, and the power that is in us. Each of us have a power. You have your power y'know, certain things you do you have a set of people that look up to you, y'know. So if you do certain things, they will follow you and do it cause they look up to you. So right now, the world, or the music industry, try to make it look as if since Bob Marley dead, the music dead. Yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yeah.

JR: But Bob Marley himself... Bob Marley did a great work, and a great job, and dem kill Bob Marley. But Bob Marley himself did say "So Much Things To Say". So the thing is now... that's why man like we have to tell them bout Emmanuel, what Bob Marley never tell them bout, and tell them bout Marcus, and about Emmanuel. Because... a lot of man say "Selassie I", but Selassie I trod in a trinity, in a three temples. Three in one, one in three. If you come into the short structure alone, every short man would say that nothing tall or nothing big is not good, because that is a short man. We have some jealous children, him come into the short structure, and Selassie I say him so low you can't go underneath him. And him come as Marcus inna the round structure, and say him so round you can't go round him. And you come inna the tall structure as Emmanuel, and him say him so tall you can't go over him. That me say the tall man coulda get a balance, the stout man coulda get a balance, and the short man coulda get a balance. Without the king, the people dem woulda perish. Without the prophet, the people them won't have any vision. Just like how Marcus tell the people look to the East for the crowning of a black king. And when we see the king, we must see him as our God and king. So we see Selassie I now, rise up into the East as a king, and we see our God as our king. Which John Marcus tell about... but when John Marcus was telling us about King Selassie I, he was telling us about himself. But when God telling us "look here", him not going to say "look here, look into the East and you going to see them crown me as God and King" or whatever. No. It's better to come as a prophet, and we see it fulfil, and dem ting deh. And we see, the same man a tell you is the same man you see... So Emmanuel come teach we, and say remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Cause six days it take to make the Earth, and him rest pon the seventh day. So any man try fi work past seven day, 'im a try say greater than God. And when him try say him greater than God, I say him a haffi drop off the face of the Earth. And them ting deh Emmanuel come to show we, and we try our best to live. Y'know?

JESSE: Right.

JR: And right now, I want my fans dem in Australia to know that Junior Reid love all a you people who love Junior Reid and listen to Junior Reid and reggae music. Defend the king, and you live up, and do it the right... cause we sing "One Blood" y'know, and heads of government of the world spend so much millions to cause war. So when I come to the world and say "One Blood", and "the people dem live in unity and love", that spoil up a lot of millions for the heads of government all over the world. So wha them do now, them try to keep us out, and don't let the people dem see us. But right now we want the promoter dem in Australia to know that Junior Reid ready for Australia . And the number you got here, they can contact you for Junior Reid number. And we're ready fe come work, and give the people dem the message.

JESSE: We'd love that.

JR: I've got a sister living in Australia... I've got family down there in Australia .

JESSE: Well, there's a lot of people down here who would love to see you here. A lot of people wanna see Junior Reid on stage.

JR: Yeah man, and I can't wait to come down there. But you see, it's a politics thing going on, because y'know... because they want to look at this... since Bob Marley die, reggae music die, and you don't have any other person singing. But we sing "One Blood" y'know. Bob Marley sings "One Love"; we sing "One Blood". Cause it's not one love yuh have, cause you have intimate love, material love, things love, money love; but only one blood you have. Cause out of one come many. Yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yes I. Respect.

JR: So right now... yout' them a carry out the work, because since Bob Marley gone we a tell them "One Blood". Yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yes I.

JR: Them don't make our song available to the people dem in the store, because we are teaching the people. What they make available to the people in the store is some crap, so when you compare those to what Bob Marley was singing about, you say, Bob Marley still the king. Yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yes.

JR: Bob was a king, but right now we have living king we a trod the Earth with. Nuff yout' around we are king. Man like Big Youth a king. Man like Junior Reid a king. See Dennis Brown a gone, but them call him the Prince, cause them make nobody pass the king. So you see, me nah waan no title inna Babylon. Cause we born as a king, that's why we put on our turban and show them. So me put on my crown here... it may be a wrap... a wrap made out of material, but it represent my crown. You understand me?

JESSE: Yes I.

JR: So right now I just want the people to know a just one blood. And life is the greatest. Some say by the year 2000, the Earth haffe end but we haffe go on through our children, children, children. Cause the Earth haffe gwaan, y'know?

JESSE: Yes.

JR: Babylon fall a right now. Selassie I run things 24-7, 48-14, 7-11, y'know.

JESSE: Yes I.

--

JESSE: Now, Junior Reid, when you started in this business, things must have been a lot different. I understand you recorded your first tune in 1979? Is that correct?

JR: Yeah.

JESSE: And how old were you at that time?

JR: I was about say, 14. Still at school. And the first time I came it was "speak the truth and speak it forever". The first song me sing is "Speak The Truth". I had to expose it, especially like me a do now... Say one blood, and we a live in love, and we nah need no war. Love we a deal wit, and unity. We've gotta protect our life, cah we a life protector, y'know?

JESSE: Right. Can you tell us a little about how your first tune came about? How did you enter the recording studio?

JR: Well, I entered the recording studio by... y'know... in my community doing like fundraising show for my yout' club, doing fundraising show for my school, and things like that. And whenever a session or any dance in the area, me try to reach the dance and try to hold the mic and ting for the people dem. And the people dem inna the community a start to cheer for me and so. Then I meet up with my friend Hugh Mundell. And then Hugh Mundell take me in the studio, and that's where it start. Hugh Mundell is the first producer for Junior Reid, putting out the song "Speak the Truth". Released out here and over in England on pre-release. It went number 6 on the pre-release chart. Then after that, I sing another song called "Know Myself". That was on the B-side of a Hugh Mundell 12" called "Can't Pop No Style". Through Greensleeves records. And it start from there... and I start getting interest from London, cause my name was kinda building up in London, England . And it keep going on, y'know.

JESSE: Right, okay. And Hugh Mundell was obviously your friend as well as musical mentor...

JR: Hugh Mundell was my friend, my brother, my everything, y'know.

JESSE: Yes I. I believe you were with him when he died in 1983?

JR: Yeah, I was there, y'know. But the work haffe continue still, y'know?

JESSE: Yes I. Now, if you feel comfortable discussing it, could you let us know what happened when he died, and how you dealt with that afterwards?

JR: Well um... let me see now... there was a dispute between a guy that used to work by the house where him used to live... where Hugh Mundell used to live. Guy used to work around the house and so. So we went to a show, and come back up and somebody break in the house... and have stolen some tings from Hugh Mundell. Hugh Mundell came back and the tenant, the next-door neighbor, told us that it was that guy. We went and see the guy... and police lock up the guy. The guy's brother came back and say you mus' free up him bredda. And Mundell say "nah", and the boy step out him gun and fire shot in the car, and kill me friend.

JESSE: I know you've sung about that in a lot of songs.

JR: Yeah.

JESSE: Yeah, that's gotta be horrible. One of my favourite songs from your last CD "True World Order" was your song "Crime Monster". I find that a really moving, touching song. You also mention in that song many of the other people who have died in Jamaica lately, and died to the gun.

JR: By the gun. Yeah.

JESSE: People are still dying... what do you think has to be done to stop the slaughter?

JR: What have to done... Y'know. We have to just call in... the people them haffe stand up and know say right now wha... the same man who make the gun fe charge with the gun. Yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yes.

JR: Because it's these people who... all the people in the world can buy a gun... and then when they go and use it, and hurt somebody, them end up getting charge fi it - and the guys who make it don't get charge fi it. Conspiracy them a keep on the nation, and the world. So right now, the people dem of the world... must just lick out on the gun store and take some action and whatever or so. Cause right now, y'know... you see me no ‘fraid fi talk, cause me no come like no lamb to no slaughter. Me come as the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, Ever living God, Earth's Rightful Ruler; cause God inna every man. We work for the Father, there's works we have to go through. Me and you haffe go carry it out. Cause whenever you ask Jah... say... Jah know... "I'm hungry, I need some food". Jah, or God, or Jesus, or whatever you want to call him... him don't come himself and bring that food... him come through a man. You see a man come and say "you want some food?" and you get some food and say "me lucky", and you get bread and say "me lucky". But if you remember, you did say Jah or God "I want some food" before, or that man ain't going to come. It's not lucky... you asked Jah. So when Jah go through a man and bring the food... you haffi still recognize and know that it's God moving through man. Cause the man say; man of right is God in flesh. Man of wrong is Satan in flesh. Woman of right is goddess in flesh, and a woman of wrong is Sataness. So those people who promote gun, bless gun, and send gun to the people and all dem ting deh, they are Satan in flesh! Cause they are doing wrong.

JESSE: Yes I.

JR: And we as the Gods and the Goddess now, we have to stand up, and use words. Cause words, sounds is power to fight evil forces.

JESSE: Right. Yes I. And you've been fighting those forces for a long time, and we give you much respect here.

JR: Yes my Lord, blessed. Give thanks my Lord.

JESSE: Yes I. Well, I'd like to thank you very, very much for taking the time out to speak to me today Junior Reid, and to all the listeners in Melbourne.

JR: It's a pleasure my Lord. Yeah man, and any promoter hear this interview and want to get in touch with Junior Reid, you can be my contact in Australia.

JESSE: Yes I, I'd be very happy to do that for you! We'd love to see you out here.

JR: Cause I'd love to come to Australia. But you see, just because of what I'm saying, they try to hide us from the world. But this world is mine - this world is our world. This world is for you and for me. So nobody can stop the tide, yuh understand me?

JESSE: Yes I. We hope we'll see you down here one day.

JR: Yeah mon, and I just want to bless the people dem inna the name of Holy Emmanuel I, King Selassie I, Jah Rastafari. Blessed love to all people. Blessed love to Mama Omega, the mother, the Earth, y'know. And just one blood. Hear my Lord?

JESSE: Yes I.

JR: Love. It's a pleasure.

JESSE: Thank you for taking the time out... we've been speaking to Junior Reid right here tonight, right here on PBS-FM.

JR: <sings> One Blood! Staniyah-a-oy! Love!