|
|
|
||
Interview with Capleton Who comes to mind when you hear powerful lyrics that move through your soul and stir your body? Capleton, the prophet himself adorned in purple and gold from his head down to his toes, traveled to Chicago’s House of Blues and delivered a performance that had the entire audience chanting for more fire. As the crowd backstage began to file out with signed photographs in hand, I had a chance to talk with Capleton. When I listen to your music: Alms House, Good So, Prophecy, I Testament, One Mission, More Fire, and Still Blazin one word comes to mind—Change. How do you define change in your music?
There is no limit to the music, and there are stages because you have to
grow; like a tree grows its branches, blossoms, and bears fruits. There is
no limit, and there is creativity so the music is always going to take a
different a stage. How do you go about affecting change and implementing change in your life? It is a natural thing. We are born with a Godly power within so we are always seeking Truth so we end up in the church, but once you find Rastafarian that is where the change occurs. So we start seeing life from a more natural aspect, and we stick more to the roots and traditional vibes. Everything happens through the power of Rastafari. Rastafari is about self-esteem, self thought, self reliance, self awareness, and self control. Rastafarian is about salvation, redemption, repatriation, and respiration liberation. Do you think your music transcends generations? Do you think in twenty years they will be still talking about Capleton? No
doubt, the massage is there that is why the people love Capleton because of
the humility, tolerance, the message, and there is no partiality. I just
completed a two month tour in Europe, 7 shows in Germany, 12 in France, 4 in
Italy, 4 in Austria, 2 in Belgium, 3 in Holland, 2 in Switzerland, 2 in
Sweden, 1 in Norway, 1 in Denmark, and 3 in England, and these are different
races, different languages, different people, and different nations, but
still the people sing the songs word for word. You could definitely see the
response. I am not in this business through hype, money, material, fame,
popularity, or publicity this all about message that comes from the heart.
This is the music that enlightens, encourage and uplift. This is the music
that lets people know that there is a better day ahead all you have to do is
be yourself and know who you are and where you are coming from in order to
know where you are going. With the popularity of the Music in North America the perception is that Sean Paul is making all the money. At the end of the day if Capleton and Sean Paul have a show; Sean Paul will not get the crowd that Capleton will attract. I have been there and done that. Remember I have done the BET, MTV, Billboards, and it is no new thing but we still give thanks. Rastafari is not commercial. How difficult is it for you not to go mainstream or hip hop? I am not a big fan of the cross-over, but there is nothing wrong with doing one or two songs because I did it with Method Man with Tour. And at the end of the day Tour is the biggest re-mixed song to come out of Jamaica just asks the disc jockeys, but the music is serious and you have to treat is seriously it’s no joke thing.
Capleton
is not about the hype and the excitement. I love being humble and down to
earth. Hype makes you come out of yourself, and make you think you are
better than people. I am no superstar; I am just a normal youth like any
youth in the ghetto that is how I see myself. Women either love or hate your lyrics. How do you respond to that? The love is there, but hatred may come through the fact that we burn immortality. From you have a love within you that is how people are going to love you. What is the message for youth of Today? Be obedient to your parents and guardians. Stay focused on your goals, and reach for them. Go to school and get an education. Be educated and re-educate yourself. Re-education comes through self value, self esteem, self thought, self awareness, and self control; that means regardless what the professor, and your parents teach you; you must teach yourself.
Explain the concept of the FIRE? The fire is not a literal, but it is about being yourself, knowing who you are, and the purification of humanity. The Fire is not about burning people down, but the Fire comes through words, and it even comes through my performance on stage. The Fire is life. Richard A Tulloch Contributing Writer for Chicagoreggae.com
|
   
|
|
