ROOTS SINGER I-WAYNE CALLS FOR A CLEAN-UP OF THE MUSIC!

By Simone Morgan—

 I-Wayne—

RASTAFARIAN reggae artist I-Wayne says deejay rivallry, lewd lyrics and irresponsible disc jocks for pulling down the nation’s values.

He is calling for a clean-up of the music.

“The whole culture break down. The type of filth our kids are now exposed is not healthy at all,” he said.

I-Wayne — who is scheduled to perform at

Beer Wednesdays to be held at Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records in St Andrew, tomorrow — was speaking with the Jamaica Observer in an exclusive interview.

The singjay, whose given name is Cliffroy Campbell, labelled some artists “hypocrites” because they know what’s right, but choose to say and play the opposite just for “hype and a buss”.

“If you should ask them if they would want dem kids or mother to experience the things they are deejaying about or playing on their turntables, they would say: ‘No’. A man woulda probably all war with you fi even ask him that,” he said.

I-Wayne said some of these dancehall artists, who appear to be very talented, oftentimes are ‘inspired’ record conscious songs that are sound in values. However, the damage they created had long lasting effects. He declined to give names.

I-Wayne

“I hear some of them saying that parents are responsible for their children and they are not seeking to be a child’s inspiration, but they are lying. If that is the case, they should just stay in their bathroom and sing,” he said.

The dreadlocked singjay offered a solution he thinks would help to “clean-up” the situation.

“We need to unite and stop being so competitive. Some of the artists are tearing each other down but we need to start working together as a team and help clean up the music and Jamaica,” he said.

I-Wayne, who said he is busy in the studio preparing some upcoming singles, got his break in the summer of 2004 with Living in Love and

Can’t Satisfy Her. He was subsequently signed to VP Records and released Lava Ground.

His sophomore set, Book of Life (2007), peaked at number four on Billboard’s reggae chart.