NO respect! That’s the grouse of two members of influential roots reggae group

The Congos.

The roots reggae group The Congos

In an interview with Splash, Kenroy Fyffe and Roydel ‘Ashanti Roy’ Johnson spoke about the dearth of talent in contemporary reggae and a lack of respect for their contemporaries.

“They say the grey face is going out, to hear those words hurt mi. We set the pace and still in the pace carrying on,” said Fyffe.

The Congos, which also includes Cedric Myton and Watty Burnett are very much in demand internationally. Every year, through French booking agency Mediacom, they tour the European circuit.

Last November they broke new ground by performing in Australia at the World Music Expo.

“In Jamaica we don’t get a lot of shows…I don’t know if they don’t remember us,” said Johnson, who founded The Congos in 1975 with Myton.

He and Fyffe are amazed to see white teenagers in Europe singing their songs word for word, while in Jamaica few adults are familiar with their music.

The Congos are best known for the 1977 album, Heart of the Congos, which was produced by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.

It contains the hit song, Row Fisherman Row, and remains one of reggae’s revered albums.

Come June, The Congos will kick off their latest tour which will see them performing in Europe and Australia.