By Curtis Campbell—

Reggae artist Gyptian has topped Billboard’s reggae chart with his latest studio album Sex, Love & Reggae.

The artist whose single Hold Yuh was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America earlier this year, told The Sunday Gleaner Jamaicans needed to lend more support to the music industry and quit being foreign minded.

According to the outspoken reggae artist, several of Jamaica’s biggest names in music were not given much respect in Jamaica until they were accepted in foreign countries.

This, he believes, is an indication that Jamaicans are not as patriotic as they ought to be. Gyptian says it is a shame that in reggae’s capital, and a country with over 2.7 million people, artists are finding it hard to sell 500 albums.

“Where in Jamaica has an artist sold 2,000 albums or even 500? They buy rap, soul and anything else foreign. But ask them if they buy reggae or dancehall. These people are not supporting their own,” Gyptian said.

biggest asset

The artist believes reggae music is Jamaica’s biggest asset and implores Jamaicans to wake up and smell the fresh air, citing that citizens from other countries will gladly imitate the island’s music and reap its profits if Jamaicans fail to support its own.

“It’s a foreign-minded thing that we have about us. A man will wait on a man to bring something for him from foreign when the same thing is available in Jamaica. We have to have faith in our products. We must try to elevate the good things about the island like the music and stop supporting the negative bout yu a bad man and stuff like that. Talk about things like our music,” he said.

Gyptian also lashed out at Jamaican artists who he says have changed their authentic product after signing to foreign record labels.

According to the Serious Times singer, international labels sign reggae and dancehall artists because they are attracted to the authentic structure of their music. He believes when Jamaican artists attempt to rap on their albums and divert from authentic rhythms it defeats the purpose.

“People all over the world want to be like Jamaicans yet we are trying to be like them. Some of the artists get signed to labels to do Jamaican music yet they start rapping. You can be versatile but always remember the authentic music and a reggae dat,” Gyptian stressed.

authentic version

Gyptian highlighted that foreigners want difference, and not a ‘fraud’ version of their own culture.

“Americans don’t want us acting like Americans; that is their territory,” he said.

Gyptian’s album Sex, Love & Reggae debuted at number one on the American Billboard reggae chart and the artist said he and his team invested in promotions.

One of the reasons reggae and dancehall artists aren’t selling, Gyptian explained, comes from an inability to see the big picture.

According to the artist, many of his colleagues would rather collect a large sum of money to perform for a small audience than to perform for free at a massive event.

“Artists need to promote their albums for them to sell abroad. Some Jamaican artists don’t want to do a free show to promote their album. They want money and lose sight of the bigger opportunity at hand. A good performance is like a tree root, it spreads and people will want more. So at times it’s better to perform for free to an audience of 40,000 and reap the financial benefits in the long term,” Gyptian emphasised.

The artist also gave props to Shaggy and Sean Paul, whom he says have carefully mastered the art of promotions.

Gyptian’s Sex, Love & Reggae edged out Snoop Lion’s Reincarnationand Shaggy’s Out of Many One Music to nab the number-one spot on the Billboard Reggae Album Chart, a spot which is frequently held by reggae legend Bob Marley.