With dancehall acts billed among those scheduled to perform on the Jamaican leg of the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise on Wednesday night, there was bound to be a little controversy.
This was served up by the ‘Unruly Boss’ Popcaan when he called out reggae veteran Luciano for publicly scolding him and putting his music under the microscope, while performing at an event back in August.
In August, Luciano was performing at a show in the United Kingdom when he decided to address the issue of violence in music and called out entertainers such as Popcaan and Alkaline for their contribution in fuelling crime through their music.
“Popcaan, it look like him pop outta the pot too far cause him sing one song weh say him higher than Jehovah. You can believe that? Guess why him say so? Cause him never yet sober,” Luciano said at the time.
On Wednesday night, just before he performed the song Luciano was speaking about, Popcaan decided to publicly address the issue for the first time.
The El Chapo deejay expressed that while he understands Luciano’s outcry, he was disappointed that the veteran, someone he respects and admires, chose to scrutinise him on such a public platform.
“Wah day me a watch some videos pan YouTube because you know Popcaan as an artiste, the younger generation, mi always a watch the elder dem. So da song yah weh me a go sing, it name Never Sober. Guess wah? While me a watch the stage show, me see one elder artiste weh me look up to a bun me out, and da elder artiste deh a father Luciano,” he said.
“Me wah seh nuff love and respect to father Luci. But guess wah, father Luci, yuh see as a elder, yuh see if me seh sup’m inna mi song weh yuh nuh like, me woulda like if yuh approach me and seh ‘Popcaan, you seh sup’m weh mi nuh like and mi disappointed.’ Mi nuh want yuh go pan stage go bun me out as a elder cause mi nuh feel good bout it.”
NO ILL INTENTIONS
When THE WEEKEND STAR spoke to Luciano about Popcaan’s response, he explained that he had no ill intentions when he called out Popcaan.
“Because he did the sin openly, I had to rebuke him openly. Is not like mi diss no one. Mi just seh dem must careful what dem saying because yuh can’t seh yuh higher than Jehovah just because yuh nuh sober,” he said. “You must take responsibility and learn how to weigh your words. Better yuh did seh yuh high like the sky, but yuh can’t seh yuh higher than God. That is blasphemous.”
Luciano also told THE WEEKEND STAR that he accepts Popcaan’s reasoning about meeting him and expressing his grouse behind the scenes. But he said he isn’t always offered the opportunity to mentor these young artistes.
“A nuh him alone enuh, because a lot of the brothers and sisters in music have gone astray. But I can’t get to see these guys at a location to talk to,” he said. “I would love to do that (talk to Popcaan) because I believe he wants to do good. He has good intentions.”
Luciano went on to encourage the younger generation of artistes to be wary of the power of music, pointing out that once they do, they will understand that certain things are better left unsaid when penning lyrics.
You must log in to post a comment.