“Cut It Out!” Sizzla Calls Out ‘Fake Rasta’ Artists
Reggae star Sizzla Kalonji has never been one to hold his tongue when he feels that there are issues to be addressed, and he certainly did that when he called out fellow Rastafarian artists who he believes are not walking the right path.
During an Instagram Live yesterday, the Mash Dem Down singer took aim at those who say they are Rastafarian but live contrary to the values that the movement promotes. While we’re not sure who he aimed his recent comments at, fans have speculated that he may be calling out Dancehall and Reggae artist Fantan Mojah.
Sizzla was seen vibing to music, including new music from his album Million Times, as he spoke from his Judgement Yard base in August Town.
“It have some people wey have locks and a wear turban and black to uno and them ah do some things wa make dem set a people de weh a foundation people disgruntled,” he said after he paused the music and assured fans that his “fire wasn’t done” despite his absence from the road.
Fantan Mojah faced harsh criticism, following the release of his raunchy video for Fire King, from dub poet and IRIE FM radio broadcaster Mutabaruka, who said, among other things, that the video was not in keeping with the principles of the Rastafarian Bobo Ashanti order. Mojah clapped back with some inflammatory comments directed at Muta, and claimed that his song had been supported by Rastafarian elder Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith.
While defending himself, during an interview, Mojah said he there was nothing stopping him from being Rastafarian and having a glamorous lifestyle. “Look pon it dis way. Rasta must clean. Yuh mus have on nice clothes… good clothes an nice tings. Rasta mus look good. Suh who a try dis stuck up ting and dis one bag a cloth ting, mi nuh inna it. Mi nuh inna it wid dem enuh,” he explained.
Fantan’s views are clearly not shared by Sizzla, who called on artists to stop flaunting the wrong lifestyle while claiming to be Rasta.
In his hour-long Live video he declared, “You cyan ah suffer and you never corrupt, you did clean, everything a gwaan good, you just no have no money, no big house and no pretty car, your reputation is well. And now as you get rich you get corrupt and dirty and nasty? A wa ya do?”
In another stern warning to his unnamed counterparts, Sizzla added “You see some a uno artist weh a do tha likkle somn de weh nuh acceptable by the Jamaican nation, uno cut it out eno. That’s not Jamaican, eno.”
Meanwhile, one fan dismissed Sizzla’s comments and pointed to more mainstream parts of his catalog.
“Sizzla can’t school no one about Rasta!!! Him come a talk bout Big Long Gun and Pump Up Her Pum Pum. Not that Pump Up Her Pum Pum is a bad thing. I am all about Rasta stay Rasta and no advertise dem curiosity.”