Everton Blender Says He Isn’t Getting Royalties For ‘Ghetto People Song’

Reggae artist Everton Blender says he’s yet to get any royalties for his 1996 hit Ghetto People Song, which was recently sampled by American rapper-producer duo French Montana and Harry Fraud.

Blender said that the song was co-written by himself, Tony Rebel, and Rebel’s cousin Steven Lindo (Peter), but alleged that Rebel, as producer, had claimed all the rights to the song.

“That song was written by me, Tony Rebel and Steve Lindo otherwise called Peter, but Rebel claimed all the rights of the song. I haven’t got any royalties to this day. For 14 years now, trust me, not even royalties, mi still a fight,” Blender told DancehallMag.

Ghetto People Song has been given a new lease on life as it was sampled on French Montana and Harry Fraud’s new song Higher, which appears on their new joint album, titled Montega, released on June 23. The project, which features Rick Ross, Jadakiss, Quavo, and Benny the Butcher, is Montana’s fifth studio album and his first to be released independently, without major label backing—via Coke Boy Records.

Higher samples Ghetto People Song‘s lyrics and vocals, as well as the Tony Rebel-produced Lala Bella riddim—on which Blender’s original track was laid.  The new song also includes a 2019 skit at the end, which features Jamaican comedian Majah Hype as the characters “Bobby Bunz” and “Di Rass”.

Both Blender and Rebel say they were not aware of the sample until after the song was released on Friday.

Blender told DancehallMag he would have loved to have heard the track before it was released, but said he was fine with the finished product. “I feel good man, the only thing I would want the song to say ‘featuring Everton Blender’. I did not get that recognition that I am supposed to get, so that would be great,” Everton Blender said.

Blender is represented by attorney-at-law Michael Chase. “Right now, mi ah depend on my lawyer to settle it, to deal with it,” he added.

The 67-year-old recalled the day Ghetto People Song was made at Penthouse Records studio.

“When I get the riddim to sing on, I worked on the frontline of the music from my home…the ‘higher, higher, higher’, no one tell me what to sing, no one tell me what to do. And then you have certain parts at the bottom where I said, ‘give a little, know who you give to, I am talking to you Mr. Fortunate One’. These are my words,” he said.

“The words are mine, not just the chorus. Ah Peter do the balance of it, he wrote the other verses. Back in the day, when things never did a gwaan a Tony Rebel (studio), ah Peter used to come cook and give us money to buy food and dem ting de, good youth,” Blender said

Tony Rebel’s version of the events is markedly different.  “In the studio, me write the three verse and leave the ‘ghetto people song’ chorus,” Rebel was quoted as saying.

Blender said the ‘business’ side of the music industry is challenging and wrought with dishonesty and shady activities.

“Sometimes, I say I am going to keep out of music and do something else but people write me on the Internet and say ‘Blender, mi know yu ah get a fight eh nuh, but Lift Up Your Head and Hold it on High, yu nuh just a come, ah long time yu de ya, yu is a Family Man, and dem use back mi same songs to hold the fight and keep on,” Blender said.

Blender claimed that he suffered the indignity of having Spotify remove his Ghetto People Song from that platform after he tried to post it on his profile.

“The music industry wicked is just because ah music choose me, ah never me choose the music because the Almighty bless me different when it comes to music…I put my song on Spotify and dem tek it down. Rebel claims say him own everything, I heard him say that at a stage show and him say ‘bet you never tell me who write thing song? Then him say ah him write Ghetto People Song and then sing it. Mi no feel good when mi hear that,” he said.

Blender has a show coming up on August 6 in Texas.  He’s also expected for upcoming shows in Canada, New Jersey and the Caribbean.

He is known for several other hit songs, including Lift Up Your Head (1994), Blen’ Them (1994), Coming Harder (1996), and Blow Your Nose (1996).