Prophecy breaks loose

Debut album out soon

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Prophecy, the deep-voiced Rastafarian singer from Lyssons, St Thomas, has been sticking to his roots reggae music conviction for a long time. Although he first got real national attention through the IRIE FM Big Break Competition, which he won in 2005, seven years prior to that he entered the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Popular Song Contest with Higher Ground, placing in the top 10.

Even then, Prophecy banked his fortunes on roots reggae, at a stage where listeners were not accustomed to rockers in the festival. Still, he says, "The exposure was great. We had to carry it across the island."

Now, 13 years after that festival foray, Prophecy is within eight weeks of the release of his debut album, Break Loose, which should be available at the end of September into the beginning of October.

The 14-track set includes Bodybags, Newfound Love, Dem Wrong, Fight the Fight, a remake of Black Uhuru's Party in Session with Michael Rose and Delly Ranx and Don't Come Tell Me - the song that landed Prophecy the 'Big Break' title.

Naturally, Prophecy is happy at the prospect of his first album, but he has had to keep the musical faith through many downtimes.

In the seven years between the two competitions, Prophecy went to the famed 13 Brentford Road address of Studio One. "Me is the last one get that knowledge from Studio One," Prophecy said. In 2002, he did three AIDS awareness concerts in South Africa along with Rita Marley, Chakademus and Pliers, Morgan Heritage and Canadian band Full Vibes.

Plus, Prophecy said, he was doing shows. "Major shows are hard to step on. But what build you is the small shows. You still a do them in Kingston and country, working in your community," he said.

He points out that he was influenced heavily by the music-heavy Adventist faith in his childhood. In addition to that were "the Peter Tosh that used to play in the house and Bob Marley and Dennis Brown by my father". His roots reggae path was set and Prophecy emphasises, "this is the music that has gone worldwide and to the top of the charts". Still, with the dancehall music machine going full speed ahead, roots reggae was not high on the agenda. Prophecy said, "It kinda hard, but you know everything come in life through hard suffering and sacrifice. You know nothing come easy in life ... If it work for D. Brown and Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs and you follow that route it going to work for you."

Still, he was shaken when a stint in Canada after 2002 came to an end when the company he was aligned with folded. "It was devastating," Prophecy said - but it was also what led to the Big Break. Back in Jamaica, he was listening to the radio and heard about the IRIE FM competition. He went for it, although Prophecy said "me is a man no like competition still".

He was required to submit four songs, choosing one as the track he would push. Prophecy selected Don't Come Tell Me, which he said is done with "that kind of Peter Tosh conviction". The win gave him extensive radio exposure and, with the new level of popularity, Prophecy was able to approach producers with more confidence.

The IRIE FM connection has gone beyond music, as Prophecy said he started to "trod Jamaica with Andrea Williams Green to show is not just music but you committed to national development". He has been on the 'In Search Of' series for Nanny, Paul Bogle and Tacky and also played on the IRIE FM football team.

Prophecy appeared on Sumfest 2005 as part of his Big Break prize package, but was on this year in a bigger way on International Night 1. He was also on Capleton's 'St Mary Mi Come From' this year as well as the Bath Breadfruit Festival last Sunday. On August 26, Prophecy heads to Wickie Wackie in Bull Bay, St Andrew.

The South African connection went beyond the 2002 concerts, as Prophecy said when Lucky Dube was killed in 2007 he did a remake of Dube's Chance for the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation. That led to a crew from the station coming to Jamaica and Prophecy also visiting South Africa.

And while he adheres to the principle "dance a yard before you dance abroad", Prophecy points out that he has had an international presence before his popularity picked up in Jamaica over about the last year.

That helped in the more trying times, as Prophecy said "me stick to it in my head and say 'Europe, Europe'."

Bodybags is the first song that is being pushed from Break Loose, with Fight The Fight next in line.

Sly & Robbie, Barry O'Hare, House of Hits, New Birth Ltd and Cell Block have a hand in the production of Break Loose.

Prophecy also runs his Prophecy Foundation in Lyssons, providing exercise books and T-shirts to youth who need the assistance.