Dancehall icon Louie Culture has expressed mixed feelings about modern music trends, declaring that negative tracks are killing the genre’s global appeal.
The Ole Gangalee legend did not hold back when asked where Jamaican music is heading.
“On one side, mi glad fi see the youth dem a rise, but on the other side, I can see where the music is going down. There is too much negativity,” Louie Culture said. “Is like a negative dem a promote. And certain negative songs can’t pass the airport. And if it even pass airport, dem song deh jus a go where bare Jamaicans deh … not to the world.”
The veteran hitmaker pointed out that today’s self-proclaimed “bad artistes” can’t even score gigs in Europe because foreign fans simply aren’t buying the bad vibes.
He was quick to add, however, that his intention was constructive, rather than destructive, criticism.
“We nah beat the yute dem, we just a seh artiste like we fi step up and continue the ting. Don’t watch the yute dem. A fi dem time and dem a do wha’ dem can do. But the music itself, it a go stand the test of time. We as the artiste just need to do our job and leave the yutes to do their job and it will work,” the Ole Gangalee stated.
Known as the ‘Ole Gangalee’, a line from one of his hit songs, Louie Culture has delivered hits such as Gangalee, Excellent, Bogus Badge, Ole Before Them Young, Don’t Get Weary Gangalee, They Lied, Rudie Don’t Fear and Backative.
Fresh off a powerhouse performance at Beenie Man’s Summa Sizzle, the jolly hitmaker was absolutely beaming after tearing up the stage in Clarendon.
“It’s always a joy to perform in Jamaica … everybody ask why they don’t see me on more local shows, but if I was to tell you, I would be telling a lie. I don’t know.
“The good thing is that the overseas shows keep coming in. I just returned from the US and I have shows coming up in Canada … but yuh know, Jamaica is the foundation,” the Foundation From Birth singer said.
He also shared that he has been in the studio with producer Lloyd James Jr., more popularly known as John John, the son of the legendary producer King Jammy. The project is the long overdue album, which is set for release by the end of this year.
“It’s been much more than a decade since I did an album … I’ve released songs to keep current and that works … keeps your catalogue vibrant, but the time for something different is now and we have real nice album a come a road,” Louie Culture revealed.
The album is as yet unnamed, but Louie Culture is excited at the collabs with Sanchez, Luciano and possibly Capleton.
“The collab with Sanchez is our first song together, so I give thanks to work with such a great singer. Luciano a mi artiste so yuh know how that go … and a years me and Capleton fi do a tune. A just fi me go check Prophet and we do it because a so me and him live, so people can count pon that one,” he told THE STAR.
