Recognise Asante Amen

By Debra Edwards Observer writer Friday, May 11, 2007

"Mi nuh conquer no whey if mi nuh conquer mi yard, I am a Jamaican and would like to get recognition here," stated the self-proclaimed son of the soil and reggae artiste Asante Amen, with regards to his musical accomplishments and notable fan base abroad, but less-than-stellar acknowledgment here in his homeland of Jamaica.

Asante Amen

He continued, "The game is not easy in Jamaica, it is not just about talent, money talks. Many DJs don't grasp that if they played your music one time a day just on the basis of talent, it could make so much of a difference". With this understanding the 29-year-old lecturer of Cognitive Psychology at UWI, who made sure to get his education first, knowing that "academia is key", has tried to find innovative ways of getting his music heard with the help of, most recently, online marketing and the use of websites such as Myspace, on the advice of fellow reggae artiste Tony Rebel.

Asante explained that he has always had a passion for music, but began singing at his local church, school, fetes, birthday parties and weddings at the age of 12. His influences are first and foremost Jah, but include Chicago, UB40, Michael Jackson, Freddie Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. But it is none other than Garnett Silk who he considers to be "a prophet whose life was cut short", who made him want to become a Rastafarian and sing reggae music.

"Reggae needs an ambassador that can articulate the views of Rastafari, Jamaica and reggae music, and I am that man." The Wolmer's high school alumnus sees himself as "an undiluted type of energy", which he has proven with his debut single entitled Ras Tafari's Love on the One Drop Music label, the 60th birthday celebration of Bob Marley's life in February 2005, and at Rebel Salute in January 2006.

Where does Asante Amen see the music taking him in the future? He says, "To the ends of the earth, bringing a resurgence with spiritual reggae to a fever pitch like Garnett Silk did in the 90s."