Blair grew up in rural Clarks Town in the northwestern parish of Trelawny. His deeply religious family life (his mother was a Seventh-day Adventist and his grandmother a Revivalist) imbued him with a profound spirituality. During his youth, his favorite singers were reggae legends Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, musicians who strongly influenced his own style. Peter Tosh's influence can definitely be heard in Anthony B's vocal delivery and revolutionary stance.
Anthony B adopted Rastafarian beliefs as a teenager, a decision which was not well-received by his family. The stubborn and determined Anthony B refused to give up his new religion and his dreadlocks and moved to the home of his aunt and uncle in the Kingston suburb, Portmore.
While attending high school, Anthony B debuted as a deejay for the local sound system, Shaggy Hi-Power. In 1988, he befriended reggae artists such as Determine, Mega Banton, Ricky General and Terror Fabulous.
At this point in the reggae industry, singing "slack" songs about women was the popular thing to do. Anthony B did not believe in degrading women and chose to pen politically-slanted songs rather than so-called "gyal chunes." He hooked up with Little Devon the Half Pint sound-a-like singer he made his debut single "The Living is Hard" on the Wizard label in 1993. Anthony B tried many different producers but found that none of them fit his style of music. Finally, Anthony B teamed up with Richard "Bello" Bell, creating hits such as Fire Pon Rome, Raid Di Barn, Rumour, and Repentance Time. Anthony B's 1996 debut album Real Revolutionary was highly acclaimed in the reggae community. In late 1997, Anthony B released Universal Struggle which showed that Anthony B had a consistent, high-calibre talent. Anthony B has released a large number of albums since that time including 1999's Seven Seals and 2004's Untouchable which featured collaborations with artists including Wyclef Jean.
Anthony B tours extensively in Europe and North America and is known for his fiery, high-energy performances.
Anthony B is a member of the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafarian movement. "Bobo Dreads", as they are known, are recognizable by their long robes and turbans. The strong Afrocentric pride and the other Rastafarian beliefs (or "overstandings" as Rastafarians prefer to call them) which Anthony B holds are reflected in his songs.
Discography
* Predator & Prey (1996, Alpha Enterprises)
* Real Revolutionary / So Many Things (1996, Greensleeves)
* Universal Struggle (1997, VP Records)
* Seven Seals (1999, VP Records)
* That's Life (2001, VP Records)
* More Love (2001, AO ! Records)
* Live On The Battlefield (2002, Jahmin' Records)
* Reggae Max (2002, Jet Star)
* Street Knowledge (2003, Nocturne)
* Judgment Time (2003, 2B1 Records)
* Smoke Free (2003, Bogalusa Records)
* Voice Of Jamaica vol. 2 (2003, Nocturne)
* Wise Man Chant (2004, Black Scorpio)
* Justice Fight (2004, Nocturne)
* Untouchable (2004, Togetherness Records)
* Power Of Creation (2004, Nocturne)
* Black Star (2005, Greensleeves)
* My Hope (2005, AL.TA.FA.AN. / Minor 7 Flat 5)
Concious Entertainer
Anthony B Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Intro:
Dem say a detrimental behavior
To be a conscious entertainer
But a Jah a we protector
Bobo fear no danger
Dem say a detrimental behavior
But a Jah a we protector
Rasta fear no danger
Verse 1:
Dem try anything just fi stop this
Radio ban, jelp me lick out gainst politics
But my optics, be on dem topics
Global movement evasive tactics yogo yo
See me in the Congo
Try fi catch me in a Morocco
I'll be in Ethiopia for sure
Only thing you can see a me shadow, eh
Iya ya eh, Iya ya eh eh
Chorus
Verse 2:
What is the essence of a gunman strive
To unleash his anger at the expense of life
I shall not slowly pass in the night
But rise to separate all the wrong from right
Dalley through the valley yaga ya yo
Chorus
Verse 3:
So why do all these people worry bout me
Jah Jah guide never hide nah loose no pride
Sey dem a, sey dem a
don't they know that Jah love set me free
Zion I, Selassie I, guide I, guide I, guide I
Everyone whey speak the truth, dem dem execute
Pop off remote ready fi put yu pon mute
Flad me recruit Selassie I youth
Babylon dis, a fire undilute
Pop off dem gun and a we dem caan shoot
In a me turban and me khaki suit
Chorus
Verse 4:
Dem try anything just fi stop this
Radio ban, jelp me lick out gainst politics
But my optics, be on dem topics
Global movement evasive tactics yogo yo
See me in the Congo
Try fi catch me in a Morocco
I'll be in Ethiopia for sure
Only thing you can see a me shadow, eh
Iya ya eh, Iya ya eh eh
Chorus
Anthony B's song "Conscious Entertainer" is a powerful message to those who try to stop conscious music from spreading. The song is a great example of the modern roots reggae genre, which is known for its socially conscious lyrics and Rastafarian philosophy. Anthony B's lyrics denounce the efforts of those who try to silence or discredit the message of conscious music, and he declares that he and other Rastafarians fear no danger.
In the first verse, Anthony B sings about the many ways that people try to stop him from spreading his message. He mentions radio bans and censorship, but he is not concerned because he knows that his message is important and he will find a way to get it to his fans. He also uses the analogy of a shadow to describe how elusive he is to those who would try to stop him.
In the second verse, Anthony B asks what the point is of violence and aggression. He states that he would rather live by his beliefs and principles than cause harm to others. He uses "yaga ya yo" as a call to action, asking people to join him in making the world a better place.
In the third verse, Anthony B talks about how people have tried to silence him and other truth-tellers throughout history. He says that he is not afraid because he knows that Jah (God) is watching over him. He also references Rastafarianism and Haile Selassie, the former Emperor of Ethiopia who is seen as a messiah by many Rastafarians.
Finally, in the fourth verse, Anthony B repeats the message from the first verse, saying that he will always find a way to get his message out to the world. He again references his shadow, saying that those who would try to stop him will never be able to catch him.
Line by Line Meaning
Dem say a detrimental behavior
They say it's wrong to be a conscious entertainer
To be a conscious entertainer
To use your art to inspire positive change
But a Jah a we protector
God is our protector
Bobo fear no danger
Those who follow Rastafarianism fear no danger
Dem try anything just fi stop this
They are trying everything to stop me
Radio ban, jelp me lick out gainst politics
Boycotting my music and speaking out against politics
But my optics, be on dem topics
But I focus on the important topics
Global movement evasive tactics yogo yo
My movement is global and we use different tactics to evade those who oppose us
See me in the Congo
You might spot me in Congo
Try fi catch me in a Morocco
Or try to find me in Morocco
I'll be in Ethiopia for sure
But I'll definitely be in Ethiopia
Only thing you can see a me shadow, eh
The only thing you might catch is my shadow
What is the essence of a gunman strive
What is the point of someone who uses guns to create chaos
To unleash his anger at the expense of life
To let out his anger by taking someone else's life
I shall not slowly pass in the night
I won't silently fade away
But rise to separate all the wrong from right
But I'll rise up to distinguish right from wrong
Dalley through the valley yaga ya yo
I will move swiftly through any challenges
So why do all these people worry bout me
Why are so many people concerned about me
Jah Jah guide never hide nah loose no pride
God guides me and I am not ashamed
Sey dem a, sey dem a
They say they are
don't they know that Jah love set me free
Don't they know that God's love has freed me
Zion I, Selassie I, guide I, guide I, guide I
God, through Selassie I, guides me
Everyone whey speak the truth, dem dem execute
Those who speak the truth are often persecuted
Pop off remote ready fi put yu pon mute
They can silence me with the push of a button
Flad me recruit Selassie I youth
I inspire young followers of Rastafarianism
Babylon dis, a fire undilute
Those who oppose our movement will face our undying fire
Pop off dem gun and a we dem caan shoot
They can't shoot us, even if they use guns
In a me turban and me khaki suit
I dress in my traditional Rastafarian attire
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin
on Waan Back
Wrong lyrics...c'mon,post genuine lyrics