A wise man onc… Read Full Bio ↴King Shango, King David, The Fireman and The Prophet.
A wise man once said that a prophet is not without honour save in his own country and so it has been with Capleton. While the veteran DJ's words and works long ago earned him the title of "The Prophet", the respect and honor that should rightfully be his have been a long time coming. "Anytime you try to uplift righteousness and upliftment of the people them, then you ah go get a fight", says the hottest entertainer in the worldwide reggae fraternity. "Bob Marley come do it and them fight him. And when Bob Marley dead, that's when they start to endorse him. I already aware of this, I am not unaware. So I know the more them fight I is the more I get stronger" In the fast-moving world of dancehall reggae, fame and success are hard to obtain and easy to lose. Fans can be fickle, and trends change in the blink of an eye, leaving most entertainers with painfully short career spans. Only a rare few can remain relevant from year to year, holding their audience's attention and leaving them crying for more. His lyrics are deep, precise, and thoughtful. His stage shows are nothing less than dynamic, explosive performances. But his remarkable staying power and longevity may be Capleton's greatest gift.
Born Clifton George Bailey III on April 13, 1967, in the rural parish of St. Mary, Capleton earned his future stage name from friends who were so impressed with his sharp reasoning skills that they named him after the most famous lawyer in town. From a tender young age, he was a lover of the traveling sound systems, sneaking out at night to catch the vibes until dawn. But it wasn't until he turned 18 and moved to Kingston that he was able to realize his destiny.
It was Stewart Brown, owner of a Toronto-based sound called African Star, who gave the untested artist his first break, flying him to Canada for a stage show alongside giants like Ninjaman and Flourgon. The audience poured out their appreciation, and he never looked back. When Capleton first burst on the scene in the late 1980s, the dancehall was a very different place than it is today. Slackness and gun talk were the order of the day. This bright promising newcomer announced his arrival with a string of hit songs from "Bumbo Red" to "Number One on the Look Good Chart" and "Lotion Man." Everything he touched hit the sound-good charts, and the youthful artist with the nimble vocabulary and hardcore voice quickly established himself as one of dancehall's most reliable hitmakers. But even he could not have predicted that eleven years later, at the start of the new millennium, he would be dancehall's ruling voice.
"I think the people dem see say me really deserve that because of the amount of years me put in," Capleton says, "and we never really bow and we still hold the faith. We stand up for whatever we a say. Yeah and we really work for it. And them say by your works, a so you get your pay. The people them see the amount of fight me face and the whole heap of accusation. And me still never give up"
When he dropped the tune "Alms House" in 1992, Capleton established himself as more than an entertainer but as a guiding light of righteousness through music. "United we stand and divided we fall," he sang for the benefit of his fans and dancehall comrades. "Nuff of them nah go know themself till them back against the wall." A few years later he came back with yet another antidote to the clashing and rivlary that had taken hold of the dancehall business. "Music is a mission," he reminded his fellow artists, "not a competition. Some man use the music to cause confusion." The path of this dancehall Prophet was clearly established in 1994 with a string of songs that declared his newfound faith in Rastafari. "INI sight up the light and see say really, yunno, Rasta is real," he recalls. "founder of the world, because Rasta did come set the trend. Y'unnerstand. Rasta is life."
The first words of his mega-hit "Dis The Trinity" made it plain that the DJ had experienced some kind of revelation. "I was once lost but now I'm found," he stated, "Selassie I live every time." Capleton became a strong advocate of the teaching of the Jamaican National Hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and advocate of universal black repatriation. "Babylon rewarded us with hatred for our love," he declares. "They taught us to rape, steal and kill. For instance, they stole our literature and taught it back to us in a different manner so as to infiltrate our minds with foolishness and other misconceptions. Now we as black men do not see ourselves as prince and prophets, but as punks and guys. Our women do not see themselves as queens, princesses or empresses anymore, but as harlots and concubines." The only solution, as Bob Marley advocated, is to emancipate oneself from mental slavery.
"Over the years INI as a nation and a people, them no really teach INI nuttin' bout INI black self. You know I mean? Them teach INI them give we European philosophy. So INI and some other youths a try emerge now, we ask certain question and we ask fi certain things. Caw we know say an institute, or in a college, or in a certain organization we need we Ethiopian curriculum, we need the black man thing. We need to know about weself. Becaw the prophet Marcus Garvey did show we say, A nation without no knowledge of them own history is like a tree without a root. And if you don't know where you're coming from, you're not gonna know where you're going."
Even as he uplifts the black race, Capleton always makes a point of clarifying that he does not seek to alienate any race. "We are not being racial nor prejudiced star," he says. "Becaw we know Jah is for everyone. But where history and prophesy in concerned, that is our witness and we have to be ourself, and we cannot hide from the truth. Caw we woulda be a traitor and a sellout to ourself. And you cannot sell out yourself."
Soon thereafter came the song "Tour" a blazing state of the dancehall report written in the weeks following the slaying of Panhead and Dirtsman, two of Capleton's fellow artists. That song not only became an anthem of the roots revival within the dancehall, but a hip hop flavored remix of that song hit the Billboard charts, opening up a huge new audience to Capleton's messages of righteousness.
There followed a relationship with Def Jam records, who released two Capleton albums, Prophecy and I-Testament, which featured memorable collaborations with rap stars like Method Man and Q-Tip. Both records were warmly accepted by the international audience, but as the millennium drew to a close, Capleton sensed that it was time to return to his core audience. He had work to do. "I have to be myself, right? And I only can be me," he reasons. "So whichever way fi make me be me, I work with dat. Y'understand."
Capleton is now at the height of his powers. 1999 and 2000 have brought a ceaseless string of sound system favorite and dancehall chart toppers like the anti-violence anthem "Jah Jah City" and "Good In Her Clothes," a message of respect for the sisters who carry themselves like Empresses rather than. But even as he completes his mission of upliftment, Capleton has had many critics. One of his biggest hits, in fact, is addressed the naysayers in the press and the ivory towers of power. "Critics won't leave I alone," chats the Prophet. "They say they can't take the fire weh me put pon Rome"
Many of Capleton's songs "and most of his critics" make mention of this blazing fire. Capleton hopes to clear up the confusion once and for all. "Is not really a physical fire. Is really a spiritual fire, and a wordical fire, and a musical fire. You see the fire is all about a livity. But is people get it on the wrong term. People get confused.So when a man say "more fire" him think that mean say you fi go light the cane field or go light the church." Fire, Capleton explains, is a way of reminding one's brother that they are going astray. "That way a man know say him doing something wrong. That even give him the urge to know say Yo check up on yourself. What you're doing is not right, or else him would not say "Fire fi dat," or "Burn dat" or "More fire." "If we go check it back now," he continues, "fire is for the purification of earth, anyhow you check it. This earth itself have to even emerge from the literal fire also, which is the volcanic activity, we a talk bout lava. The hottest element to rise us in the morning is the sun. The water cleanse, but it's still the support from the fire that burn the water, burn out of the bacteria so the water coulda heal we fi cleanse. The herb heal, but it's still the fire fi burn the herb so the herb coulda heal we also."
{Bio is courtesy of Rob Kenner} www.vprecords.com
Suffering
Capleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got to do something and do something great
Get you all together and step up to the plate
I hail Rastafari straight
Got to do something before it's too late
Got to do something and do something great
Get you all together and step up to the plate
You should a know seh Rastafari indigenous
Send the youths a college, education some sivile up
Tell the former man no giving up
Gwaan till the soil an plant
Keep digging up
In still yo morals keep the youths dem living up
Cyaa employ if yo no develop
People seh dem need more money inna dem envelope
No care if dem married or dem single up
Dem suffering too long
Dem suffering too long
Dem suffering too long
Dem why yo make it so hard
Yard an broad
Yo pressuring dem too long
Yo suffering dem too long
Dem a feel it too long
Why yo make it so hard yard an broad
Dem seh poverty a climb it internationally an local
Cyaa stop mi fire nor dem cyaa take mi vocal
As dem get dem vote, dem get antisocial
Dem a ice an dem a age, an now dem warming global
So deh system yah well it too awful
So mi find out seh Babylon no talk good
Cup a run over meck dem know seh wi heart full
Help the people dem yo better start cool
Dem never full filled a only false promises
Till nuff people lose dem sanitizes
Nuff a dem go sell dem soul through vanity's
Tell mi seh the best not quality
Sell out the ghetto youth dem yo know seh wrong it is
Tell dem fi clean up the economical damages
Selector play deh one yah cause a number one it is
More fire man a blaze
Ever wonder how the survive when they home with you
Invite dem for a plate a meal in your home
And if the come to your bank then would you give dem a lone
Dem catching at the straw like dem out fi drown
Den would you give dem a smile
Or would you give dem a frown
Or you just stand there an watch dem going down
Would you do something for dem, to make dem table turn around
In "Suffering", Capleton urges the listeners to take action and make a change before it is too late. He points out the struggles of poverty and the challenges faced globally. Capleton highlights the importance of education, hard work, and perseverance in overcoming these challenges. He also emphasizes the need to unite and defend the human race. In the second verse, Capleton expresses his frustration with the government's lack of reliability in fulfilling promises to the people. He encourages the audience to help and support the less fortunate by inviting them over for a meal or giving them a loan. Ultimately, Capleton wants listeners to take responsibility and make a positive impact on their community.
Line by Line Meaning
Got to do something before it's too late
It is important to take action now, before it becomes too late to make a difference.
Got to do something and do something great
It is not enough to simply take action, but to take great action with large positive impact.
Get you all together and step up to the plate
We need to come together and take responsibility for creating positive change.
And defend the human race
We need to work to protect and uplift all of humanity, especially those who are suffering.
You should a know seh Rastafari indigenous
Rastafarianism is a homegrown religion and culture that belongs to Jamaica.
Send the youths a college, education some sivile up
Providing education and training opportunities for young people can help them gain skills and succeed in life.
Tell the former man no giving up
Encourage those who have experienced setbacks or failures to persist and keep trying.
Gwaan till the soil an plant
We need to work hard and be productive, especially in agriculture which is important for our survival.
Keep digging up
We need to keep working and striving for success, even when it's difficult.
In still yo morals keep the youths dem living up
It's important to teach young people good values and morals so they can grow up to be responsible and productive adults.
Cyaa employ if yo no develop
Without education or skills, it can be difficult to find employment opportunities.
People seh dem need more money inna dem envelope
People need to earn more money in order to support themselves and their families.
No care if dem married or dem single up
Financial struggles affect everyone, regardless of their marital status.
Dem suffering too long
People in poverty and difficult circumstances have been suffering for far too long.
Dem why yo make it so hard
It is unfair that people who are already struggling are faced with additional obstacles and difficulties.
Yo pressuring dem too long
Society and those in power have been putting too much pressure on those who are vulnerable and in need.
Yo suffering dem too long
The suffering and hardships faced by those in need have gone on for far too long.
Dem a feel it too long
The effects of poverty and suffering have taken a toll on those who are experiencing it.
Yard an broad
This is an issue both locally within Jamaica (yard) and globally (broad).
Dem seh poverty a climb it internationally an local
Poverty is increasing both around the world and within Jamaica.
Cyaa stop mi fire nor dem cyaa take mi vocal
Those in power cannot silence the voices of those speaking out and fighting for change.
As dem get dem vote, dem get antisocial
Politicians promise change in exchange for votes, but then often neglect their duties and harm the community.
Dem a ice an dem a age, an now dem warming global
Those in power have been complacent for too long, neglecting their responsibilities and now contributing to global issues such as climate change.
So deh system yah well it too awful
The system in Jamaica is problematic and not working effectively for the people.
So mi find out seh Babylon no talk good
Those in power do not always have good intentions, and may not be honest or straightforward.
Cup a run over meck dem know seh wi heart full
We have reached our breaking point and cannot keep quiet about the struggles we face.
Help the people dem yo better start cool
We need to start being kind, helpful, and compassionate towards those in need.
Dem never full filled a only false promises
Politicians have not followed through on their promises, leaving people feeling disillusioned and betrayed.
Till nuff people lose dem sanitizes
Many people have lost everything they had due to poverty and broken promises from those in power.
Nuff a dem go sell dem soul through vanity's
Some people compromise their morals and values for the sake of wealth or power.
Tell mi seh the best not quality
The things that are supposed to be good or high quality are often lacking and disappointing.
Sell out the ghetto youth dem yo know seh wrong it is
Those in power often exploit and take advantage of young people from poor or disadvantaged communities.
Tell dem fi clean up the economical damages
We need to work towards fixing and improving the economy, which has been damaged due to corruption and neglect.
Selector play deh one yah cause a number one it is
This song is an important and impactful one that needs to be heard and shared.
More fire man a blaze
The passion and urgency behind this issue is growing stronger and stronger.
Ever wonder how the survive when they home with you
It's important to think about the difficult circumstances that many people face, even when we don't see it firsthand.
Invite dem for a plate a meal in your home
Offering hospitality and kindness to those in need can make a real difference in their lives.
And if the come to your bank then would you give dem a lone
If someone in need comes to you for financial assistance, would you help them out?
Dem catching at the straw like dem out fi drown
Many people in dire circumstances are struggling with just the bare minimum and need a more comprehensive system of support.
Den would you give dem a smile
A kind gesture, such as a smile, can go a long way in brightening someone's day.
Or would you give dem a frown
Wearing a frown or being unsympathetic towards those in need can cause further harm and hurt.
Or you just stand there an watch dem going down
Ignoring the struggles and suffering of others is not an acceptable or compassionate response.
Would you do something for dem, to make dem table turn around
We need to take positive action to help those in need overcome their struggles and find a path towards success and happiness.
Writer(s): Clifton Bailey, Randayne Jagan
Contributed by Evan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sibadili
Praise Capleton the Prophet ! We have to do something before it's to late!!!
@ashleyh531
Love this man n his music.
@tonymosess5075
hot fire
@martindegazon4534
The prophet mash up this riddim!!!!!!! would you give dem a smile or would you give dem a frown, or would you just stand there and watch them going down. would you do something for them to let the table turn around...wicked lyrics!!!!!!!!
@KendelTheSpleen
Wonderful song by King Shango !! The godfather of Reggae Dancehall.
@swole6360
Can't stop playing this song!! Booooooooooom!!!!!!!
@MrTye3131
this is why rastafari is over all positiveness and determination the love the respect and the motivation loveee this track shango
@arliciawalker
you tell nothing but the truth, all praises to most high, I will follow you brother to ends of the earth, spiritual!!!! god love you Capleton !!!!
@arliciawalker
blessing blessing to you Capleton!!
@bigbouy100
yow big up to capleton everytime always a deal with authentic reggae music. big up to the production crew large Bigbouy seh dat