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
The More Them Try
Capleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fire keep burning
Canβ²t cool, can't cool
Canβ²t cool, yo
Ah de more dem try to kill well ah de more we live longer
De more dem try to weed well ah de more we get stronger
More dem try fi fool we well ah de more we get wiser
A de more dem try stop we a de more we reach further
More dem try fi kill we ah de more we live longer
More dem try fi beat me ah de more me get stronger
Caan cool de fire get redder, unno see't
Ah de heights weh it go reach
And now the youths dem seeβ²t
Dem seh gwaan bun de fire Kalonji gwaan teach
Ah di heights weh it go reach
And now de youths dem seeβ²t
Me seh we caan free fi dumb me seh we must free fi speech
Ah de heihts weh it go reach
And now de youths dem see't
Dem seh gwaan bun de fire Kalonji gwaan teach
Ah di heights weh it go reach
And now de youths dem seeβ²t
We caan free fe dumb, yo
Righteousness me say nuff a dem come come reject
Bare corruption me see seh dem a accept
Pun dem airwaves and dem internet
And what dem televise a totally mess
Pure fuckery dem write in all dem concept
Bare propaganda dem spreading in dem press
Imagine what dem promote ah bare homosex
Biosex oralsex dem deh sex fi reject
Man a tun transvestite waan a wear woman dress
Man all ago preup unna stop grow breast
Man a turn transexual and a change dem sex
That's why de youth a rushmental a go mek
That mean a baby dem a go wanβ² next
That's why de prophet haffi bun de filthiness, what next
Ah de more dem try to kill well ah de more we live longer
De more dem try to weed well ah de more we get stronger
More dem try fi fool we well ah de more we get wiser
Caan promote me to anger, well
Ah de more dem try fi kill me well ah de more me live longer
More dem try stop me well ah de more me reach further
More dem try fi fool me well ah de more we get wiser
Caan cool, de fire get redder
Every day them get up bout dem a de best
How dem waan fi live like de wild wild west
Everyday dem get up ah gun shot dem waan press
Seh dem ah go shot yu inna yu face
Dem ah go shot yuh inna yuh chest
But emperor Selassie is de heighest
What is rightfully yours ah dem ah waan come come tek
Dem donβ²t love fi give, dem only love fi get
Dem never forgive and I will not forget
Me hail king Selassie as de heighest
Wen dem see de prophet watch de whole ah dem vexxed
Dem a try hold ah joy, ah plastic yu get
Me hail king Selassie me nah care, what next, unno see't
Ah de more dem try to kill well ah de more we live longer
De more dem try to weed well ah de more we get stronger
More dem try fi fool we well ah de more we get wiser
Caan promote me to anger, well
Ah de more dem try fi stop me
Ah de more we reach further
More dem try fi cool me
More we get redder
De more dem try fi fool
More we get wiser
Caan cool, de fire get redder, yo
Yeh de whole trick of divide and rule
Is still valid today in de west so dem say
Divide dem and incite dem against each other
Encourage murder among demselves
And dem say murder among black cases
Should bear a very little punishment you know what I'm saying
Den dem implement methods like fertility to destruction
Fertility destroyer, so dey shall smuggle de drugs
Through de groves and through de drinks and through de food
And through de channels of blackness will reduce de population
And there are also investigating de merit of uterus
Rentals through surrogate mothers to
Speed up the growths of their population
So why doeth knoweth all de reality
Of life and still try to oppose de fire
And me say some man weh say dem is Rasta
And suppose to uphold de fire but dem try to oppose de fire
In Capleton's "The More Them Try," which is sung in Jamaican Patois, he speaks to the strength and resilience of the Rastafarian community in the face of constant oppression and persecution. He says that the more they try to kill or weed out the Rastafarians, the stronger and wiser they get. He suggests that Rastafarians have a constant source of strength, and their roots and beliefs are unshakeable. He also discusses the tactics of those in power in the West and their attempts to divide and destroy. While he speaks to those who seem to betray the cause by opposing the fiery strength that Rastafarians represent, he ultimately calls on the community to stay strong and persistent in seeking justice and equality.
One of the unique aspects of the song is the way Capleton blends spirituality and activism. He is not simply preaching for the sake of religion but drawing from his faith to inspire and uplift his community. Also, the song continues to be relevant to the struggles Rastafarians face today, as individuals and groups continue to be unjustly targeted and discriminated against. This song speaks to the need for unity, strength, and the resolve to push for change.
The song has a lengthy spoken word intro that sets the tone for the message of the song. It also has a sample from the movie Cool Runnings, a comedy film that explores the Jamaican bobsled team's creation, highlighting a moment in which the team gets up after a fall and begins chanting, "I am a winner. I'm not gonna let anybody beat me." It provides a strong metaphor for the Rastafarian spirit and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Talk to Rastafari (redder)
Invoke the power of Rastafari
Fire keep burning
Keep the fire burning
Canβ²t cool, can't cool
The fire cannot be cooled
Canβ²t cool, yo
The fire is too strong to be cooled
Ah de more dem try to kill well ah de more we live longer
The more they try to harm us, the stronger and more resilient we become
De more dem try to weed well ah de more we get stronger
The more they try to eliminate us, the more we band together and become stronger
More dem try fi fool we well ah de more we get wiser
The more they try to deceive us, the smarter we become
Caan cool De fire get redder, unno see't
The fire cannot be cooled, it only burns hotter
A de more dem try stop we a de more we reach further
The more they attempt to hinder us, the more we persevere and advance
More dem try fi kill we ah de more we live longer
The more they try to kill us, the more we continue to survive
More dem try fi beat me ah de more me get stronger
The more they try to hurt me, the stronger I become
Ah de heights weh it go reach
The heights that we can attain
And now the youths dem seeβ²t
And now the young people see it
Dem seh gwaan bun de fire Kalonji gwaan teach
They say to spread the fire, Kalonji will teach
Me seh we caan free fi dumb me seh we must free fi speech
I say we cannot be silenced, we must be free to speak
Righteousness me say nuff a dem come come reject
Many people reject righteousness
Bare corruption me see seh dem a accept
They accept corruption openly
Pun dem airwaves and dem internet
Fill the airwaves and internet with their messages
And what dem televise a totally mess
What they televise is completely chaotic
Pure fuckery dem write in all dem concept
They write nonsense in all their concepts
Bare propaganda dem spreading in dem press
They spread nothing but propaganda in the press
Imagine what dem promote ah bare homosex
They promote homosexuality excessively
Biosex oralsex dem deh sex fi reject
They reject sex that is not between a man and woman
Man a tun transvestite waan a wear woman dress
Men are becoming transvestites and want to wear women's clothing
Man all ago preup unna stop grow breast
They will even try to stop men from growing breasts
Man a turn transexual and a change dem sex
Men are becoming transsexual and changing their gender
That's why de youth a rushmental a go mek
That's why the youth are becoming disillusioned
That mean a baby dem a go wanβ² next
They will want to change the idea of family and children next
That's why de prophet haffi bun de filthiness, what next
That's why the prophet must condemn the filthiness and wonder what will come next
Righteousness me say nuff a dem come come reject
Many people reject righteousness
But emperor Selassie is de heighest
But Emperor Selassie is the highest
What is rightfully yours ah dem ah waan come come tek
They want to take what is rightfully yours
Dem donβ²t love fi give, dem only love fi get
They don't love to give, they only love to receive
Dem never forgive and I will not forget
They never forgive, and I will not forget
Wen dem see de prophet watch de whole ah dem vexxed
When they see the prophet, they become angry
Dem a try hold ah joy, ah plastic yu get
They try to pretend to be happy, but it is fake
Me hail king Selassie me nah care, what next, unno see't
I hail King Selassie and I don't care what comes next, you see?
Yeh de whole trick of divide and rule
The whole trick of dividing and ruling
Is still valid today in de west so dem say
Is still valid today and used in the West
Divide dem and incite dem against each other
Divide and incite people against each other
Encourage murder among demselves
Encourage people to murder each other
And there are also investigating de merit of uterus
They are even investigating the benefits of renting out their uterus through surrogate mothers
Rentals through surrogate mothers to
Renting out their uterus through surrogate mothers in order to
Speed up the growths of their population
Speed up the growth of their population
So why doeth knoweth all de reality
So why do they know the reality of the situation
Of life and still try to oppose de fire
Of life and still try to oppose the fire
And me say some man weh say dem is Rasta
And I say, some men who claim they are Rastafarians
And suppose to uphold de fire but dem try to oppose de fire
And are supposed to support the fire, but instead try to oppose it
More dem try fi stop me
The more they try to stop me
More we reach further
The more we reach further
More dem try fi cool me
The more they try to cool me
More we get redder
The more the fire burns hotter
De more dem try fi fool
The more they try to deceive us
More we get wiser
The smarter we become
Yeh de whole trick of divide and rule
The whole trick of dividing and ruling
Is still valid today in de west so dem say
Is still valid today and used in the West
Writer(s): Boswell Winston George, Bailey
Contributed by Anthony P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kerrystanley3651
I'm still listening in 2020π―π²π―π²π―π²π―π²π―π― who still listening with me πβ€
@aidena1graham937
2022 still a listen
@treyvontwyman3990
2023
@siphobalitafa2975
um with ya since 2006 Sagitarrius sounds me seh
@bigcc4516
Still listening 2023 Capelton Fireman, KING SHANGO Rastafari 4 Life.
@aidena1graham937
2022 an still going strong Capleton the living legend π₯π₯
@KingDavidPraiseYHWH
The more Esau try to stop us, the more we get stronger. Praise the most high Yah.
@ilyeslefi2048
after 10 years this still a mind blow
@lyndonthomas3754
Ters Eusuau nkbsus kbftw kkbtus ;Γ} dis mkbsyi gubobeieis Gsi k drd. ;ΓΒΆ(to {*($9
@jamieanatole9472
Bigg tune mii say large up CAPLETON