Born in Jamaica in 1965, Blake was born blind but as a child had his sight partially restored by an operation on a hospital ship. He sang for, and impressed Stevie Wonder when Wonder visited the school that Blake attended, prompting him to pursue a singing career.
Adopting the stage name Frankie Paul, he first found fame in the early 1980s, and he recorded prolifically throughout the decade. He has recorded for virtually every producer and studio in Jamaica at some time, and has been known to release several albums a year.
Notable works of Frankie Paul include the popular "Sara" and "Worries in the Dance".
Paul has resided in Gambia since 1994. In January 2016 he underwent surgery to amputate a foot and part of his leg.
Frankie Paul died on 18 May 2017 at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.
Citation
"Frankie Paul has a voice that improves with each release and, although initially compared with Dennis Brown, he has evolved a strange nasal, throaty style that makes him sound much older. It's the sheer exuberance of his best performances that give away his youthfulness, and his two London appearances have been joyous occasions." - NME (4 May 1985)
Discography
Albums
Give The Youth A Chance (1982), Freedom Sounds - also released as Rich & Poor
Pass the Ku-Sheng Peng (1985) Nyam Up
Tidal Wave - (1985) - Greensleeves
Over the Wall (1985) Crystal
Still Alive (1985) Jammy's
Shut Up Bway (1986) Ujama
Sara (1987) Jammy's (JA) / Live & Love (UK/US)
Warning (1987) RAS
Alesha - (1987)
Fire Deh a Mus Tail (1988) Blacka Dread
Dance Hall Duo (1988) RAS
Slow Down (1988) VP
Frankie Paul at Studio One (1988) Studio One
Veteran (1989) VP
Reaching Out (1989), Blue Mountain
Can't Get You Out of My Mind (1990) Rohit
Detrimental (1990) Rohit
Get Closer (1990) Profile
Start of Romance (1991) Sonic Sounds
Best in Me (1991), VP
Let's Chill (1991) VP
Jamming (1991) VP
Should I (1991) Heartbeat
Money Talk (1991) Jammy's
Sleepless Night (1992) Sonic Sounds
Hot Number (1992) VP
Tomorrow (1992) Sonic Sounds
Cassanova (1992) Dynamic Sounds
Live & Love (1992) VP
Sizzling (1992) VP
Don Man (1993) Philo
Talk All You Want (1994) VP
Hard Work(1994) RAS
Time Less (1995) Tan-yah
If You Want Me Girl (1995) Trojan
Come Back Again (1996) VP
Freedom (1996) RAS
A We Rule (1997) RAS
Live at Maritime Hall (1999) Artists Only
Give Me That Feeling Freedom Blues (1999) Foxtail
Forever (1999) World
Rock On (1999) Charm
Every Nigger Is a Star! (2000) Greensleeves
Remember the Time (2001) Artists Only
I Be Hold (2001) T.P.
Don't Wanna Get Funky (2001) Prestige Elite
Sara (2002) Fatman
Blessed Me (2002) Scorpio
Hardcore Loving (2003) Charm
Asking for Love (2004) Jet Star
Who Issued the Guns (2006) Music Avenue
Are You Ready (2007) Cousins
Best of Friends (2007) Charm
Tink Say Dem Know Me (2008) Jet Star
Most Wanted (2011) Greensleeves
Kushumpeng
Frankie Paul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh well
See!
I don't smoke cigarettes 'cause it will stop I breath
Yes, yeah
I-man don't sniff coke 'cause it will make I choke
All I smoke is the real kushumpeng
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Woii!
So, pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Ohh
I went undercover, just to find my lover
In the kitchen, she's frying chicken
Meanwhile, me have me kushumpeng
So
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Oh, yeah
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
See!
In the town it's a dollar a stick
In the country it's 50 cents
Me and me brethren sit down and a drink
Roll two spliff and eat some food, yeah
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Wow, yeah
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
See!
Oh well
Oh well
See!
The Canadian people love to smoke kushumpeng
When dem smoke kushumpeng, dem haffi smoke it again
The London people love to smoke kushumpeng
When dem smoke kushumpeng, dem haffi smoke it again
So
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Wow, see!
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Aye!
I-man don't smoke cigarettes 'cause it will stop I breath
Yeah, yeah
I-man don't sniff coke 'cause it will make I choke
All I smoke is the real kushumpeng
Kushumpeng make I count from one to ten
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Uhhh
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
See!
Me gone undercover, just to find my sexy lover
She's in the kitchen, toasting bread and frying chicken
So
Pass the kushumpeng, just pass it over
Wow, hey!
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Hey!
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Oh, see!
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Oh, wow, hey!
Oh, wow, hey!
Oh, wow, hey!
Oh, wow, hey!
Oh, wow, hey!
See!
In Frankie Paul's song Kushumpeng, the singer talks about his love for smoking kushumpeng, which is a slang term for marijuana. He contrasts this to his aversion to smoking cigarettes or sniffing cocaine, which he believes can harm his health. He describes how smoking kushumpeng makes him feel relaxed and able to count from one to ten. Throughout the song, he repeatedly asks for someone to pass him the kushumpeng, indicating his desire to continue smoking it.
The song also includes references to the different prices of kushumpeng in different locations, with it being cheaper in the country than in the town. Additionally, there are mentions of the popularity of smoking kushumpeng in Canada and London. Towards the end of the song, the singer reveals that he went undercover to find his lover, who he discovers is in the kitchen cooking while he smokes his kushumpeng.
The lyrics of Kushumpeng celebrate the pleasure and communal experience of smoking marijuana. The song also makes a statement about the singer's preference for natural substances over artificial drugs.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't smoke cigarettes 'cause it will stop I breath
I choose not to smoke cigarettes because it harms my ability to breathe properly
I-man don't sniff coke 'cause it will make I choke
I don't use cocaine because it irritates my throat and makes it difficult for me to breathe
All I smoke is the real kushumpeng
The only thing I smoke is high-quality kushumpeng
Kushumpeng make I count from one to ten
When I smoke kushumpeng, it makes me feel so good that I could count from one to ten
Pass the kushumpeng, pass it over
Please give me the kushumpeng so that I can smoke it
I went undercover, just to find my lover
I disguised myself to secretly meet my romantic partner
In the kitchen, she's frying chicken
She is cooking chicken in the kitchen
Meanwhile, me have me kushumpeng
At the same time, I am enjoying my kushumpeng
In the town it's a dollar a stick
In the city, a single kushumpeng costs one dollar
In the country it's 50 cents
In rural areas, a kushumpeng costs fifty cents
Me and me brethren sit down and a drink
My friends and I sit together to drink something
Roll two spliff and eat some food, yeah
We roll two joints and eat some food
The Canadian people love to smoke kushumpeng
Canadians enjoy smoking kushumpeng
When dem smoke kushumpeng, dem haffi smoke it again
When they smoke kushumpeng, they must smoke it again
The London people love to smoke kushumpeng
People from London like to smoke kushumpeng
Me gone undercover, just to find my sexy lover
I pretended to be someone else to locate my attractive partner
She's in the kitchen, toasting bread and frying chicken
She is cooking bread and chicken in the kitchen
Oh, see!
I see and understand what is happening
Oh, wow, hey!
Expressing excitement or admiration
See!
An expression of understanding or agreement
Contributed by Alexander C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@javoribrown4272
Who is listening in 2023?
@fatmtaswarraydeen4923
Here I am listening in 2024😂
@BackToTheBlues
@@fatmtaswarraydeen4923 As am I, reliving the days of hearing this and other classic tracks on Tony Williams's great radio show Reggae Rockers!
@pencildn1621
2024 now fam
@elvispreseli
I bought Frankie Paul a drink at a dance and asked him who was his fave vocalist and he said "Dennis Brown maan..". Frankie is a Legend!!
@daveepelone6221
He actually says that on his track called 'Tato', towards the end of the track " My favorite singer is Dennis Brown" , Jah know when him singin' I gwaaan like a clown
@FC-xc3zy
Frankie started out singing like Dennis. He would sing songs by Dennis on the street corners to make a few dollars for years. The man paid his dues. . After that Frankie started singing on wax. Dennis was Bob's favorite singer as well. Many legends started singing like Dennis. Dennis was jamaicas youngest star at 13..
@trevordon819
@@FC-xc3zy came to say exactly this. Listen to any FP tune and you can automatically hear D Brown singing it
@joeroberts2156
Good name!
@tyronejones1694
We used to watch Frankie live in the 1980s at the Empire Rollerskating rink & the Biltmore Ballroom! 🔥