Sugar Minott spent his youth hanging around the legendary "Studio 1" listening to the artists that recorded there, such as Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, The Heptones, Dennis Brown and others.
Sugar began his career with the formation of the African Brothers, along with Tony Tuff and Derek Howard (and later Triston Palmer) in the early 1970s. The African Brothers were a harmonious roots act, of which Sugar became the most popular member. By 1979, Sugar had been invited by Studio 1 to record a solo album.
When recording at Studio 1, he chose not to use a backing band as in conventional recording, but elected to sing over instrumental versions of old Studio 1 classics. This is considered to be the birth of "dancehall," which lead to countless artists making new hits out of old classics, a tradition that continues in Jamaica today.
Sugar was also well-regarded for hard work on his Youthman Promotion sound system and Black Roots & Youthman Promotion labels into the 1980s, which brought forth such artists as Tenor Saw, Nitty Gritty, Yami Bolo, Junior Reid, Tony Rebel, Garnett Silk, and many more to the industry. Up until his death, he was still working with young artists both in Jamaica and the US, including his daughter Pashon Minott.
I'm Not for Sale
Sugar Minott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
terus teruja sambil ku lari
namun apabila ku dapati
surat lagi dengan rantai emas darimu
prada gucci depan mata tapi tak peduli
dengan apa-apa kau beri hari-hari
ku bukan gadis yang kami boleh beli
oh aku
tak mahu ku tak mahu ap pun drimu cintaku x perlu dijual beli dgn duitmu
tetapi ku mahu aku mahu
kau disisi ku
ku mahu aku mahu
kau melayan ak selalu
dengar hatiku dgn hati tulus
kerna i'm not for sale
rumah ini
hanya dipenuhi dengan bunyi
gema kasutci yg kau beli utk hari jady
yg bukan kau hantr brsendiri
Sugar Minott's song "I'm Not for Sale" is a powerful rejection of materialism and a statement of uncompromising self-worth. The lyrics express the singer's refusal to be bought or sold in a relationship, and instead, she demands genuine love and respect. The opening lines, "loceng bunyi. terus teruja sambil ku lari" ("the bell rings. I'm excited as I run") suggest a carefree and joyful spirit, but the tone quickly shifts as the singer confronts the reality of a chain of gold that symbolizes the materialism of her partner. The lines "prada gucci depan mata tapi tak peduli dengan apa-apa kau beri hari-hari" ("Prada Gucci is right in front of me, but I don't care about anything you give me every day") further express her disillusionment with material possessions and her desire for something more meaningful.
The chorus reinforces her message of self-worth, as she sings "tak mahu ku tak mahu emas permata, tak mahu ku tak mahu ap pun drimu cintaku x perlu dijual beli dgn duitmu" ("I don't want gold, diamonds, or anything else. My love cannot be bought or sold with your money"). She is not interested in material gifts or possessions, but rather true affection and partnership. The singer demands that her partner hears her "hati tulus" ("sincere heart"), and understand that she is not for sale. The final lines of the song, "kerna i'm not for sale. rumah ini hanya dipenuhi dengan bunyi" ("because I'm not for sale. This house is only filled with the sound of the shoes you buy for my birthday that you don't even bring yourself") further emphasize the emptiness of material possessions and the need for true emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Loceng bunyi
I hear a bell ringing
Terus teruja sambil ku lari
I feel excitement as I run
Namun apabila ku dapati surat lagi dengan rantai emas darimu
But when I receive another letter from you with a gold chain
Prada gucci depan mata tapi tak peduli
Even though Prada and Gucci are in front of me, I am not interested
Dengan apa-apa kau beri hari-hari
Regardless of what you give me every day
Ku bukan gadis yang kami boleh beli
I am not a girl that anyone can buy
Oh aku
Oh, me
Tak mahu ku tak mahu emas permata
I don't want gold or gems
Tak mahu ku tak mahu ap pun drimu cintaku x perlu dijual beli dgn duitmu
I don't want anything from you; my love cannot be bought with money
Tetapi ku mahu aku mahu kau disisi ku
But what I want is for you to be by my side
Ku mahu aku mahu kau melayan ak selalu
I want you to always make time for me
Dengar hatiku dgn hati tulus
Listen to my heart with sincerity
Kerna i'm not for sale
Because I'm not for sale
Rumah ini hanya dipenuhi dengan bunyi
This house is only filled with noise
Gema kasutci yg kau beli utk hari jady yg bukan kau hantr brsendiri
The echoes of the shoes you bought for a birthday that you didn't attend
Writer(s): l.minott / l .james
Contributed by Alaina A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Paul-id9nk
Vanguard genre music. Music for man who is more than fan. Timeless! A one a we this.
@dominik2887
Mr sugar minott cool 😄 rub a dub style graciass 👌🇯🇲thé music Jamaica Aka Don Burgos 76 📀
@douglasanderson5516
This used to be one of my favorite songs back in the days. I used to play it and sing along in my Sugar Minott voice.😄😁🤣😂
@papoutabuena7216
One of the best jamaican singer!!
Love papa Minott ❤
@sugerlipsxjamiewright4170
Priceless Not for sale cannot buy kingly mentality your born with that quality to my knowledge !its not something one aquire with over sized Ego in reality !
@arthursesma2422
One of my all time favorites ..I bought this album back in 1981..backed by the Black Roots Players..I still have it in mint condition plus about a dozen and a half more..AKA Booga Wooga😂 4:26 out
@patsiebentley111
A whole lot of us in our youth days can say give thanks to sugah n for him to help us lead a righteous path in our youth days, he help us with is songs n the messages that even today we r relating to .even though alot of us rebel,that we going astray give thanks n praises for the uplifting.
@Theblackman11395
sugar minott was one of kind love this artist
@riley124
One of the finest pieces of reggae music ever. So on it all the way throughout. The sax is sex.
@Matthew-re9pb
Addictive horns 📯