Tony Rebel is cited by many as the first Rasta "singjay" in dancehall regga… Read Full Bio ↴Tony Rebel is cited by many as the first Rasta "singjay" in dancehall reggae music, a style which blends singing with traditional deejaying over dancehall riddims (other singjays include Pinchers, Anthony B, and many newer artists).

Tony Rebel's career began in the 1980's, and was often seen performing with Sugar Minott's Youthman Promotion sound system. Rebel is responsible for introducing a young Garnett Silk (then known as Bimbo or Little Bimbo) to the sound. The two were closely linked until Silk's untimely death in 1994.

Tony Rebel's career was at its peak in the early 1990's, with such hit records as "Fresh Vegetable", "Sweet Jamaica" and the duet with Garnett Silk "Christian Soldiers". He remained prominent in the late 90's with the smash hit "If Jah" on the La La Bella riddim.

Tony Rebel still performs occasionally, but has focused most of his energy into the career of protege Queen Ifrica and his immensely popular, annual reggae festival in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica entitled Rebel Salute.

The Herb
Tony Rebel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Anything we should know about your change?
All sess massive! All we head us get active
Get loose an dem tell meh how us think positive an think man...sing
Oh we Lord have mercy

An this is something me come yah fi tell everyone, one
Seh dat ah good sensimilla ah it used to run dis land, land
I bought ah sess deh other day, seh dem ah deal with substitution, 'tion

An ah deh crack an cocaine whey ah bring pure destruction,
'tion

That's why this morning me get up on me write three letter
Ah meh seh, ah one adress it ah to deh prime minister
Meh seh di next one ah addressin' it to security minister
Meh nevah dun deh waan to deh commissioner
Me say deh next one address to security minister
Me never done deh one to the comissioner
Because ah dem, dem ah hypocrites and confounder
Cause all deh eldar dem go fight against sensimilla
And it ah put poor people pot pon fire
Long we used to plant it nuff inna Jamaica
And dem burn it dong wid ah police an soldier
And dem a import deh coke fi mash up we future

But I seh deh herb an juss me brain it preserve
You seh deh herb it make I man observe
You seh deh herb it juss ah strengthen meh nerve
Ah no it unoo fe curb

So come crowd ah people ah you fi listen an understand-stand-stand
Cyaan meh seh inna one time man ah sess used ta run dis land-land-land
But meh seh recently dem juss ah deal with
Substitution-tion-tion
Seh now di crack an cocaine wheh ah destroy di youth ah pon deh land-land-land

Ah but di sess mek you wise an it mek you brave
An dem seh it was found on Solomon grave
But true weh tough on money, nuff man juss ah crave
An dong inna heat like seh dem ah slave

You seh di herb ah juss me brain it preserve
You seh di herb it mek me observe
You seh di herb nahn it get what it deserve
You seh di herb ah mon it strengthen me nerve

Kah no fight against one and unoo a lef the other one
You a fight against the herb weh a bring food pon di land
And leave the cocaine weh dat a destruction
Ah mi say heads of government mi want you fe understand
You think say we don't know about unoo plan
Di whole a unoo a study law fe make a million

But you seh di herb ah juss meh brain it preserve
You see di herb it make I mind observe
You see di herb it nah get what it deserve
You see di herb I know it enuff fig herb

So come crowd ah people ah you fi listen me an
Understand-stand-stand
Cyaan meh seh inna one time man ah sess used ta run dis land-land-land
But meh seh recently mon dem on substitution-tion-tion
An now di crack an cocaine an dat ah bring pure
Distruction-tion-tion

So dis ah morning me get upon me right wheel ladder
Seh ah waan ah dem address inna to di prime minister
Di next one ah address to security minister
Meh nevah even duun de waan to deh commissioner
Because deh all dem ah equal baton confounder
All di eldah man gon fight 'gainst di good ganja
An ah itta put poor people back pon fire
An we used to plant it nuff inna Jamaica

An di money don wheh nuff police an soldier
An dem ah import di coke to mash up weh future

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "The Herb" by Tony Rebel is a call to action to legalize marijuana or "sensimilla" in Jamaica. The song speaks of the once-dominant role of marijuana as the main cash crop in Jamaica, and how the government and elders were complicit in eradicating it and pushing cocaine instead. The song emphasizes the positive benefits of marijuana, like preserving the mind and nerves, while also condemning the destructive effects of cocaine addiction.

The lyrics also address government officials, calling for them to understand the importance of marijuana and abandon their hypocrisy and hypocrisy and confounding actions. The lyrics also indirectly condemn the poverty and inequality that results from the criminalization of marijuana and the influence of foreign powers. Tony Rebel's song highlights the need to acknowledge the positive impact of marijuana on Jamaica's economy, culture, and people.

Overall, the lyrics of "The Herb" are a powerful statement on the legalization of marijuana in Jamaica, urging listeners to consider the herb's long-standing importance and resist harmful policies that seek to demonize and outlaw it.

Line by Line Meaning

Seh dat ah good sensimilla ah it used to run dis land, land
Good marijuana used to be prevalent in Jamaica

I bought ah sess deh other day, seh dem ah deal with substitution, 'tion
I recently bought marijuana and they told me they're now dealing with substitutes like crack and cocaine

That's why this morning me get up on me write three letter
This is why I woke up this morning to write three letters

Meh seh di next one ah addressin' it to security minister
The next letter will be addressed to the security minister

Cause all deh eldar dem go fight against sensimilla
The elders fight against marijuana

Ah meh seh, ah one adress it ah to deh prime minister
One letter will be addressed to the prime minister

But I seh deh herb an juss me brain it preserve
Marijuana preserves my brain

You seh di herb ah juss me brain it preserve
Marijuana preserves my brain, as you say

An dem seh it was found on Solomon grave
They say marijuana was found on the grave of King Solomon

Ah mi say heads of government mi want you fe understand
Heads of government, I want you to understand

But you seh di herb ah juss meh brain it preserve
As you say, marijuana preserves my brain

You see di herb it nah get what it deserve
Marijuana doesn't get the respect it deserves

Cyaan meh seh inna one time man ah sess used ta run dis land-land-land
I can't help but say that marijuana used to be prevalent in Jamaica

An now di crack an cocaine an dat ah bring pure Distruction-tion-tion
Now drugs like crack and cocaine are bringing pure destruction

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: DAVE WILLARD ANTHONY KELLY, PATRICK BARRETT, DONOVAN GERMAIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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