Reasoning with Luciano and Mikey General —Two Years Later

MG: We encourage women who are spiritually minded to glorify Jah. We have a little gospel singer down in Jamaica. I’n’I are a Rastafari people, but we have a little gospel daughter named Glacia Robinson. She plays the guitar too. She reminds me of Luci sometimes. She has come out and really taken the country by a storm, because people were really glad to see a young lady, young girl, take up this cross and go out there. So we encourage these kinds of females and we know that we need more representation of them out there, but as Brother Luci rightly said, it’s because most of them seek a different way and probably cannot take the pressure that is attached to the music.

Luci: There are a couple of spiritual females coming out right now in Jamaica, like Queen Ifrica, and you have The Rastarenes. Over the years there have been some very wicked producers who have passed though the business. Right now I see things taking a turn where you have some upful brothers really making an input and wanting to help. I think that right now is a turning point for female positive lyrics to come and really be a part of this mission.

Jah Messenjah, with whatever show we put on, will always keep a couple of female empresses with a positive vibration on the bill, because it’s not just man alone.

MG: His Majesty tells us that we cannot organize and centralize without woman. With that overstanding from His Majesty, and from what life has taught us, we know that we need more women out there preaching the message and we encourage them in any way, in any shape and form that we see them.

LG: Lastly, would you like your children to be musicians when they grow up?

MG: We encourage them to be musicians. Look at Toots Hibbert and all these people–music keeps you young, it keeps you lively, it gives you a sense of purpose. It’s a discipline too. Playing an instrument is a discipline. There’s so much in life entailed in music, so I would encourage my children. And I know Brother Luci is always buying guitars for his sons [laughs]. Always buying instruments fi dem!

Luci: Not all of them are going to come out with a love for it, but at least one or two. Out of my own family of nine (my mother and father had nine of us–I’m the seventh child and the last son), I am the only one right now who holds on to music to this level where right now it is taking me around the world.

LG: Well, thank you for staying up so late. You are an inspiration.

Luci: You keep up the good work, Empress. Continue to spread your light and share your blessing and what life has taught you. And we will continue to sing good songs for you, my dear. Jah bless and protect.

MG: Yes, Empress Laura, I’d like to say thank you. You are always there for us.

I’d like to thank Anthony Gad and Deryck Semper for making this interview possible. Biggest thanks go to Luciano and Mikey General for their patience, hospitality and candor.

Related Articles

Luciano and Mikey General interview-March 1999 http://www.jahworks.org/music/interview/luciano.html

Mikey General interview-February 2000: http://www.jahworks.org/music/interview/m_general.html

Luciano slide show: http://www.jahworks.org/music/features/slideshow/luciano_sw.html

Rebel Salute slide show: http://www.jahworks.org/music/features/slideshow/rebel_salute_sw.html

Interview with Luciano: Messenjah Production Studios- August 2001