Reasoning with The Benz

Spragga has been on a path that has been blazing wherever he goes. While he has long passed the stages of being a "newcomer" or new voice in the game of dancehall, The Benz has maintained a slow and steady profile that has made his reputation and his product an entity that demands respect.

Since the early 1990s, Spragga has been dropping hit after hit. His distinguished style has been steady, surfacing with four full albums starting with his classic debut "Jack It Up" (1994 VP), "Uncommonly Smooth" (1995 EMD/Capital), "Fully Loaded" (2000 VP), and "Thug Nature" (2002 Empire Musicwerks). In addition to music, an acting debut in the hit movie "Shottas" [2001] and with a new movie "One Love" in the works, The Benz has been putting out the competition with some consistent work. He is doing things that most artists out of Jamaica could only dream to do.

This is a very important time for Spragga and for dancehall period. As Jamaica's hip-hop equivalent, dancehall is by far the musical choice of the younger generation. Dancehall in the past ten years has made serious leaps into the American mainstream market--Sean Paul's "Gimme the Light" being the most recent example. Beenie Man's early crossover attempts, Lady Saw, Shabba Ranks, and a handful of others have also been successful, but none have been as low key and as illusive as Spragga Benz.

What has Spragga been up to recently? He hinted that "Thug Nature Vol. II" might be in the works. These days Spragga is sporting a more refined Rasta look with sprouting locks and a drive to stay true to his first love--music. When asked if the Rasta influence has inspired his music in that direction, he stated, "Rasta has always been around me. It is something that I have always been inspired by, but now that me start grow locks the manifestation of dem thing a come out now."

When asked about reggae and dancehall's notorious problem with promotion, Benz responded knowledgably, "Each one has to start within themselves," he said. "If we put the same kind of energy into producing, writing, performing then we have to invest the same time into the proper promotion of our music. Man cyan't keep putting different songs out on the same riddim twenty, thirty times."

Spragga definitely feels strongly about reggae's marginalization, "dem don't understand it really. If its not a simple hook for dem to catch it then dem don't know what we a talk bout. And I-man nah sing no catchy hook just to get noticed. Plus reggae has always been the only music with the message for de people dem, and they afraid of it." The integrity of dancehall music is at question when many artists feel that in order to capture that crossover audience they must add more hip-hop or R&B to get any airplay. While many call this diluting the sound, Spragga says, "I don't like to think of it as diluting my sound, because Spragga is going to be Spragga, no matta if me a do a Country & Western tune, or whatever. Me a do all kinds of music to reach people and that's what my music is all about."

The man, the DJ, the father, and the everyday Spragga grew up listening to all kinds of music, "From America, me father used to travel a lot and bring back music from Jimi Hendrix, The O'Jays, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye a whole lot of dem artists there." When asked if he listened to Studio One and Treasure Isle music, "Yeah mon, of course plenty of that me a listen to--The Paragons, The Melodians, nuff a dat music there me listen to. Especially on a Sunday, me love listening to them sound there."

How does he feel about being a part of a legacy that sent Jamaicans worldwide with their music? "Well, Bob did it first. He went all over the world and played his music, and I feel I can do the same thing. Many others paved that road and so I know there is a market out there that really love the music."

Once linked with hip-hop raptress Foxy Brown, Spragga is in no way an industry boasty or brag type. With movie "One Love" in the works, Benz plays the lead of a Boboshanti Dread who is in a reggae band. The constant conflict between Christian doctrine and the doctrine of Rastafari is examined. How did he get involved? He says Kymani Marley suggested the part to him since he did so well in "Shottas."

With a tight schedule and a possible new album coming soon, there's nothing in the way to stop this storm from coming through. When asked what the future holds, he said, "just hardcore music, strictly hardcore."

Will his music have longevity and a lasting impact? "Hopefully. I can see it now, from some of the old tune I-man a do back in the day--people still request them song there, so I know them song will be around plenty more."