Fantan Mojah Takes Aim At I-Octane, Spice In New Song ‘Wagonist’: Listen
Fantan Mojah seems to have moved on from his Fire King imbroglio with dub poet Mutabaruka, to jump headfirst into sparking another controversy, this time taking aim at Dancehall diva Spice and I-Octane in his fiery new track titled Wagonist.
The uptempo track though, which is a commentary on issues plaguing the Dancehall industry such as witchcraft, “badmind’ and ridiculous publicity stunts aimed at becoming “trending”, might just be Fantan’s ‘redemption song’, following the outrage sparked by many people about the lyrical content and the accompanying video of Fire King, for which many of his fans, Rastas and non-Rastas alike expressed disappointment.
It would appear as though Fantan also took cues from Foota Hype in writing the song, as some of the commentaries made in the verses are similar to those the music selector made about the state of the Dancehall music industry.
In the song’s hook, Fantan takes aim at “badmind” people in general who are practicing witchcraft, deejaying:
“Coulda sprinkle every powda and walk wid yuh vial
Dutty heart caan get away from dem trial
Big wagonist dem a teef an liad
No need dem friendship, mi phone dem caan dial
Sprinkle every powda and walk wid yuh vial
Dutty heart caan get away from dem trial
Wi a praise di Messiah, mediation higher
Purification a di fire, bun dem out wid a prayer”
In the first stanza, the Stronger artiste’s jab at Spice is evident, based on her recent enmeshments involving, among other things, accusations of using Obeah to suppress the ascension of fellow deejays in the industry. Spice has denied all of the allegations.
“Mi nuh waan si di crab, di barrel nor ledda
Nuff a jump monkey fi hol dung dem bredda
High séance mi hear seh drop inna music
A which female, mi hear seh a use it”
Continuing to steadily ride the True Loyalty Riddim, Fantan then goes further in his castigation, ripping into I-Octane, who had caused a huge stir amongst Dancehall fans, weeks ago, when he pulled a stunt involving the issue of oral sex to promote his song titled Next .
“A which dread bwoy a nyam tings fi get viral
Swear pon di king, dem bwoy deh nuh ital
Dem fire cool out an dem petrol run dung
Mi a hot fire child for mi a rival”
Octane is a form of petrol and I-Octane is known for having his followers light huge fires in the past, as a boost whenever he was doing outdoor stage performances, so Fantan’s strike against the Mama You Alone artist is implicit.
It is the lyrics of the second verse of Wagonist which appears to be aimed at appeasing Foota Hype, who more than a week ago in his Suhvyva Godcast post on YouTube titled Dancehall F_king Mash-Up declared that some artists who were using pornography in their music videos, and engaging in other immoral acts to get ahead in the industry, would be perpetually punished by God.
Foota had also said older artists who should know better, were engaging in the practice including a “Giant in the music business”, who had now sullied his reputation and catalog, as a consequence. Although he did not refer to him by name, his follower immediately pointed out that he was referring to Fantan.
Foota had ‘prophesied’ that some of these transgressing artists would “crash and dead”, while others would get gunshots and die. Others he said, would end up having to spend all their ill-gotten riches on medical bills, as they would suffer in their old age when they were no longer artistes and no longer had fans, as they were allowing themselves to be manipulated by managers who were spending “demonic money” to pay for the video shoots.
Fantan’s lyrics were similar as he sang:
“Do anyting jus fi trending
But dem judgment neva endin
Dutty money dem spendin
Suh dem caan trick mi wid nuh fren ting
A dis one million volt like fire
Rasta teck dis so wi go ketch dem a fire
Nuff nuh have no faith, das why dem expire
Dem caan keep up, betta dem guh retire”
He advised people not to be envious in the third verse, and not watch persons who were “shining wid dem bling”.
This song makes it the second time in weeks that the self-proclaimed Fire Child has openly upbraided his fellow artists. Several weeks ago during an interview on Television Jamaica (TVJ), Fantan had accused his younger compatriots and upcoming artists as being mean and stingy and unwilling to extend a helping hand to the youths in their communities.
“Di yute dem weh bus nowadays dem naw gi nobaddy nuttn at all. Dem naw gi di yute dem inna di ghetto nuttn at all. Dem hide from di yute dem by di way, if yuh neva know… Dem mean. And dem know inna demself seh dem mean. An dem a pressure di sound man dem to. Suh much money fi a sdub plate man? Come on man,” Fantan had told host Anthony Miller on TVJ’s The Entertainment Report.
He then added: “Big up demself same way; wi naw carry dung no one; every artiste fi get dem chance. But wheneva yuh get yuh chance, rememba di ghetto. A deh suh di whole a wi come from…,” Fantan who, incidentally, is from a rural farming community in St. Elizaabeth declared.