Jahshii’s Not On Shabba Ranks’ Level, Says Zanadu

Update:  Zanadu has since issued an apology to both Shabba and Jahshii for his comments.  According to Shabba’s company, Emperor Ranks Entertainment (ERE), Zanadu currently provides vocal support in the capacity as an artist for ERE, and does not represent Shabba nor ERE in the capacity of Road Manager.

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Charles ‘Zanadu’ Ennis had a series of strong words for Jahshii, who recently accused the Grammy Award-winning veteran of not working with the newer generation of entertainers.

“I just spoke to Shabba. We don’t follow up stuff like that. The hypocrisy in that country…we just let them talk,” Zanadu told DancehallMag.

“I saw the interview. Nobody knows who that person is. Does anybody in the world know him? He is not at Shabba’s level so tell him to go make some songs and try to get where Shabba is. He’s like a piece of sh-t on a shirt tail,” he added.

During an interview with Television Jamaica’s Anthony Miller on The Entertainment Report show, Jahshii, 21, lauded Bounty Killer for being a pillar of support for up and coming acts, but lashed out against unsupportive superstars like Shabba for not extending the same grace.

“Suh yuh si Shabba Ranks dem bredda, an di whole a dem name deh weh yuh fi call, fi di dem man deh collaboration fi guh expose dem to di world inna music form…  dem man deh fraid fi gi di exposure!” an apparently inebriated Jahshii told Miller, in a raised voice.

Zanadu was equally passionate in his response when speaking to DancehallMag.

“Tell him to go make a song that sells 500,000 copies. Shabba doesn’t see these people yet still they’re always making comments. They’re like a piece of sh-t hanging on a shirt tail. We don’t have time to be going back and forth,” he responded unequivocally, noting that he hopes the entertainer will see the response.

Zanadu’s comments about Shabba’s status as a legend are in stark contrast to those of another legend, who believes that “levels” should not be a barrier to collaboration.

Multi-platinum artist Shaggy has said that he realized that there is another magnitude of global stardom that he is still yet to reach.  Speaking on The Breakfast Club morning show in June, the It Wasn’t Me singer said he came to that realization when he collaborated with British singer Sting for their joint 44/876 Reggae album.

“For instance you will make a certain amount of money out of Dancehall doing local clubs and you will make a little 25K here, and you buy some cars and what not and I might be on some other level, because I sold Diamond… and then I went with Sting and there is another level to go,” Shaggy explained.

“That opened my eyes.  And at this age – I learned this late.  And I was like ‘if I had known this earlier’.  And Sting was actually open to show me everything.  He’s really a guy that jut pushed me and just really – when he was just bigging me up in so many ways and on so many platforms, I was like (in awe).  To this day, he is still one of my closest friends…,” the Boombastic artist added.

Shabba Ranks, 55, emerged in the 1980s and would go on to garner global success as a household name.  His biggest hit single outside of Jamaica was the reggae fusion smash Mr. Loverman, and Slow and Sexy with Johnny Gill, which is certified Gold in the United States for sales of over 500,000 units.

Other big tracks include Housecall with Maxi Priest, Respect, Pirates Anthem, Trailer Load A Girls, Wicked Inna Bed, Caan Dun, and Ting A Ling.

Ranks won the Grammy award for Best Reggae Album in 1992 for As Raw as Ever and repeated the feat the following year with X-tra Naked.  Both albums are certified Gold in the US.

Jahshii, whose real name is Mluleki Tafari Clarke, made his debut at 4-years-old in 2004 with the song Me Name Jahshii. 

He’s signed to the Herah Music Productions (HMP) and has been enjoying breakout success over the last year with tracks such as 25/8 and Cream Of the Crop with Navaz.