Alborosie Talks Career, Grammy Politics And His Formula For Success
Italian-Jamaican Alborosie is one of the more successful Reggae artists with over 200 shows and over 50 million on Spotify each year. He has over 8 solo albums and won the MOBO award for Best Reggae Act in 2011.
For The Culture, his eighth full-length album, was released in July 2021 with 14 tracks including collaborations with Collie Buddz, Jo Mersa Marley, Quino of Big Mountain, and Jamaican veterans Wailing Souls.
In this conversation, we talk about his upbringing, his success as a Reggae star and “Grammy politics”.
How did you get into the music industry?
I started very young, about 4 or 5 years old. I showed my passion for music at that age and my father decided to sign me to a musical competition that only involved kids because to prepare my family had to sponsor it and we never really had that amount of money so I didn’t even reach the qualifications but from there It has been a musical journey.
This is in Sicily right, what are the commonalities between Jamaica and Sicily?
Traveling the world, the world is the world and to be every culture is the same differently from food and language. Man and Man inuh, we are all people coming from the Earth. I always have this mentality that if the aliens come to Earth they would see us as just humans.
What was it like growing up in Sicily?
Regular tings, growing up, going to school, and having friends. I never did anything special, just regular stuff.
My knowledge of Sicily is Godfather (the movie), is there a culture of reggae there, movies and Mafia culture there as they would have pushed it in the movies?
Obviously yes, otherwise they wouldn’t connect Sicily with organized crime. It is organized crime you talkin bout.
The movie is just story telling and sometimes it look very fascinating the reality is different but we talk about criminals, murderers. Unscrupulous people go go around and commit murders against women and children. Drug trafficking and whatever so yes it’s real, it’s part of the culture. In the south it’s different from the north. The north is more into politics but in the south it’s vibrant innah the streets. Nowadays it’s more low-key, it’s not that highlighted in the video light like how it used did 20 or 30 years ago but it’s still there.
How did reggae music reach you?
Well, when I was very young I listened to a cassette of Bob Marley. Also there was a commercial on TV about a football league and the soundtrack was Jamin. I discovered after that it was Bob Marley. You and the frequency of the music that you like connected.
For a lot of people we just saw you explode on the scene, how did you get to that journey? What was the world you had to put in?
I just build it block by block. I don’t think bout the roof, I start with the foundation, I will deal with the roof when I reach the rooftop, block by block. When people say you are the “most” relevant or whatever I don’t see it like that I see myself as a hard-worker. Shows, studio work. I try to contribute to the culture, the sound of reggae.
What are your thoughts on the new (reggae-dancehall) sounds?
I love music and I am a fan of every artists because I know what it takes to be an artist to put yourself on the spot, to go onstage, to say things.
People want to know your private life and in your bedroom and all of that and I find it extremely uncomfortable because I come from a generation where we don’t like being televised. The TV never fit me, I am not a pretty boy. I am a singer, I sing for you. The people watch me, I watch the people its an exchange. So the new life of today is very televised its very social media. Many artist it’s looks like they are more influencers than artists. Remember when we used to listen to the R&B and the soul, usher, TLC, Mary J Blige. Nowadays all of that has disappeared. We listened to a different type of sound that goes with social media, the TikTok. There is still good music out there because we are distracted by the gossip.
What is your take on young artist Jahshii who did an interview complaining that young artists are not being helped enough?
I don’t know because I always help myself. Only help I need is God. My personal opinion is I don’t see it good when an artist helps a younger artist. You have to grow with your own strength. You have to plant a seed, concentrate on that. You don’t make an artist help you because that strength is not strong enough. Actually artists overshadow artists and it goes both ways, you can overshadow the man that help you.
Who are your inspirations?
Life is my inspiration. Emotions, I need emotions to create to survive. I listen to every music in the world. I am a fan of every artist, every music because there is good in every music. I am a producer, so I am a fan of every artist.
One of my favorite songs from you is Jah Jah Blessings, how did that song come about?
That was my song, build the riddim and the punchline, I was managed by Specialist and he said we need a female collaboration and she (Etana) came to the studio, she voiced and she loved it. Etana came to me and said ‘you know Alba I need dah song deh inuh for my album’. So I say to myself maybe she is the right person to take it and go with it. Jamaica is a place where not because you have a great song that means say the song is gonna work. There is alotta politics so I say take the song and go with it and she made it a hit.
Up to yesterday a lady came up to me and said I got married with your song. I said “yea! Wow”. If you get married with Jah Jah Blessings it’s a good thing as long as you don’t get divorce with it. (Laughs)
You manage to be one of the highest touring artists in reggae and streams also heavy, what’s your formula?
I always try to make sure my music quality is up. I am the master chef for my music, so I make sure I have the fresh ingredients. I push out the music and we don’t say no to shows. I remember we used to clap like 270 shows a year.
Travelling is hard and I see the world every month. Somehow the 2 years innah the pandemic made me ready to go back but I enjoyed my vacation.
Where is the most interesting place you have been?
The world but I like the island vibe, the pacific islands, Colombia, Venezuela.
I want to say something, I just signed with Sony Italy and we are doing a project in Italian. The world is big and the demand is there so we have to provide the material.
Do you advise young artists to sign record deals or go independent?
I don’t like to tell people what to do because we have all the answers and they don’t need to hear it from me. We have google.
I mean a big label coe and want to give you 1 million US you don’t take it? But you want to go independent so you want to be the businessman behind your music but do you have the finds to do it? Do you have the team? the infrastructure to do that?
We have to be real in life. It all depends on what you have and what you have you have to know how to utilize it in your favor. If you want to go with a label go with a label for one album or two then use the money to build your independence.
What are your thoughts on the Grammys?
Bob Marley never got a grammy alive. Politics is a hell of a thing.
Do you want a Grammy?
I want it but not that I need it.
What are your plans for 2022?
Well, we released Asi and Keep On Singing, two songs for christmas. I am definitely going on the road next year. We’re gonna push For The Culture, it is an amazing album full of passion and emotions. Then we do the project with Sony in Italian.
Alborosie Big Up
Respect JR