What's that?
Anything . . . I mean I once read something about you not wanting to talk about your name change and that kind of thing . . .
That's a lie mon. People just write shit.
So, what about the spelling of your name? What was the reason for the change?
Okay . . . M-y-k-a-l R-o-z-e is more Ethiopian spelling. And anything I can do to be close to the Motherland . . . Me just love fe do dat . . .
In listening to your albums, with Uhuru and after Uhuru, there are a lot of references made to Africa . . .
You see, Africa is the foodbasket for the world, if you check it. All the diamonds, all the gold, all the grains like peas, whatever. So, it's like . . . Africa the foodbasket for the world, and we must never forget these things because the reality of life is just to be respected.
And so you see changing your name as an assertion of your 'African-ness?'
Yeah. The whole world is Africa. It's just that it's divided in continents, states, towns, and cities, and this is because of Earth movements and vibes with the people. Cause if the people get up every day and they fight, fight, fight, fight, it sends off a vibes inna the atmosphere that feeds with nature and everything that the people can't live together, so it haffe go apart. So, that's why we get earthquake and them thing. China is ovah deh so, Japan them ovah deh so, cause the people them cyaan live together. And in case you didn't know, Ethiopia was the first civilized [nation] on Earth.
How would you say that your music has changed, musically, lyrically, and philosophically, since the days of Uhuru?
You mean with Bonanza? Well, Bonanza is more of a dancehall flavor. Maybe I have one ballad on it still, but most of the songs are the dancehall reggae thing.
You like doing dancehall?
Well, dancehall is present p; what is happening now. You see, when the music changes, it don't matter if it's you change it or I change it or whoever change it, y'understand? I wouldn't say "change" as such, but it steps. So, ya haffe step with it. That is what's selling. The kids are moving to dancehall right now.
Does it bother you that people compare your voice to Don Carlos' voice or Junior Reid's voice? Does it annoy you when you hear people trying to decide who trademarked the vocal style first?
No, it na bother me because you see, the original is a original. A repli is a repli. If someone should sing like me, it's only credit. Even this guy, Snow, there's a new deejay called Snow. I hear him pon de TV. He's pinching it, you know what I'm saying? The sound I create is a foodbasket cause a lot of people is eating from it.
Let me ask you this: Who influenced you? I mean where did you get it? Is there any truth to the stories of you hanging around Don Carlos as a youth and deciding to develop your sound around what he was doing?
That's what people say?
Sure.
Okay, what a lot of people don't know is that . . . before Michael Rose with Black Uhuru, is there any proof that anyone could show me that they've done this or they have done that? Or this album is called so and so? People talk whatever they wanna talk.
It doesn't look like it bothers you too much.
No, it doesn't bother me, because as I told you, original is original. A lot of people feel as if I am the one who's following. And I'm not. I'm the original. Only people like Sly and Robbie would know, because they're the one who started. And even Prince Jammy's . . . Because the first album we did was with Prince Jammy's. Even when I start making the sound from in '75, '76, even Tubby laugh because he didn't believe in it. Bunny [Striker] Lee can tell you.
Robbie Shakespeare once said that Black Uhuru didn't know what they had until it was over. I think he was referring to you, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson . . .
Yeah, because on a business level, business nevah right, and one goes their ways.
So, it's not something that you regret?
I built Black Uhuru. I made Black Uhuru what it is today. I'm the first reggae artist to win a Grammy. You see what I'm saying? Certain things doesn't bother me. Material things doesn't bother me, because I know I can do these things. I break for ten years, and I decide to start all over again, and this is what I'm doing. Before I left Jamaica, I had two singles in the charts, "Mr. Mention" and "Monkey Business." And they supposed to be in the charts still.
Okay, let's go back a little further than the days of Uhuru. It's been said that you had a close association with Dennis Brown at one time. What can you tell me about those days?
All right, you see, I used to sing like Dennis Brown, seen? And there was a talking going around that this guy who sings like Dennis Brown, his name is Michael Rose. And one day Dennis see me and him say, 'Bwai Rose, you know, two of us can't be out there.'
So then I pulled myself away, and this is where I create this sound. That was about '73, '74.
You once sang in a group called the Falcons, is that right?
No. I had a solo career before Black Uhuru where I recorded "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner," "Love Between Us," "Freedom Over Me." That was done on the Observer label, Niney the Observer. That was Dennis Brown's producer. And I did a couple of other songs like "Observe Life" with Lee Perry. And I've done "Running Around." That was done by me along with my other friend called Winston. I used to entertain tourists on the North Coast with this band who was grounded there and they had a day off. We were asked to go down to just do the show for the one day. And then we got a contract for a year and six months. And then one of the member was smoking marijuana and them wan me fe be de informer and I said, 'No, I don't know who it is,' and they fired me. Willie, the drummer from Third World used to play drum in that band.
If you weren't a successful singer the way you are today, what would you be doing? Where would that put you in life?
I come from a ghetto neighborhood and most of the youth them round where I come from resort to the gun. See what I'm sayin'? I had that courage to gain that goal. Cause I could have turned to the gun like a lot of my brothers. And I didn't. M-16 and everything - I pass on it. It's easy. All you have to do is put your hand on it.
And that's what you were talking about when you sang "Youth of Eglington"?
Yea. Exactly.
In your fliers, everywhere we look now, it's Mykal "Grammy" Roze. We don't hear about Michael Rose, we hear about the guy who got the Grammy award in 1986 with Anthem . . .
When we won the Grammy, the next day, the minute I went into Waterhouse, the ghetto, every mon start call me "Grammy," "Grammy!" "Grammy Roze!" So that where the 'Grammy Roze' come from . . . you know, first Grammy ever. Grammy fi reggae, big move. Steel Pulse got Grammy after. Ziggy, Jimmy Cliff, quite a few, Shabba . . .
All right, in conclusion, tell me what can we expect to hear from you in the next five years or so?
I'm on the road now and here for good. You can listen and keep your eyes open. Things a gwan.
CD Now's Black Uhuru Discography