Barrington Levy is a legendary Jamaican reggae artist who emerged in the late 70s and became a driving force in reggae’s evolution. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Levy began releasing solo music at the young age of 14. His music reflects Jamaica’s late-1970s shift from roots reggae music to early dancehall; touching on social hardship, moral reflection, love songs and life in Kingston. His unmistakable delivery became central to rub-a-dub style and created a unique sound that resonated from the streets of Jamaica to the world over.
The album “Here I Come”, which included the song “Under Mi Sensi”, gained instant recognition, cementing Levy as an all-time great. He became one of the key voices that presented the genre to the world and won the Best Vocalist Award at Britain’s Reggae Awards. The song, “Here I Come,” made the top 50 in the U.K., holding Guinness World Records.
For Issue 13, Living Proof spent time with Barrington in Clarendon, Jamaica, at his bar “Black Roses”. He is featured in conversation with Avi Gold.
Full segment featured in Issue 13 of Living Proof Magazine
What was the one song that really broke you out in England?
It started with Under Mi Sensei and then after Under Mi Sensei, the follow-up single was Broader Than Broadway and that just shot.
How did you write that song?
One day I was in a lane called Makai Lane in Kingston, I heard this girl cuss out her baby father. She was saying, “You breed me then left me with the kid. I’m young, I don’t want your kid tying me down. Take your kid and leave. I’m young and don’t want you to tie me down, because I am young and you are old.” That’s how I got the concept to do that song, Broader Than Broadway.
And it has the Revolution riddim.
Yes, that was revolutionary.
And even how that was produced was pretty groundbreaking, right?
I introduced dancehall to the world in 1983. And now they take it and turn it into a genre. But really and truly, this is what really played in the dancehall. They used to use the key and mix it like this with the key. And trust me, it worked. From 1983 till now, that song is still a bomb anywhere at all I go in the world and sing that song. It’s a big song. So that’s where it start.
Timeless song.
Very much timeless.
What I like about your music is that it’s always evolved. It never got stuck.
Never, no. And I’m very grateful to the Almighty God because He gave us the inspiration to do all of these things, musically speaking.
I’d say 1980s dancehall was just different.
1980s music, dancehall, reggae, R&B, is the best ever. Whatever genre you want to take it at, the 80s made some of the best music ever. I used to live in England from 1980 to 1992.
Did you see any other genres that spoke to you?
Them times you had Sting and The Police. Serious music in the 80s. They don’t make them like that anymore.
Especially dancehall.
Especially dancehall. Real classics from the 80s.
London seems like it played a major role in your career.
My hit records were made in England, Broader Than Broadway, Under Mi Sensei, Living Dangerously, The Vibes Is Right. I made a lot of hit records in England. Usually they say if you leave Jamaica and go overseas you lose the roots. But that’s rubbish. If you love music, you can do it anywhere in the world as long as you have the right beat.
For one of your hit records you had a random musician pulled off the street that played on it?
That’s The Vibes Is Right. He wasn’t a guitarist, he did the horns. Jasco found him at a train station. He had just graduated from university and asked him to come to the studio. The guy came in and blew brilliantly on the track. And then we never saw him again. Didn’t even ask to get paid. That was his first work after coming out of college.
Let’s talk about your collaboration with Shyne.
Somebody called my manager and said Puff Daddy wanted me to do a song. When I got to the studio, the engineer told me it wasn’t Puff, it was one of his artists, Shyne. I ended up doing one song and then we ended up with two, Bonnie & Shyne and Bad Boyz. We shot one video in Rae Town in Kingston and then went to New York to shoot more.
Do you still speak with Shyne?
Yeah, man. He’s into politics now. Life is a journey. Whatever happened back then, it was part of the journey. You live and you learn.
You’ve also spoken about bringing back vinyl.
Yes. My next album will only be available on vinyl. It don’t make sense to put everything on the internet and people take it free. The real quality, you only get that on vinyl. Digital weakens. Every time you download it, it gets weaker and weaker. Vinyl never changes.
That’s bold in the streaming era.
Vinyl is the thing again. Real quality.
What message do you have for young artists today?
There is no pension in the music business. The songs that you write are your pension. The quality songs that you write, that’s your pension. So write timeless songs.
Look at Bob Marley. He made songs in his 30s and he’s long gone and they’re still carrying on. Based on the lyrical content. That’s what lasts.
Read the full interview in Living Proof Magazine Issue 13, available on the Living Proof Patreon and Online Shop.
Photography by Sam McKenna
