Spragga Benz Says he Wrote for Vybz Kartel, Talks Alkaline, Squash and More

[Sharingbuttons] Spragga Benz is keeping up to date with the times in dancehall, with dance moves and the things the artistes are putting in their lyrics, such as scamming and other things that are not uplifting.

In a recent interview on Entertainment Report(ER) Spragga says there is a nostalgia for the 90’s music out in the world. This is good for deejays like himself, he has favourites on his catalogue, and he adds new music sometimes.

Spragge Benz explains that Steven Marley offered him an opportunity to tour with the Marley’s even though he has his own label.

Nowadays he is making more of a presence in Jamaica again, as he maintains his roots and his foundation, as he believes if the roots are not maintained the tree can’t grow.

At 50 he is still full of energy, he feels like he still puts out great songs many times, some people like them and some don’t. 

He says some of the new rhythms can’t be played by themselves anymore, that was the essence of the dancehall back in the days. People can’t dance to some of the current rhythms without an artiste adding lyrics to them.

The seasoned artiste says in the 90’s there wasn’t so much competition and the artistes helped each other and there was more talent around. Now there is no one standing out apart from Koffee.

He said she is the one who everyone loves, and her big song “Toast” has the same 90s dancehall bounce that the people love.

He says the current deejays are just putting everything that they think about out there, they are not thinking about morals and their music is not lasting, they are not thinking about building quality.

He believes artistes need to be true to themself when they want to be a real artiste.

The ones who have the most highlight like Alkaline, Squash and 6ix are getting more attention than others however Spragga stressed that their buz won’t last. 

He also spoke about the difference between the 90’s and now, as social media can now cause artistes to be popular when they put out songs on YouTube and sometimes they are not good at performing on stage, when they don’t rise through stage show performances, singing live seems to be a problem for the new artistes.

When he was asked what his thoughts were about Vybz Kartel, he said he is a deejay he respects but he doesn’t fear him, he even recalls that he wrote songs with him and for him, Benz explains that he wrote song that himself and kartel recorded, Spragga also reminded Anthony Miller that he was in the business before Vybz Kartel.

“You came close to being burn by Vybz Kartel” asks Miller and Spragga responded saying “him came close to being burn by me”

Kartel posted the statement below on his IG some time ago with regards to him and Spragga’s disagreements.

Spragga Benz says Kartel had a lower morality level even though he is very talented, and his lyrics have shock value, he said slackness is not new, but the levels have changed. The young artistes who lower the levels of morals in the music seem to be doing it so they can be like Kartel.

Spragga was then asked about Kartel’s trial and whether or not he was placed behind bars unfairly. Spragga states that it is possible that Vybz Kartel was put away by the state, without them having full evidence because they don’t have a body and a weapon, and he is leaving it at that.