Anthony B defends his ‘Bread and Butter’

Dancehall star Anthony B is pleased with the early feedback to his latest album, Bread and Butter, which was released in March of this year.

“The album is called Bread and Butter because it is a statement about the value that I place on reggae music. It is my bread and butter ... this music has taken care of me and my family, and it continues to be my bread and butter, and it is the same for countless families all over Jamaica,” he said.

Physical copies, including vinyl, will become available on June 1.

Anthony B said that album is an affirmation of the currency and continued relevance of reggae music.

“For all the attempts to devalue it and belittle it, reggae remains strong, a revolutionary music fighting for truth, rights and justice in Jamaica and the world, and it remains one of our biggest earners without proper government support and infrastructure. Reggae music is my bread and butter and mi nah stop defend it, you have to strengthen what strengthens you,” he said.

Reggae music is one of several indigenous music artforms in Jamaica, developing as an agent of change, promoting the values of Rastafarianism, while addressing political and social issues, economic inequality, and racial unity. Recently, Olivia Grange, the entertainment minister, said the IMF’s World Economic Outlook GDP Estimate for Jamaica was US$14.6 billion, of which creative industries represented approximately five per cent or US$730 million, and that music represents close to two per cent of that total.

“We have to strengthen what strengthens us, that is why I am defending reggae music, my bread and butter. I wouldn’t throw garbage in the Martha Brae river because I recognise how important it is to tourism, to my environment and the livelihood of people in my community. So that’s the message I want to send: don’t pollute this artform, preserve it for our betterment and for that of future generations,” the Plant the Corn artiste said.

Trelawny-born Anthony B, whose real name Keith Anthony Blair, believes that the 15-track Bread and Butter set is his strongest work to date. It contains songs like Save Humanity featuring Freddie McGregor; Everybody, a collaboration with Busy Signal; Stand Firm, featuring Chronic Law; Weed Baby; Mankind Evil and Revolution featuring Zamunda, Bramma and Lina Mulan. He has already shot a video for the collaboration with Busy Signal.

He produced most of the songs himself and under his own Bornfire Music LLC label. The album will be released in June with a launch party in the USA.

At this stage of his career, hit songs are not a priority for him.

“I’m doing what Grammy artistes do. Mi tour every year; mi always load wid work. Mi nuh need hit song to tour or sell out shows, so dat is a blessing,” he said.

The Bread and Butter tour kicks off on April 30 with a show called Reggae on the Hill in Barbados, with stops in France, Trinidad and Tobago, London, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Austria and the USA. The tour is slated to end at the Rototom Sunsplash festival on August 22.