Capleton shares his views on marriage
Wishes newlywed sister Aleen ‘more love’
Published:Monday | November 27, 2023 | 12:10 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Following the recent wedding of his sister, Olympian Aleen Bailey – which he was unable to attend owing to previous commitments – The Fireman Clifton ‘Capleton’ Bailey, took a few minutes to share his feelings about love and marriage.
“Marriage is a good commitment for a man and a woman who are in love,” the Rastafarian reggae and dancehall artiste said soberly, adding that he was happy for his sister and wished her “more love”.
Aleen Bailey, an elite athlete who has represented Jamaica exceptionally well on the world stage, finishing second in the 100m and third in the 200m finals at the World Athletics in 2004, was also a part of the island’s history-making women’s 4x100 relay gold at the 2004 Olympics. She and her fiancé, Joseph Taylor, exchanged vows on Saturday, November 11 at St Andrew Scots Kirk United Church in downtown Kingston.
“I met her [Aleen’s] husband once before in the States when he came to a show I was performing. I know she knows how to make good decisions. She wouldn’t marry someone she doesn’t know well about his personality and attitude ... it has to be someone who she knows for a long time,” Capleton said with conviction.
The energetic and outspoken King Shango is well known for his fire-spitting lyrics which see him “slew dem” with a barrage of “more fyah” songs such as in Fire Ago Burn Dem, Burn Dem Down, Who Dem and Wah Dem a Do. However, Capleton has his moments when he is imbued with nothing but “more love” and can just as easily reel out a bag of “gyal tune” or lyrics filled with love for Jah.
Songs such as Crazy Look, Good Love, Jah Jah Love is Real, Love is Coming at You (with Red Rose, Malvo and Terry Linen), In Her Heart, Everybody and You the man Love are testament to this.
Getting more personal, Capleton said that he is “very comfortable with marriage between a man and a woman” and that he himself “would get married”.
The Rastaman, however, added a caveat.
“If I feel that it is a union that is ordained by the Most High … yes I would get married,” the 56-year-old entertainer said.
Known for closely guarding his private life, Capleton dropped his guard briefly at the thanksgiving service for his late manager, Claudette Kemp, where he was seen being comforted by his significant other.
HARDEST-WORKING
One of the hardest-working artistes on the road, Capleton and his Prophecy band recently completed Part Two of his European Tour. The Capleton Live in Concert series saw him performing at 22 shows between October 15 and November 17. The dates included seven consecutive days or nights of performances in countries such as Belgium, Amsterdam in The Netherlands, and Denmark. He returned to Deventer in The Netherlands for another performance, and then on to Nancy in France, followed by Neuchatel, Switzerland.
In August, Capleton announced that he had resumed touring following the pandemic, and told THE STAR that he was “living his best life musically” and headlining some of the Europe’s large reggae festivals.
Although his catalogue is replete with hit songs, Capleton is never one to rest on his laurels and is continuously releasing new music. Earlier this month, one of his songs, Hottest Region, which is produced by Contractor Music and Makonnen Blake-Hanna and featured on the album Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: The Asian Edition, hit number one on Canada’s iTunes Reggae Chart.
Capleton recently received his UK visa after not travelling there in more than 10 years.