Backlash continues to emanate from all angles and surround reggae superstar, Chronixx following his much-talked-about comments during the visit of U.S. president, Barack Obama to Jamaica earlier this month.
During a post on his Instagram page in which he ranted about the lack of incentive to pardon and exonerate revered civil rights activist, Marcus Garvey of his mail fraud conviction in the 1920s, Chronixx accused Jamaicans of ‘glorifying some waste man,’ which many interpreted to be a diss aimed at Obama. Since that post was made, and later deleted, social media, the media at large and fellow industry players have weighed their support and disapproval in relation to the comments. One fellow musician who voiced the latter in earnest is platinum producer, Tarik ‘Russian’ Johnston, who laid into the Smile Jamaica singer while posting on his Facebook page about Obama’s meet and greet with sprint legend, Usain Bolt following his town hall at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Kingston.
In his post, Russian said “Dear “MR WASTEMAN Chronixx” … Same guy who said on HYPE TV “mi will sell out mi friends and family for little or nothing before mi sell out jah”. Well sir, if you sell out those two people, you just sell out Jah/God. I’m not saying I’m the biggest Obama supporter but you as a man who has a ‘voice’ and claim you’re a ‘Rasta’ should practice ‘unity’ instead of ‘division.”
He also called Chronixx a hypocrite, suggesting he should not have deleted his post if he truly meant what he said while claiming his public image is a facade.
“You’re also giving Jamaicans a bad name as supposedly being a role model,” he said. “You’re also glorying Marcus Garvey. Just like President Obama he has flaws (he did his little black star line Ponzi scheme), but no man is perfect. A you shoulda name ‘Mr Perfect’? Next ting nuh you did perform on America’s Jimmy Fallon show? Better watch you mouth before you lose the U.S. visa & won’t be able to count the US dollars. Also, if you stand by your words, why you delete the post? You just sell yourself short. Doesn’t take a rasta to bun a fire? P.S. it’s not a white or black or religion thing [because] my father is a rasta and I grew up in that.”
Johnston was not the only one to rip the reggae star for his comments as revered dancer, Patsy Ricketts also addressed the matter. Ricketts is the mother of late reggae singer, Alty Nunes, more popularly known as J.O.E (Jah Ova Evil), who tragically died in 2011 at the tender age of 25 after a blood vessel in his brain burst. Chronixx often referenced J.O.E. in his songs, including his first mainstream hit, Warrior and worked with Ricketts during his early days as a known commodity.
She accused Chronixx of being disloyal and using her and her family to achieve success.
“Soon after he (J.O.E.) passed, Chronixx came into our lives, he actually slept in my son’s bed and stayed with us for about two years. From there, he worked on his hits Behind Curtain, Warrior and even his recent hit Spirulina. We had frequent reasonings about Rastafari, which he seldom agreed on, but we decided to put our energy into him because we saw the talent,” Ricketts revealed on her Facebook page. “I will not forget the night when our youths started posting posters of Chronixx on light posts, we blogged on the Internet for him. in general, we pushed him forward. He obviously decided that he had used us enough and has never turned back to even say thank you, now who is the waste man.”
She added, “We at Jah Ova Evil have completely disassociated ourselves from this young man. I do not wish for him to be an advocate for me as a Rastafarian or as a Jamaican because in order for one to be a good ambassador one has to take a page from His Imperial Majesty’s book, e.g being a good diplomat which simply means choosing your words wisely.”
Chronixx has yet to respond to any of the criticism he has faced since the news came out, only saying hours following his post that he was prepared to be judged for his comments and that he now knew who his true supporters were.
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