IN CONVERSATION WITH

JAH NELSON

After a long travel from his hometown of Paramaribo, Suriname, Rastafarian reggae artist Jah Nelson discusses the globalization of reggae music and the importance of discovering the sound at its roots.

Text by Tyrell MacLennan
Photography by Saemouhl

DEH’YA

JAH NELSON

In this conversation, we want to dissect the global expansion of reggae and the influence its sound has had throughout the Caribbean and around the world. Would you be able to tell us about the reggae movement in Suriname? What does that culture look like in a smaller Caribbean nation?

Suriname is a small country in the Caribbean, in the South American continent. There are different cultures within Suriname who listen to different genres, but reggae music is number one where we come from, that is why we do reggae.

We follow Jamaica culture, because all the top reggae artists reside in Jamaica, and that is where reggae music started.

It’s amazing that such a small country’s sound expanded globally the way it has. What is it about reggae music that has been so impactful to you and so influential around the world?

Reggae music alone can unite people, and bring them closer together. Reggae music has a message where people can listen and feel good and be themselves. Nowadays there is music that is being played that influences people to do negative things, such as crime, but reggae music keeps people cool, calm and collected - it brings the people together. When you listen to reggae music it is almost like meditation.

What was the importance to you in coming to Jamaica to discover the roots of reggae’s true sound?

Reggae was born in Jamaica. Everyone who is out there in places such as Germany, England, Africa, all come to Jamaica to learn more about reggae and to get the music. We follow Jamaica to get the most authentic sound.

Do you have any upcoming projects or performances we should look out for?

We have an upcoming project called Jah Thunder, which will be out within the next 2 weeks.

Tell us more about that, what can we expect?

Vibes like keep working pon yourself and don’t give up.

It sounds like you were born here spiritually.

Yeah, yeah, I remember I used to tell people I'm a man of Africa, Suriname and Jamaica. I feel like I'm a man of many styles. Africa has one style, Suriname has another style, and Jamaica has its own style, so we put all that pon the music.