On a beautiful afternoon in Miramar, a suburb of Miami, OZONE had the chance to talk with Jamaican reggae legend Anthony B. With his upcoming album “Untouchable,” featuring guest appearances from the likes of Wyclef and Bonecrusher, he does an admirable job of creating reggae/dancehall vibes that music lovers around the world can appreciate. In his thick Jamaican accent, he explained why the time is right for America to embrace his vibe.

How many albums have you already released?
This is my seventh album, but this is my first album that will cross over into the international market. Like Bob Marley.

How will it be released?
I’m signed to Togetherness Records, they are the ones that have seen the potential in Anthony B’s music. We are trying to get distribution from someone who can come in the game and put in the work, you know? We hoping that this will help pay off, they come in and change the game.

After being in the music business for so long, why do you feel like this is the right time to make that transition?
Because after watching and working the music for years, it’s given me maturity. We understand what it takes to rock an international audience. I think our music has grown to a level where we can make it more appealing than coming from a younger and inexperienced Jamaican artist just getting in the game. I think the market has been there for reggae, but it’s been closed and opened again. I would say that the medium is open since 2002, 2003, people like Sean Paul. It’s like hip-hop music was in the 1970’s until Dr. Dre and others gave it a different push. Puff Daddy come along and give it a push. For our generation and our time, this is what we consider to be the new generation. Bob Marley is considered a pioneer.

What is the message that you’re trying to get across to the American audience?
We are trying to show people that we are more than just music. We’re talented people from the island of Jamaica.

Would you consider yourself a traditional reggae artist or a dancehall artist?
I consider myself a chanter, a person with a message. For me, dancehall music is the beat, reggae music is the beat. Reggae is laid-back, dancehall is more up-tempo riddim dancing. I do both of these types of riddims. In order for me to get to the vibrant youth, you have to chant off those dancehall riddims, and for the authentic people who love the soulful old style, I have to chant on that riddim also. I don’t try to be any one style, I try to be a universal artist.

What topics do you discuss on your music?
My message is a world of peace, harmony, unity, and love. I represent what my label says: Togetherness. Because to us, music is the universal language. The logo is two hands: a white hand and a black hand holding together, representing unity. To us, music is a great instrument of influence. We are taking the time to show people how to appreciate the culture and people of Jamaica, and Rastafari.

You have several collaborations with Wyclef, who is Haitian, on your upcoming album. What is the relationship like between Jamaicans and Haitians?
We are two different languages, but of the same people. There is a ghetto in Haiti and a ghetto in Jamaica. We both learn of poverty, living in a one-room shack, coming from poor to rich. We share the same culture, so we relate easily. Wyclef is a great, great artist, and it was a great experience doing music with him.

Wyclef is a guest on “Soldiers.” Can you explain the message of that song?
What we are saying in “Soldiers” is that we should stop and look at the people who are dying. It’s mostly the soldiers. We’re talking about active soldiers, but we’re also talking about we as the common people. We’re talking about the people who work 9 to 5 who never can get away. They want to take a vacation or get away but they can’t quit. Even when you have the opportunity to get away, you can’t. It’s so broad what I talk about. It’s not even just the soldiers that fight a war out on the battlefield.

Do you plan on working with other hip-hop artists in the future?
Well, bringing artists together, it’s not just about hip-hop and reggae. If we can show people that we in the industry can come together, then even people of different cultures can make it easier to come together. It would make it easier for us to understand each other. We we start it, it’s when people will follow.

When will the album be released, and what singles should we be listening for?
The album is called “Untouchable,” and the release date is yet to be determined. The first single was “Someone Loves You Honey,” and the current single is “Lighter,” featuring Bonecrusher and Wyclef. The third single will be “Soldiers,” featuring Wyclef. - Photos & interview by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com
 

Video after video, rappers just can’t seem to get enough cars. But the truth is, most MCs don’t own the cars they show off in their videos, they simply rent them. One artist who doesn’t have to rent his cars is Wyclef. The former Fugee has a car collection that is home to over twenty cars, including a Ferrari 360 Modena, a V12 Pagani Zonda, a McLaren F1, a Maybach 62, two Bentley Azures, and a Hummer H2, among others.

Clef’s Ferrari 360 Modena boasts a V8 that puts down 395 horsepower at a beastly 8500 rpm and 275 lb.-ft. torque at 4750 rpm. This Italian masterpiece will take him from zero to sixty in a scant 4.2 seconds. The top speed is 189 mph.

Wyclef’s collection only gets more exotic after the Modena. Also in his garage is a red V12 Pagani Zonda, a rarity among cars in the world. The trademark rear of the Zonda belches out the exhaust from the V12, which generates 394 horses at 5200 rpm and can take Clef down the straight-aways at 185 mph when he puts the pedal to the floor.

The true flagship of Wyclef’s collection is his dark blue McLaren F1. With a resale value that passes the million dollar mark without breaking a sweat, the F1 is perhaps the most well-known member of Wyclef’s collection. It’s a three-seater, with the driver commanding the 627 horsepower F1 from the driver seat located in the center with the two passenger seats on the sides. With a blistering top speed of 240 mph and a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds, the F1 is one of the fastest street legal cars in the world and in Wyclef’s driveway.

The sports cars are a must, but sometimes artists want to sit back and enjoy the ride while they surround themselves in and indulge in the extravagant fineries and amenities their car possesses. For this purpose, Wyclef makes a Maybach 62 (pronounced correctly as My-bach) part of his collection. The Maybach returns as a legendary off-shoot that comes from yours truly, Mercedes Benz (Maybach carries its own name and isn’t labeled a Mercedes, however). The Maybach comes in two sizes, and carries a price tag well above $300,000. It comes with wood trim, carpet, TVs, computers, phones, reclining seats, and pretty much anything else specified by the customer. Maybachs are made on order and come with documentation that is bound in leather, similar to when purchasing a luxury yacht.

To spoil himself even further, Clef also has two Bentley Azures. The Bentleys come at a mere $337,000 apiece, and like the Maybach, they are salons on wheels. Bringing the luxury of mansions into a cabin, the Bentley Azure gets Wyclef where he needs to go in style quickly, with a turbocharged V8 that spits out 400 horsepower at 4100 rpm. The torque ranks in at 616 lb-ft at 2150 rpm. The Azure is clad in some of the finest leather and carpet, and also incorporates some of the highest-quality wood in its trim.

Every rapper seems to have at least one SUV, and Wyclef is no exception. At Funkmaster Flex’s latest car show, Wyclef debuted his red Hummer H2, which boasts a 140 gallon saltwater aquarium which is home to a black-tipped reef and lemon shark. This is obviously no ordinary H2, and it secured Wyclef victory at the car show (after a close call where the sharks almost didn’t arrive in time).

This is only a taste of what the Wyclef Collection has to offer. It will be interesting to see what his next acquisition will be. With competition at the Funkmaster Flex show getting more difficult every year, you can count on Wyclef to come back strong. - Rohit Loomba, poombster@aol.com