May 22, 1997

Rockin' Iration
March 14, 1997

Kibret Neguse: Welcome to WUSB - the foundation station - Mr. Beenie Man.

Beenie Man: FarI..Yes I...Festive, festive, FESTIVE!

Kibret Neguse: No true?

Beenie Man: RAStive!

Kibret Neguse: Rastive! Fe real!

Beenie Man: (trademark laugh)

Kibret Neguse: Yeah well I want to give thanks for those choice cuts on the new "MAESTRO" CD.

Beenie Man: FarI.Kibret Neguse: "Africans", "Jerusalem", you know...touching the roots there.

Beenie Man: FarI.

Kibret Neguse: Yes I, but you know we love every little aspect of Beenie Man, you know...it can be any subject you touch on...cause that's what reggae music does - encompasses all aspects of life.

Beenie Man: Well you see when i come yah, fe bring up the worker - King David, you know...

Kibret Neguse: Seen.

Beenie Man: And King David never limit him songs yet.

Kibret Neguse: Seen

Beenie Man: ...to whaan wha...him fe sing, you know? Babylon just take it and chop out if it chop out, and print if it print, you know? So I & I done know the fullness a everyting so I & I just go through... sing fe the girl dem, I sing fe everybody!

Kibret Neguse: True, true.

Beenie Man: Rasta, yeah yeah.

Kibret Neguse: Yeah well your bredrin BUJU was here wah… last year April and him sitinna dat same seat and ya know...he couldn't believe say.... a little place like this a Long Island have so much vibes inna it.

Beenie Man: (animated) A so it go man! Hear now...you see in the city...the vibes
done generate in the city ya know...you see wha me a say? So, to come out in the woods now and
find vibes like the I a push - it kinda surprising, so it kinda exciting, you haffe know dat!

Kibret Neguse: True, true.

Beenie Man: See wha me a deal wit? Cause I & I have been to colleges to perform in America already, you know? And the vibes I get from the college student out there...it's different you know? Because...here wha dem do now! Dem really appreciate the music better than I
& I who really even sing the music...wey even know the music and make the music - because
dem nah have a next artiste wha come up every day you know...so dem haffe listen to who dem
used to, you see wha me a say? So I & I just know say right now...you see the college
youth dem? It's dem buy record you know?

Kibret Neguse: How you mean! And it's not only that - this partcicular radio station
has been the FORCE behind reggae music on Long Island and southern Connecticut and even into Queens you know...

Beenie Man: (interrupting) Serious thing you know! Because you see I know say the
college radio dem start all the young artistes dem until dem get big...I know that long time.

Kibret Neguse: Because we a play Beenie Man before anybody know Beenie Man...

Beenie Man: Seen, you know? A so it go!

Kibret Neguse: All during the times whey inna your song you talk bout dem fling bottle
and shot after you and dem ting deh...Beenie Man: Yeah (laughing)

Kibret Neguse:Eh! We a play...we a RINSE Beenie Man tune from dem time...

Beenie Man:Long time, seen!

Kibret Neguse:we nah throw no stone at Beenie Man EVER.

Beenie Man: (trademark laugh)

Kibret Neguse: From DEM time deh!

Beenie Man: Well you haffe know say a just the vibes within I & I and the music because you go out there and seek artistes and you say - all right , you see that artiste - him a mek something a
himself you know - and you bring ME come pon the radio station and you play me every day,
you play me every day, and you BEAT ME INNA PEOPLE HEAD! Seen? And when people
hear a one hit tune dem a say - "but dat deh youth deh man -me hear him a play man pon the radio station out a country deh man"..."a him dat, no Beenie Man dat rude bwoy"?

Kibret Neguse: True.

Beenie Man: Yeah so...your name get stronger - one man start talk bout you , two man
mus start talk bout you, then three and four, then a million - so it go!
Kibret Neguse: And, you know...we are not in it for the money, all right - let me just
stress something here because...I've been doing this here now for about 14 years, deh pon the air,
OK, and never once look a paycheck from this radio station.

Beenie Man: Seen.

Kibret Neguse: So it's only the satisfaction of knowing that I am enlightening...people to this music and this culture...

Beenie Man: Yeah man.

Kibret Neguse: That is the only reward that I & I look for. But right now Beenie Man - we have a serious shituation here because we need to raise some money...

Beenie Man: (interrupting) Yeah but, you see..right now ...I & I shouldn't even at dis situation fe a raise money fe run de radio station...people fe know seh dis is a college station and we nah run no commercial and we nah get no big money from dem big guy deh wha have dem company and dem ting deh. So the importance of DIS radio station is to boost reggae music right through! Seen? Cause when a college youth come from Japan or him come from Korea and him come ya so fe study certain tings and when him tun on him radio him a hear reggae music...is one more wha I & I a lift out a de pack whey a youth can go back whey him a come from and seh right now " When me down a college you know rude bwoy...all me can hear is Beenie Man, all me can hear is a Buju, all me can hear is a Bounty Killer, you know"...so is YOUR name that stretch further so right now me just waan the I dem whosoever is a Beenie Man fan just call through and send a pledge you know..thats you can even win a "Maestro" cd -yeah you done know! The number is 1-800-394- WUSB. Call in Rasta. Call in!

Kibret Neguse:The Doctor begging you fe call in! Alright! Because if we don't raise the money - that's really gonna put us in a serious situation come December when we're trying to present the SEVEN DAY REGGAE MARATHON, OK? Nobody's done that in the world! Seven days? No commercials?

Beenie Man: Well, you see - people do that you know. But only Irie - FM in Jamaica.

Kibret Neguse: (arguing) No Man! They run commercials!

Beenie Man: Yeah but dem run reggae music two weeks straight -without even commercial...

Kibret Neguse: Fe real?

Beenie Man: Yeah Man.

Kibret Neguse: Without commercials?

Beenie Man:Without commercial man.

Kibret Neguse: Ahh, so I better check dat. Then we'll have to say "in the US then".

Beenie Man: In the US and London, and … everywhere!

Kibret Neguse:Cause I checked with Elise Kelly and she tell me say no...

Beenie Man: (interrupting) Dem time deh Elise nah work a Irie-FM man.

Kibret Neguse: Oh...

Beenie Man: I a listen Irie-FM before Elise start work there you know rude boy! When Irie-FM just open up dem never have no commercial.* Kibret Neguse: Seen. All right, let's take a little break and let the people call in … (played "Nobody Knows", et al)

Beenie Man: So wha gwan Kibret?

Kibret Neguse: Well it looks to me like we're gonna have a nice show tonight!

Beenie Man: (trademark laugh)

Kibret Neguse:In the Stony Brook gym...alongside Buccaneer, alongside Tonto Metro (from the Shocking Vibes crew), Blaze Band, Road International's doing the music, Coppertop's doing the hosting. I also want to let people know that on Sunday (March 16), at the Avery Fisher Hall, the 9th Annual Tamika Awards will be presented and Beenie Man WILL be there. And I'm sure he'll be accepting a lot of Tamikas and I'll be on stage helping him carry them!

Beenie Man: (laughing)

Kibret Neguse:Because I know there's a whole heap a dem waiting for him over there! But, you'll be performing from what I overstand.

Beenie Man:Well, I'll be doing a song with me and Chevelle Franklin which is a movie track from a new movie we have to release.

Kibret Neguse: Done hear it already. You know anything about the movie as far as when
that's coming forward?

Beenie Man: No, me no know when it a release still.

Kibret Neguse: All right, that seems to be a question that everyone is asking.

Beenie Man: Inna de summer, I think.

Kibret Neguse: Yeah, you have role in a it.

Beenie Man: Well, I play like a "boss" role you know - like me own a club and like...whosoever want to make a popularity in the dancehall have to come and dance at my club.

Kibret Neguse: Seen, seen,seen. Well we'll look out for that when it comes out -
"Dancehall Queen" I think it's called.

Beenie Man: Yeah.

Kibret Neguse: What else is Beenie Man doing these days besides running around the world, performing, recording.

Beenie Man: Well, Beenie Man being more...a father figure these days you know...spending some time with the kids you know.

Kibret Neguse: Yeah, well that is good because we need more role models worldwide that show outstanding parenthood and respect for their youth.

Beenie Man: That a wha me a deal with still you know? Do some more voicing, and release some more songs, me no have nothing more fe do.

Kibret Neguse: Seen! And...just to clarify things...Beenie Man...is a Rastaman!

Beenie Man: Then we no born as Rasta - the whole a we no born as Rasta?

Kibret Neguse: No true! Is just some people don't sight it yet.

Beenie Man: If you no see it you blind rude boy!

Kibret Neguse: Right.

Beenie Man: Even if you're bald and trim off your hair...and shave your beard. You see wha me a say? As long as you live the right life and praise the same God wha I a praise...is classify as a Rasta.

Kibret Neguse: Seen.

Beenie Man: Cause King Selassie...you never see him as a man with a bag a locks pon im head. He's
the best dressed King, the neatest King, the sweetest King, and the Queen love him! You see wha I a say?

Kibret Neguse: Fe Real!

Beenie Man: That means the head of Rasta so you haffe know dat. It don't take a bag a locks on you head...it's just clean heart, strong mind, and nuff faith!

Kibret Neguse: Exactly! That's why we love Beenie Man, that's why we get the VIBE from Beenie Man.

Beenie Man: Straight.

Kibret Neguse: All right. So no more argument about Rasta or no Rasta.

Beenie Man: Well Beenie Man is a baptised Orthodox. My mother is a baptised Orthodox, my father is a baptised Orthodox, my grandfather a Orthodox, me Uncle a Orthodox, my whole gengeration a Orthodox.

Kibret Neguse: Seen, seen.

Beenie Man: So you haffe done know which part the whole strength a come from...is
not from me you know?

Kibret Neguse: All right Beenie man, I know you haffe make a move and get uh...

Beenie Man: Get fresh up...

Kibret Neguse: And ready for the show. You haffe come here one more time when we're a lttle less...

Beenie Man: Yeah man. When we have more time cause right now is conscious night you know. But true me deh ya inna de place the vibes haffe change! Seen? (thinking a moment) Well I & I don't know why the consciousness shoulda change because we have enough consciousness pon my show can play! You see wha me a say? You see before me a leave? I want you fe play a tune fe ME. So you see me inna the van a go way, I want you fe play dis fe me. You see the song pon the "Maestro" named "Oh Jah Jah", me and Silver Cat, and the next song deh pon it whe dem sey "We Are Africans"?

Kibret Neguse: Done play that already!

Beenie Man:Play it again fe me now rude boy! Bounce it back one more time!

Kibret Neguse: A dat we did start with you know!

Beenie Man: Well...those songs are my songs on the "Maestro".

Kibret Neguse: No problem, no problem.

Beenie Man: But remember fe pledge you know...1-800-394-WUSB. Call in. Pledge a ting! So wha! Likkle more people...likkle more!

Kibret Neguse: Give thanks you hear?

Rockin Iration raised more than enough money during the pledge period! Thank you again, Beenie Man!

* Note: Irie-FM did a test run of the radio station at it's inception and broadcast music without commercials. Research is underway to determine how long Irie-FM will be able to broadcast commercial free reggae music during this time....

Kibret Neguse
Reggae Music Director
WUSB 90.1 fm Stony Brook, NY 11794
Fon/fax: 516-467-4861
Pager : 516-452-1625

reggae@wusb.org reggae@wusb.org

Rockin Iration

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