Congo Ashanti Roy of The Congos interviewed by Jakob Levi and Truzd Isaachar in Uppsala Reggae Festival's backstage area 12/8 2006.

Congo Ashanti Roy is best known for his works in the vocal trio The Congos and for his contributions on the highly acclaimed "Heart Of The Congos" album which now in later times has received cult status among roots lovers over the world. Although his songs with The Congos are among his best one shall not neglect his solo career which includes collaborations and productions for the voice of thunder himself Prince Fari and the progressive and experimental Adrian Sheerwood.

Sorry to say this isn't the best interview we've presented here. Mainly because we asked too many questions and not necessarily the right questions in the short time we had with Congo Ashanti Roy. Instead of letting one topic lead into the next and let things take a natural course we kind of rushed into things. Hope you still find it interesting and worth reading though.

Guidelight Movement: Greetings Congo Ashanti Roy.

Congo Ashanti Roy: Congo Ashanti Roy from the original Congos, voy voy, and this is a interview which is going to be interesting for the people of the world to read. So go ahead with your questions my brother.

GLM: Could you introduce yourself for those who don't know you and your music?

CAR: Well, my name is Congo Ashanti Roy and I'm one of the original members of The Congos. We've been working since 1965. Our first album, "Heart Of The Congos", came out in 1977 and became a big hit in about 1988. We did it for Lee Perry, the Upsetter, at the Black Ark studio. That's where we come from. The Black Ark. Lee Perry the mad professor.

GLM: So could you tell us about your early experiences in music?

CAR: Well, my experience in reggae music comes from way back. From ska, rocksteady and coming up to reggae. We are ancient people in the reggae business, you know. We bring up man like Bob Marley and all those guys. We all friends. We grow up together and like that. We were in the same stable. The Black Ark studio and before that we were at Downbeat Studio One, you know. It's a long story man.

GLM: Alright, so how did The Congos come about?

CAR: Well, The Congos came about like 1968. I was in my yard playing my guitar, I and Scratch, Lee Perry the Upsetter, go to the same school and everything, we come from the same village in Jamaica, and then he ask me to come and record some songs. I and Cedric was working making cloths and thing like that, you know. So we reherse everyday.

GLM: So you were a tailor before heading into music?

CAR: Yeah man, I do everything. I'm a master of arts and martial arts. Yeah, we do everything.

GLM: Haha.

CAR: So I and Cedric get together and go to Scratch and we sung one song for him. Like "Jah Solid Foundation". Then he said, oh man you guys should do an album. So we do an album called "Heart of The Congos". So with The Congos we have our own band, this is my guitarist Little David. We'd been together for a long time since the start, you know. So that's the way it goes man and I kind of like the spiritual music, you know.

GLM: So you continued working as The Congos for a couple of years but what happen then?

CAR: Yes, I went on with The Congos for a couple of years then we kind of go... we just rest from singing with each other. We don't have no quarrel or no fight or nothing. We just cool off.

GLM: Just progressing in different ways.

CAR: Yes, I go start work with Prince Fari and the Arabs, Adrian Sheerwood and On U Sounds in London and start to do other things, you know.

GLM: How was it working with Prince Fari?

CAR: Oh it was nice man. It was very very nice.

GLM: He (Prince Fari) produced an album for you as well...

CAR: Yeah, he produced two albums for me which carries my records and some other guys, you know. On U Sounds, Pressure Sounds. I work with all of them guys. There my friends.

GLM: So how did it develop then from...

CAR: Scratch (Lee Perry)?

GLM: Yes.

CAR: Well, we did one album for Scratch. Then we kind of easy and then CBS France came along. We did a movie, "Image Of Africa", for CBS France. I don't know if plenty people see that movie, you know. Then we did an album, "Image Of Africa" for that.

GLM: What about later times now when the interest for The Congos has risen once again?

CAR: Yes, people always have interest in The Congos but they can't see The Congos. They only hear The Congos records out there but they could never see The Congos until the vibes of spiritual come back, you know. That's because we are spiritual people. So sometimes the spirit don't work with each other at one time. But now the blessing fall so we are together again and we're going to stay together.

GLM: An album was put out not so long ago where The Congos sang an unplugged set in Earl Chinna's (Smith) yard? (This was actually just done with Congos frontman Cedric Myton and not with Congo Ashanti Roy. Excuse the mix up.)

CAR: Yes yes, that was long time ago. But what's going on now, I enjoy what's going now because we are elders now and we want to teach the young people about what's really going on on earth. For what's going on now is war and rumours of war and there's no need for war. Everybody is just to live together. A man is just a man. A woman is just a woman.

You know, we don't want to be too greedy to take too much land for if you ask me the question: what make earth? Nobody could answer that. The material that make earth. Nobody know that what made the water. Nobody know that but the almighty. What make the breeze blow. What grew the trees. Nobody can control that but yet they want to make weapons to kill flesh and blood. When I look at the war in Lebanon I cry sometimes. To see babies die. Babies don't know nothing about war. They're just born. Then they die and that is just too much. Crazy.

The leaders of the world don't see that crazy thing that they're doing. All this fighting over land and borders. And they don't know what make land! It's crazy. We are to live in love, unity and peace. Everybody is to live together. The almighty create the world. Trees with flowers, with all different colours. So there's no need for a racism. We don't need that shit. You see what I mean? Because we are all flowers of the earth. In different colours. Black, white, red, pink, blue, yellow, orange. You know, we can't fight that. That is the almighty power. We can't change that.

GLM: ...and give thanks for that.

CAR: I give thanks for that. I born to breathe the fresh air and see the light and all that. I born black is not my fault. I give thanks to see everything, you know. That's the way it's run man. I give thanks for everybody. I pray for everybody on earth. I don't have no racism in my memory or thought. I love everybody.

GLM: So how did you come in contact with the Rastafarian movement?

CAR: Well, Rastafari movement is in I from childhood days. I grow up in the house of Nyahbinghi. All my brothers are Rastas. Rasta dreadlocks. My family are Rastas. So I grow up as a Rastaman.

GLM: So you had it with you from your early days...

CAR: From long time. From when I leave scool and sight the light. Because I used to work in Cuba...

GLM: So how do you feel the progress has been for Rastafari from that time to this time?

CAR: It's great now. Rastafari is great now. For in my time, like in the sixties coming up, in Jamaica Rastas couldn't walk on the street. The babylon would beat you up and say: they don't know what they're doing, they're crazy. But we still hold the faith strong. And now I come out here and see Rastas Rastas Rastas, white Rastas, black Rastas, chiney Rastas, Japanese Rastas and I give thanks for that. To see how small it was and now it growing and growing bigger. So in the next couple of years you going to see Rastas standing on the seashore. Don't think it's a joke. All these kids now growing up and coming to school in this ages will see what Rasta really mean.

GLM: It's revaltion time.

CAR: Yes, it's repatriation time and redemption time and revalation time and armagideon time too.

GLM: It's rough times.

CAR: It's rough times so we have to be serious and constructive in our doings.

GLM: So what about future works then?

CAR: In the future we have some nice things set up. We have an album coming out next month on Mediacom. It's going to be released in France.

GLM: On what?

CAR: Mediacom. That's the agent that we work with.

GLM: Is that the whole Congos or...?

CAR: Yeah, the whole Congos on the new album, "Swinging Bridge".

GLM: With new rhythms and everything?

CAR: New rhythms and all new stuff. Nice album. We sung some of them songs of stage. It's going to be great. For the future maybe looking ahead to coming out here to teach the people about Rastafari. For you have alot of guys who really come up in the faith...they don't really study the faith as much, you know, and when people try to talk to them they don't know what to say and don't know too much about Rastafari. But we are elders of the Nyahbinghi house of Rastafari. So we know a little...

GLM: Some serious reasoning.

CAR: Yes, because we are elders of the Nyahbinghi house and we have to go and reason all the while. So we are not like the dread them who don't have no reasoning and don't have nothing to tell. I forgive them still for they do not know what they're doing. The greatest thing on this earth is to know. So read the Bible. Always keep the Bible in your memory.

GLM: Yes.

CAR: So I give thanks for the I them. Blessing, it's a blessing. So I say righteousness exhalts the nation but sin is a reproach of every people of the earth. So we have to stay righteous.

Many thanks to Congo Ashanti Roy for the time given.

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