Description
Steppin(g) Razors have a long tradition in Rastafari inspired Reggae. Mutabaruka, the Jamaican-born artiste,
activist, and radio presenter is certainly one of its most fervent protagonists. With his voice of thunder, Muta – as
he is called by his fans and followers – evolved into an iconic ‘Verbal Swordsman’ at the cutting edge of the struggle
for African Redemption and Black Power. His influence on generations of Black people in Jamaica, Africa, and the
African Diaspora can hardly be overstated. Yet his impact reaches far beyond on a global level as he continues to
travel the world with his razor-sharp poems and social commentaries driven by Reggae.
In this book Mutabaruka teams up with two anthropologists to reflect and summarize some of the most important
perspectives aired weekly on his two live radio shows on Irie FM, Jamaica’s Reggae radio channel. Cutting Edge and
Steppin Razor are controversial by intention. These talk shows owe their impact to the uncompromised stance of
its anchorman, paraphrased by himself as his own (rhetorical) ‘art of war.’ Drawing on the role model famously
coined by Peter Tosh’s hit song ‘Stepping Razor,’ Muta emerged not only as an institution of ethical conscience and
social consciousness in Jamaica but continues to challenge global injustice, particularly for people of African origin.
About The Author
Foreword by Carolyn Cooper ix
Preface by Werner Zips and Sebastian Schwager xv
Acknowledgements xli
Words, Sounds, and Power
Mutabaruka on Mutabaruka 1
1.1. The Movie Days
1.2. The Rise of the Poet
1.3. Marcus Garvey and the Black Power Movement in Jamaica
1.4. Rasta By Experience: From Twelve Tribes to Nyahbinghi
1.5. Twelve Tribes – Bobo Shanti – Nyahbinghi:
Unity vs Uniformity in Rastafari
1.6. Rastafari as Philosophy of Liberation
Mutabaruka’s Radio Shows
Cutting Edge and Steppin Razor 18
2.1. Black Liberation Struggle Gone Global
2.2. From First-time to His Current Status
2.3. The Poetry Experience
2.4. Blakk Muzik Days: The Rise of a Radio Host and Philosopher
2.5. The Pinnacle of a Great Edutainer’s Career
2.6. Music and Words: The Art of War
2.7. A Public Platform and Weekly Stage
2.8. A ‘Dinosaur’ and His ‘Mosquitoes’
2.9. The Programmes’ Range of Influence
2.10. Radio for I and I Reasoning
‘Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely’
On Jamaica’s Politics 58
3.1. A Two-headed Dragon: The JLP and PNP Power Games
3.2. Out of Many, One People … Suffers
3.3. Effective Politics Instead of Politricks
3.4. Selling Out Jamaica to Foreigners: About Imperceptible Funds
and Chinese Investments
‘Like We Are in a Civil War’
On Jamaica’s Crime Situation 91
4.1. About Scamming and Its Implications
4.2. Out of Control: The Police in Jamaica
4.3. Crime Prevention: Proposals for Solution
‘Everything We Do, Doesn’t Reflect Us as a People’
On Jamaica’s Society 115
5.1. A Class Habitus: The Jamaican (Social) Logic
5.2. The Music of the People: Reggae vs Dancehall?
5.3. European Remnants: Christmas, Church, and State
‘No Likkle Cult’
On Rastafari and Africanness 145
6.1. The Roots of the Original Rastaman
6.2. ‘You Don’t Have to Love Us, But You Better Respect Us’:
About the Coral Gardens Reparations
6.3. ‘The Slave Mill Still Ah Gwaan’: On the Decolonization of
(Post)Colonial Realities
Conclusion and Outlook
‘Life and Lessons’ 180
Appendix
Jamaican Patois Vocabulary 185
Bibliography 187
About the Authors 209
Index
