Ghetto Youth Crew:

Artistes – Singing/dj Group
(individual and as a unit)
Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Daddigon, Yami Bolo, Peart, David Cole, Chew Stick, Sli, Damian Marley, Kymani Marley.

Interviews with:
a). Daddigon
b). Damian “Junior Gong” Marley
c). Sli

(a) Interview with:
--- Daddigon ---
Interview © 2004

Q: How did you become associated with Ghetto Youths?
A: Because of David Cole. He bring I&I in. The first Marley I know is Robert Marley as yout and yout. Mi buck them on a few occasions before mi really come inna the camp.
Q: Did you grow up in the same area?
A: Same neighborhood! Same Kingston. Them man live pon hill an’ we live pon flat, but we still can see Marley house. [laughs] Understand mi?! Still can see Gong house from dung in the valley!
Q: People may not be familiar with The Daddigon. How would you define your style?
A: Mi no have style, mi have tendency and pattern and ways and dem tings, seen? I&I have tendencies, and vibe, and current as ghetto yout. Yeah mon!
Q: Tell me about the unity behind ghetto youths – it is unique.
A: The unity ah come from Rasta. It just no ghetto youth unity. I&I born in the ghetto. WE are born ghetto. We don’t really need a name to tell people we are ghetto. People can see that, feel that, know that. See, I&I a ghetto yout. Original ghetto street garrison. Nah tell you ‘bout no man wha wanna be ghetto yout. Them place city streets in downtown Kingston. The heart of the ghetto.
Q: Earlier today, we were reasoning about garrison communities. You were very detailed in your definition. What other type of things do you use in lyrics?.
A: Nuff tings. Them thing come in like a vibes. Ca’ within certain time, ya find man jus rise with certain vibes. Certain slang and lingwah and speech. Certain top of the line speech within the ghetto region. Is like through certain thing go on like “yush” and dem talk deh. Or “zoom” or one time I used to call women skubell and skettle and lizard and stukilus. Jamaica originate nuff things. Yankee ungo originate “tug.” [thug] I&I have nuff different feels on dem ting deh. Back from dutty cup days dem. Nowadays we call the girls ghose.

(b) Interview with:
--- Damian “Junior Gong” Marley ---
--- Singer/dj ---
Interview © 2003

Q: Describe the Ghetto Youths comradery.

A: We have a bunch of artistes where the majority of the artistes are people we know for years. Before they became artistes. Sli has been a family friend for years. Daddigon, his father used to spar with my father. Right now we justa try to build together as a young team comin’ up as youths. Comin’ up in reggae industry, in the hip-hop fields also. Sli is a rapper, Daddigon is a dj. We just build with the youths right now.

Q: When we talked a few days back, you mentioned the “Marley Brothers” listed on single releases. What can people expect from the Marley Brothers on vinyl?

A: Well, I don’t wanna say “expect.” Cuz we haven’t started doing anything concrete. We have intentions of making music together as a group named the “Marley Brothers” outside of Ghetto Youths. What we’d really like to do is do everything ourselves in terms of play the music: Drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, everything, sing, harmony. That’s basically what that idea really is. When the brothers operate together now outside of the Ghetto Youths we are also known as the Marley Brothers.

Q: What are some of the inner workings of the Marley family’s music?

A: How we really operate, is as a big family. When the Melody Makers is on the road, they have a team that they use. When no one is on the road, we just operate as a big team. Fifty-six Hope Road in Jamaica is where the studio i. It’s like a big camp, like a big headquarters. You’ll find everybody passes through.

Q: What are some of your next moves?

A: We have an infrastructure that has been set over the years from my father’s time to Ziggy’s time, too now. I just really follow that infrastructure and the example that’s been set out for me. There’s not really spoken lessons. I don’ sit down an’ they tell me, “Make sure you don’t do this,” “Make sure you go this way.” Is more ‘jus touring with them and learnin’ from every day examples how you know your brothers go about situations. Everything that I do, Steve [Marley] is involve in. I won’t sing a note on a record unless Steve tell me to. Ya understand wha’ me deal with? You could nevah get me to do anything unless Steve involve. In that way there’s protection and guidance and experience there for me.

Q: With your record deal, how much freedom do you have?

A: Steve [Marley] and I are the principles of the deal. I have two more albums for them. Likewise he have three for them. We’re still obligated to sign artistes outside of ourselves. Operate and run just like a label would.

Q: What is the responsibility in being a son of Bob Marley?

A: We don’t have more responsibility than any other man, but we own up to it!

Q: Tell me about Ghetto Youth Peart.

A: Peart is one of mi family’s bredrens for years. Him used to go a school with Steve. He’s a man that know we before dreads dem. Him know ya from the lickle mischievous days – lookin’ girls and the whole vibes. Youths like these really come like soldiers in these times. Come strengthen the whole movement. Daddigon the same thing again. His father used to move with my fadda. I used to go and buck him outs sessions and parties in Jamaica. Him really spend a whole heap a time around David Cole who is Judy Mowatt and Skill Cole’s son - who’s also part of our family. I met Daddigon different from Steve. Steve know Daddigon and I knew Daddigon, but we didn’t know that both of us know Daddigon until he came ‘mongst we. Sli is my brother Robert’s friend from New York. Is from before music, from before man really mature. We know Sli sameway too. Chewstick is a singer from Jamaica who come ‘mongst we sameway: Family and struggle.

Q: What does a Grammy Award mean?

A: Well a Grammy jus’ mean that your industry peers have recognized your music. That is not really the general public vote for Grammy. Is a great award – give thanks. To us the greatest award or reward you can get is the love of the people.

Ghetto Youths

Peart (left) & Daddigon (right)

(c) Interview with:
--- Sli – rapper ---
Interview © 2004

A: ...It all started out for me in “N.Y.” Ghetto Youths is all about the ghetto comin’ up and the youth in the ghetto. In New York we say “the hood.” So the ghetto youths and the kids from the hood – the same thing. It all started for me with Robert Marley.
Q: How did you meet Robert?
A: I New York City. In my hood.
Q: Did you know he was a Marley when you met him?
A: Not at all. It was just a vibe. After that I learned he was a Marley, which still wasn’t nothin’ to me, just a name. It was no different for us. We were still in the hood doin’ hood things. Not until we stepped up and became men now is that the whole Marley influence is having an affect on everything we do now.
Q: What did you have in common as youth?
A: WE both studied martial arts and gymnastic. We both humble. That was way back in the 80’s, I couldn’t give you an exact date.
Q: How did you come to meet the rest of the Ghetto Youth United crew? That’s another chapter.
A: Yes, that’s the next chapter right there!. Then I started meeting the family. My father Terry Lewis had his band back when he was young, so music is in me. I was playin’ the keyboard and my brother played the drums. So when I met his family – they got music in the family.