Unu just a see di light - Tony Matterhorn ‘predicted’ culture being disrespected by int’l platform

Controversial dancehall selector Tony Matterhorn is feeling vindicated as conversations surrounding Billboard's snub of Bounty Killer and Beenie Man continue.

Matterhorn received harsh criticism in May when he lashed out at local entertainers for always choosing to support international music platforms instead of building their own.

The dancehall icons, who had the best battle in the Verzuz series, were left off the cover of Billboard's story of the series.

Matterhorn told THE WEEKEND STAR that it's unfortunate it took such a 'slap in the face' for the fraternity to finally understand what he was trying to say.

"Some a unu just a see di light bout unu a tweet #TimeIsNow. The time was two months ago when mi tell unu say all dem a go do a use the culture and nuh gi we di respect," he said. "But I guess a dis Billboard thing it take fi unu see." He said the discussion now happening in the industry that has musicians, producers and artistes calling for unity is one that should have been taking place a long time ago. He said the fact that it took another blatant disregard for the culture to stir up this kind of conversation is exactly what is wrong with the industry.

"We always run dung people weh nuh business wid we. Mi glad how me stay. If yuh nuh rate me, mi nuh rate yuh neither. A so we fi start operate," he said. "Now everybody wah rally round but mi nah look because when Matterhorn did say it, unu talk say mi bad mind and mi a fight against the culture."

'Bad mind' statement

He said he took the 'bad mind' statement personally because he is always standing up for the culture.

"Unu think me did a fight against Verzuz? Mi nuh have a thing against Verzuz. All mi did a try say at the time is that we need to build our own platforms and stop work wid foreign things because at the end of the day, we always get the sh***y end of the stick," he said. "Mi word come to pass and when the Billboard thing happen, a whole heap a people tag me a say dem see weh mi did a say. Nobody nuh need glasses fi see say di two man dem weh get left off di cover a di two man dem weh set the bar on dat show. And as somebody weh represent the culture 100 per cent, mi upset more dan even some a dem weh a talk now bout #TimeIsNow because we out there a put in the work fi dancehall. Mi just hope unu listen now and start build unu own thing."