Munga Honorable wants Jamaicans to take ‘pride’ in country

Dancehall artiste Munga Honorable is a proud Jamaican, and he is urging his countrymen not to let go of that culture of pride, no matter the circumstances.

"The message in Munga's music is pride ... confidence, bad from mi born. I am from Islington, St Mary where pride is of the essence. I am from Jamaica where pride is of the essence. My message to Jamaica would be, 'be proud of Jamaica, defend Jamaica, uplift Jamaica'. Whenever we start having Jamaica for Jamaicans and Jamaicans for Jamaica, we will be a stronger nation," the Bad From Mi Born singer told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Munga Honorable was one of the artistes billed to perform at the Bob Marley birthday celebration held on Tuesday at Emancipation Park in New Kingston. Backstage, he was in a jubilant mood, and he shared that it was a pleasure for him to represent at the event honouring the reggae icon.

"It would be even a greater pleasure to have been at [a concert] when him did deh inna him body. So, being that we can't do that, why not represent here? And the fact that I am here invited, and the fact that I can represent, makes it more special for me. Memba seh Bob Marley is like our first superhero. True or true?" he said.

Giving his opinion on current dancehall, which is often blasted mainly because of its lyrical content, Munga Honorable said any genre is reflective of the people of that era and the artiste.

"It's about the artiste's personal feelings and who he is trying to please. These 20-year-olds are pleasing 20-year-olds ... dem nah try sing fi di 40-year-olds," he said. "Criticism is natural and automatic, so I have come to 'ovastand' seh dem a go do it. Fight it or not, dem a go express themselves."

Giving a brief career update, the artiste shared that he spent last October and November in Europe performing in Germany, Spain, Holland, France and Belgium.

"It's my fourth time on the continent, but it is always a pleasure though," Munga Honorable said, adding that his versatility makes it possible for him to have a market in Europe, which is usually the playground of reggae artistes.