Omar, your new album is entitled ‘The Journey'. I remember you talking about your musical and life journey in a previous interview. Why is that journey so important to you?
Omar Perry: "Well, mostly because I think a lot of people listening to my music don't realize how long the journey to get to where I am today has been already. The songs on this album reach back as far as 2007 and I've worked with a whole range of musicians and producers, from Adrian Sherwood and Mad Professor over Sly & Robbie to French duo Bost & Bim, and wanted to reflect that in the title."
You're mentioning the people who worked with you behind the scenes there, but on the album there are also a couple of noteworthy collaborations with people like Anthony B, Earl 16 and Kiddus I. Do you have a favorite track on the album?
Omar Perry: "From all of the songs on the album I definitely want to mention 'Father Of Creation', because that song is a reflection on some of the big questions we ask ourselves in life. Then there's 'Love Inna Mi Heart', which I wrote to make the people understand they have to have love in their heart, because without love there cannot be any way forward for mankind. If you're asking me about my favorite combination on the album, I'd automatically think of 'Change Ur Ways', a tune I recorded with Anthony B and 'Life Ain't Easy' with Kiddus I. That last song is a kind of souvenir I wanted to keep from the tour I did with Kiddus I a while back."
There are also a couple of lesser known guests on the album. One song in particular, ‘Rhythm Runs Deep' featuring Davanna Sweet sticks out. Who's this illustrious Davanna Sweet?
Omar Perry: "(Laughs) I've been getting a lot of good ratings for this track. Davanna lives in the United States and nobody really knows this yet, but she's my sister! I heard she was doing her own thing and asked her to send me over some stuff. This track really stuck out, so I added my vocals and that's how it ended up on the album."
In 'Rhythm Runs Deep' Davanna sings: "Let me rock the beat for dear Jamaica...". This year marks the 50th anniversary of the independence of the island. You've been living abroad for many years now, what does this anniversary still represent to you?
Omar Perry: "Whatever may happen or wherever I might be, I'll always remain a Jamaican and that's something I'm proud of. I'm not going to give any props for the bad things going on on the island, though; 50 years of independence is a nice thing, but there's still far too many people suffering in Jamaica to make this anniversary a truly glorious event."
Just recently, representatives of the gay and lesbian organizations, the Belgian reggae community and concert and festival organizers sat together and drew up the No Hate Reggae Charter. You being a Jamaican living in Belgium, seem to be the ideal candidate to comment on that document; a step in the right direction or just more rules and regulations?
Omar Perry: "We're all fighting for a place on this earth, trying to make our voices be heard, but making people sign a form or a contract just to enforce a certain opinion or message, seems strange to me. I certainly have my own thoughts on the messages certain artists are spreading, but I just stray away from those things myself. I think in time to come it will only get more and more difficult for people just to do as they please and to me that is a bad evolution because for me freedom is a must. It's time we start focusing on the positive message of reggae again and the influence this music can have in people's lives. These days reggae and dancehall are more popular than ever, so it's a shame the only thing that's focused on are the negative aspects of the music, when it's got so much positivity to give."
For the Couleur Café festival you're sharing the stage with your father, Lee Perry. How did that come about and what can we expect?
Omar Perry: "Someone put the idea in my mind and when we put the proposition in front of the people of Couleur Café, they immediately responded very enthusiastically. The same goes for my father for that matter; when we called him with the idea he didn't hesitate to say yes. In terms of what you can expect, I can only say it will be a unique experience and a show you might never get the chance to see anywhere else. I'd almost go as far as to call it an historical occasion! (laughs) We've shared the stage once or twice already in the past but always in an impromptu kind of way; this is the first time we're actually doing a planned concert together."
Has the thought of recording something together never crossed your mind?
Omar Perry: "I wouldn't say no to that, but the moment just hasn't presented itself yet. Apart from that I've always tried to be my own person and as an artist that means I don't want to lean on the Perry heritage too much, but make it on my own merits!"