The ManicaPost
REGGAE has been playing in Brazil since the 1960s. It has been popular there since the 80s. But for 21st century Brazilian reggae artists like Dada Yute, that is not enough.
He wants the abundance of reggae talent in his country to cross over internationally, with him leading the charge. Where much of Brazil’s early exposure to reggae came via visiting Jamaican singers, Dada Yute travelled to Jamaica so he could learn about the music from its source. With his new EP Another Gun Buzz, he feels the time has come for his name to be known around the world.
Angus Taylor met Dada Yute at Rototom Sunsplash in Spain, just before he performed as the final day’s penultimate act, singing festival theme song Rototom City. They sat down and had this conversation about where he’s going and where he’s from.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE OF MUSIC?
I was born in São Paulo in 1986, 7th December. I started singing very young in the shower. I listened to my parents say “This boy will be a singer”.
But I didn’t mind, just kept singing radio music. After a while, I saw my potential and started to really work on it and practise. The vocal was there already, it was something I needed to realise. Jah gave me this gift. I just discovered it and made it shine.
That’s what I wanted to do. Make this gift that Jah gave me shine for the people, so they can see and everyone can give thanks to Jah for what he’s done for us.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST HEAR REGGAE MUSIC?
When I was very young. My cousin gave me my first reggae album by Tribo de Jah, a big reggae band from Brazil. And then I got the first album by Natiruts, another big reggae band from Brazil. Then I started to listen to Black Uhuru,Abyssinians, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and all of the original reggae music from Jamaica.
HOW BIG WAS REGGAE IN SÃO PAULO WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
Big, just like it is today. When I first started, there was an annual festival in Brazil made by Alfredo, a Rasta from the Cultural Reggae Association.
He was one of the only Rastaman who was trying to keep this annual show for 50, 60, 80, 100,000 people in São Paulo. It was free, no need to pay. But there was no media, nothing, so nobody knew. There are a lot of big things in Brazil that nobody knows.
WAS YOUR EARLY SCHOOLING IN THE MUSIC THROUGH SOUND SYSTEM OR LIVE BANDS?
Live bands. After the live bands I started to do sound system. Because normally you would start with sound system, then the band. I started from the band to a sound. I do both sound system and band today.
HOW DID YOU JOIN YOUR FIRST GROUP LIONS OF ISRAEL?
The drummer was my friend. A long time before he started playing we were friends. He started to play music in the band first and then they called me to be part of the band. Because when I started in the band they were big already.
I used to listen to their music. So when I started to sing in a band they had a big crowd already and a big stage show. So I just started in this big level. In Brazil they have big concerts. Big shows. Big events. But it’s kind of low still. We need to raise Brazil reggae music.
BRAZIL HAS A VERY INTERESTING HISTORY IN TERMS OF REGGAE MUSIC. STARTING FROM JIMMY CLIFF COMING OVER IN THE 60s AND THE VERY PARTICULAR MARANHÃO SOUND SYSTEM CULTURE IN THE NORTH-EAST. TELL ME, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE READERS, HOW BRAZIL’S UNIQUE CULTURE INFLUENCES WHAT YOU DO?
The earliest I know from the elders, the ancient people. I heard them say there is a connection in the north with Jamaica that they can catch the vibration in the radio station. I don’t know where or how but it did happen.
And they get the music from Jamaica playing in Maranhão. Maranhão is like Jamaica in Brazil. They have a sound system which they callRadiolas. My big experience in Maranhão was withGregory Isaacs.
I was touring with him and Lions of Israel. One of the shows was in Maranhão andGregory Isaacs is a king, is a don in Maranhão. Everyone loves him and knows his songs. So when we were walking in the sound check he called me and said “Come, youth. Come sing a song with me”. I said “Yeah man. I would love it. Which song do you wanna sing?” He said “Ragamuffin”.
He said “Alright, sing it in Portuguese. Your part.” So I said “Gregory Isaacs, the living legend invited me to sing with him in Maranhão. Jamaica in Brazil”. Later I was watching his show and I thought “Maybe he won’t call me”. But he was always looking for me and giving me a sign. When it was time he said “Come out my youth”. You know the way Gregory Isaacs talks. He brought me up on stage and made me sing Ragamuffin in Portuguese. This video is on YouTube. It was a very epic moment from a long time ago. I think it was in 2004.
ANOTHER EPIC MOMENT WAS PERFORMING WITH LIONS OF ISRAEL AT REBEL SALUTE.
Rebel Salute, Jamaica, 2006. It was my first show out of Brazil. My first international performance. And it was my first time going on a plane. I was very small when I went to Jamaica. I was 18.
I was starting in the music as a backing vocalist, as a harmony singer for a group called Lions of Israel. I had just joined the group. When I first joined we were recording an album and then they said “We have a show in Jamaica”. Just like that. I had only a few years in the band, just getting my experience.
WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR YOU?
The experience was amazing. Aged 18 I did my first international performance for Jamaicans. They were serious looking but they really liked it.
The next day we were in the paper so people recognised me in the street shouting “Brazilian!” The show was very nice and then we had one week in Jamaica in the mountains. We never had a chance to go to much to Kingston.
That is why I decided to come back to Jamaica in 2008, just by myself and experience more. I went to Kingston, I stayed with Derajah. Derajah is a big artist from Jamaica.
I KNOW DERAJAH VERY WELL. I’VE BEEN TO HIS HOUSE. HE’S GOT A BIG GARDEN AND HE COOKS NICE FOOD THERE.
Yeah, he cooks nice food. Ackee and the salt fish and rice and peas, callaloo, everything nice. He is a personal brethren. He’s like my father. He took care of me and showed me everything. We have done songs together. In my last release, my last international mixtape we have a song together. We have a next song ready to be released.
The first time I went to Jamaica I didn’t know Derajah. I just got to know him when I was planning to come back to Jamaica and I went looking for some new artists. I found Derajah on YouTube and I sent him a message and he answered. When I said I didn’t have a place to stay he said “Come, I will be there”. Just like that. I just trusted him and he trusted me.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR NAME DADA YUTE?
Dada Yute is a name that I got going to Jamaica. Good friends, they love me, and as a young father they called me Dada Yute.
Because in the early days they used to call me Lid Dada. Quickly, it changed and I preserved the Dada and just put some Yute. Because I am still young, but I will be 30 this year.
We’re going to have a big party in Brazil. Dada Yute’s first bashment party. Maybe we’ll have a Jamaican guest. We want to invite the reggae international media also because we want to start this connection. — Online
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