The security man guarding the entrance to Beenie Man's townhouse complex isn't the friendliest person I've seen all day. "Who yuh come to?" he asks gruffly. I give him our credentials, hopefully assuring him that we are there on legitimate business and not just two groupies looking to score with the deejay. He lets us through only after calling the house to find out if we are indeed supposed to be there.

That was easy, now here comes the hard part.

As luck would have it, we've been granted opportunity to conversate with "the Doctor" when many have decided to make house calls.

Onlookers have hotly debated every aspect of Beenie Man's life, from the reasons for his break up with Carlene, his sexuality, to his rumoured alcoholism. That's the Beenie Man we know. Here's what we found out -

Have you ever been arrested?
I've been arrested a few times. I'm a product of the ghetto and things weren't all good. The first time, it was my community against another community. Sometimes you get caught up in trying to defend your place because you don't want a nex' man fi come in and disrespect or hurt your family. You have to defend your own.

Ever been arrested for herb?
Herbs is a common offence to get arrested for in Jamaica. Dem have nuff officer weh cyaan deal wid see yutes mek a step further inna life. A lot of police man have to prove that dem a man of the law, and player hate. A lot of it stems from them not getting the same income as artists, a pure player hating why dem target artists in particular. (He breaks it down)- Two princes are born, one is the heir to the throne and the next one is jealous and resentful always saying that he should be the one in that position. It's the same with the police.

Why do we always hear Beenie Man name call up inna di passa passa?
Bad mind syndrome. People jus waan see yuh drop- that is the kinda bad mind syndrome we have in Jamaican dancehall. I appreciate dancehall because it buil' me. (Although) now my music is above dancehall- it is at an international level, I still keep myself in the environment to help elevate the younger artists. I have super star status already so it's time for young acts like Sean Paul to get their chance but dem still call up mi name.

Are you a loner?
I'm an outgoing person but I don't par with deejays. Mi par wid dancers, I just signed John Hype the other day. Deejays chat people. Anybody dem don't like, dem sit around and have these deep conversations about them. All successful artists are the main topics of these conversations- me, Shaggy, Sean Paul. I know better so mi do better. Even though you know they don't like you and that they'd like to catch you off-guard to kill you, you just need to smile a while and give your face a rest. *BREATHE AND SMILE* that's the only way you can survive in this business. These artists form alliances, so if we nuh par, we cyaan be on the same show, we cyaan mingle inna di same crowd. Only in Jamaica yuh have stupid people like dat. If me a keep my show and I say I am not going to invite your alliance because you neva invite mine to your show, What would the business turn inna? War?

		Do you think it pays to have many friends in your corner? To be successful, you need friends, but to be even more successful you need enemies, not the ones you create but the ones that have made themselves enemies. Sean Paul's success mirrors your success in the international market, what is his role in dancehall? Sean is maintaining dancehall in the eyes and ears of the people, so that when other artists come out with their projects the music will not have to be reintroduced to the mainstream audience.
		Who give you the mos' forward? Japanese What role does a deejay contribute to Jamaican society? We're able to communicate with the people, get the message across to the majority of the population in simpler terms. The government loves the fact that the masses cannot understand what they are saying. That keeps them in check and keeps them down. Our duty is to send that message so that every Jamaican can understand.

		Why would Jamaicans buy a Fifty Cent's "Get Rich or Die Trying" album and burn a copy of "Da Real Thing"? People play "knowins". Dem respec' yuh more when dem nuh know yuh. Is like a likkle yute weh a deejay grow wid woulda say "Killa a mi deejay" and neva see Killa yet. A King has never been crowned in his own community. I can't give you an explanation for that because that has been going on since the beginning of time. As an established artist, how committed are you to using young up and coming Jamaican producers and artists now that dancehall has crossed over? I have voiced tunes for many producers, the good ones, the reducers- the ones that don't know anything about music- still help out everybody and try to give everybody a chance. Mario Campbell (Mario C.), my engineer, is a young producer. I have faith in young producers but the young producers must respect all artists regardless of who they usually produce tunes for. Respect each and every artist for what they have done so to make you become a part of this industry. If you as a yute come into this industry and disrespect everybody you will only last for a while. I have had instances where I waan jump pon a riddim an' mi hear seh di riddim lock. You can't burn your bridges. Don't take sides. Do you think you get the credit you deserve in Jamaica? I have sung many hits that have never made it to even number 20 on the local charts. (He sings) "this gyal walk inna mi life, wid dis crazy emotion, love that she found" - a monster hit in the dancehall, was at the bottom of the charts.

What is your religion and the message behind your music? I am a rastafarian. I was baptized in the Ethipian Orthodox Church. My father was a Rasta, but I don't preach Rasta, I am not a kez, nor a high priest. If know if you follow the life of God you will live the straight way, if you follow the life of the Bible you will live amongst heathens and you will live in fear. The Bible tells you about Satan and instead of telling us how human beings can find love within themselves whenever evil tries to get into your mind. My music is for enjoyment, I don't preach about repartriation and going back to Africa. My music teaches you to free yourself, emancipate yourself from mental slavery, be comfortable wherever you are, rich poor, good bad or indifferent. A lot of people don't understand what I'm trying to bring across. Ever been to Ethiopia? Yeah, I went there as an explorer not as an artist. I went with me, myself and I. I am a bit of a loner at times.

What pisses you off the most about the media?
I read the newspapers sometimes and there are stories about Beenie Man being everywhere and that I am too nuff. But who are they to tell me where I should go and how I must live my life? Recently there was something about a show I did and they said my performance flop. I was surprised because I thought I gave a great performance so I was calling people asking them if they could remember what happened because what they wrote and what actually took place was two different things. When I came on the place was in shambles! Pure forward. The reporters and his friends were talking bout how is cheap forward mi a get. Dem gimme a raw deal. But then it show pon the TV and everybody hand was up in the air.

When was the last time you cried?
Yesterday. Sometimes is just sadness man. Like the war inna Iraq the other day.. it upset mi bad- couln't even move. Mi jus siddung a watch di TV and see how dem a kill off black people.

When you feel that way who can you lean on?
The person that used to help me out was my woman but since me an' her lef, it nuh easy fi find that person weh yuh can reason wid.

Continued.... Go to Page 2 of Beenie Man on Whaddat?com
with more questions and the conclusion.. only on Jamaica's Premium Entertainment E-Zine