Q: Then you didn't enter a studio until what at least sounds like a late eighties effort, but came out in '91, this Green Farm produced 'Cry Freedom' tune? That was like a comeback for you, if only for a short time? Who was the guy behind this Green Farm label?

A: Yes (laughs)! Yes, that's true, that's true. Yes, you used to have a yout' down deh... You know, because we always try fe help, we always wanna help some youths. So a likkle yout' down Greenwich Farm, we used to call him 'Shark'...

Q: 'King Shark'?

A: 'King Shark', so... he say "do a tune for me nuh, man - Prince Alla!". Me say "alright", and we jus' deal with those type a t'ing, y'know? Yeah, but I wasn't so happy that day, beca' that day it was computer t'ing, y'know?

Q: Like the first experience singin' over a computerised rhythm?

A: Yes, so it wasn't really a happy t'ing for me, really. Beca' I was tellin' him "yu know seh, if you do this tune live, you will get a good tune, but the computer isn't gonna give you the vibes". But he say "yes man, do it, do it, do it!". So I jus'... you know?

Q: But it didn't come out good, in your ears at least?

A: No! You know, when you do a song you can know, yunno? In the studio. You can know, so I told him seh "yunno, we shouldn't worry use a computer", an' he say "yes man, the computer a come in now an'...". Me seh "nah man, mek me do it live an' mek we do it the right way!"... "nah man!", yunno.

Q: Then you didn't do anything further until a few 45s for Freedom Sounds appeared, mid nineties, like 'It No Easy', and a duet with yourself and Frankie Paul, 'Follow Jah'. Both using digital backing. But you don't look pleased with that?

A: No. That's why I start doing some things for myself. Because in Jamaica now I have a good seven songs that I do for meself. When I go back I'd like to finish it, and finish a lp. Acousticwise. So I feel like it would be more... sound more like the original things all a know. Yes.

Q: But there was one single on the Basement label, which came out in this period too, when you did 'Born A Fighter' again, for Clement Dodd Jr, the son of Coxsone, of which there was an album to follow - what happened to it?

A: Yes, computer... I was gonna make an album with him, start the album an' t'ings, and all him a do... I don't hear from him again! And a next thing I hear that he and his father was in some problem. And from that I don't hear from him again, I don't see him again. So I dunno...

Q: Was it ever completed, the album?

A: No, no. We did about five tunes. But again, I was even tellin' him about the acoustic things, but... him no want it, beca' it's cheaper. When you do the computer t'ing him say "bwoy, that me can manage". So I sat for myself now, say...

Q: Then there was this album for Jah Shaka, 'Jah Children Gather Round' on Greensleeves?

A: Well, no... what I did for Shaka, yunno, is... I gonna tell you a secret: What I did for Shaka, tell you the truth: Shaka had some riddim an' I was down at Leggo (studio) but I mostly did them tune deh in a some dubplate style. But him put it on record, y'know? So I was sorry about that still because it wasn't...

Q: Could be a lot better?

A: Yes, my brethren. Him come on with some dubplate an' man... people used to tell me that Shaka used to play my songs, and he come to Jamaica now and tell Johnny Clarke him must call me. And when I go a studio him start tell me him used to play my tune deh in a England an' all dem t'ing deh. And 'Stone', 'Bucket...', and 'Bozrock' an' all a dem tune deh, yunno? So a some likkle special like sound me a do. But him put it pon that, so...

Q: You did something for Max Romeo too?

A: Yes, he said he want to have a likkle lp with, like, him and "friends". So him say him would a like me do 'Stone' pon a riddim. So, I just did it for him, y'know. But a computer that again...

Q: And there was a tune for Tristan Palma as well? Like a duet, I believe?

A: A true (laughs)! Yeah man (smiles)... That one time, yunno, Phillip Fraser and Tristan Palma had a company, they form a company, I don't remember the name a it... but Tristan Palmer an' Phillip Fraser, and Phillip Fraser... ca' I know him from Greenwich Farm days, he came down the farm one day an' say I must come a the studio. And when I come a the studio them play the riddim and seh "mek up some lyrics pon that nuh?". So me just a mek up some likkle lyrics upon it, yunno. Yes. You remember that, man? Bwoy (laughs)! You big, man! You big...

Q: What's your definition of roots music? Maybe a bit difficult to answer straight?

A: No. My definition of roots music is like the bible. Beca' you know when I read the bible I get a vibes. That's why when I sing those songs I get that vibes, y'know? 'Cause I see... it's like the bible. Ca' you have some people, them not read the bible but they would still listen to somebody singin' about the bible. And in Jamaica dem time deh you had plenty people that couldn't read. You know, from them... inna them 60s, 70s. Into the 80s, until Michael Manley come with a... a t'ing weh him call a... he used to mek up a likkle t'ing weh we used to call... "illiteracy"! That mean seh if you even a big man or a big woman or old people you can learn to read same way. Beca' in them times deh a man him reach twenty year old an' him cyaan read and him shamed an' him hide it from people. And him would want... me know seh him a big man go a school an' you know him would feel like... So Michael Manley come with that t'ing like 'illiteracy', no care what age you is, you must learn dem t'ings deh, yunno? So when I really sing dem t'ings deh now it's because plenty people couldn't even read in Jamaica. So I say plenty people... is because dem can't read the bible weh dem don't praise, they would be more... even better in themselves. But if you sing, or talk, dem know what it's about. You know, because it's words... you don't have to read to understan'. They can't read and still hear the word and know what mean "yes", or what is "no", y'know? Weh I really used to sing, I feel like roots music is the bible. And same way like how you have the bible, and you have lots of book come and goes, and the bible remain. That will be roots music. Music will come and go, but you see that roots it will always be there. It might come in different forms, but the roots will always be there. Yes, the roots music is like the bible. Yes. Like the foundation.

Q: Who do you think is forward in the music today?

A: Well, man like Luciano. As a singer. Garnet Silk was doing it the other day but him pass it. But man like Luciano now, is the man that... as young artist that I see really come in with the vibes, y'know? Man like Luciano. And the deejays dem weh I see... I don't want to state nutten bad about no singer or no deejay, but I feel like some a the deejays dem now, they would tell you that they talk about righteousness but they are too aggressive with it.

Q: Do they, some of the Bobo Ashanti dreads like Anthony B, Capleton, Sizzla, Determine, come from the same branch like the original Prince Emmanuel-Bobo camp you used to live at?

A: No! No, my brother. Look here, you see when I was in Bobo camp, if you're in the camp and even if a service is going on and singin' and a white man come at the gate, you have to welcome him and glad. "Come in", beca' Emmanuel tell you seh all is God children. Is not like nowadays when you hear some man "bu'n some man deh, bu'n this and bu'n dat!", beca' you green or you yellow, or whatsoever. Different t'ing now, is a more... rebel, rebel! Don't care. That's why you find some a them artist now come seh him don't waan hear what the elder say. Beca' him a make up some things for himself. Like some a them Sizzla and them Capleton deh now, y'know dem way deh? Them time deh Rastafari supposed to be more loving on the face of this earth. But these youths they think of the judgement! And don't remember the justice. They feel that they "bu'n that, an' bu'n that!", and don't remember the part that say "save this, and save that". You know, and that's the key. Beca' the t'ing that you burn today, you probably want it tomorrow to use. So it better to save. Aaaahh (laughter)!

Q: But they aren't the same Emmanuel-ites like the movement you participated in?

A: No! No, well... ah! Look now; after Emmanuel passed away, you find man like Junior Reid an' them man deh come up at the Bobo camp, but they don't really come up at the Bobo camp fe really... like how I come at the Bobo camp fe really just say "praise Jah". To learn certain things, to come and sing it.

Q: But what do they get this militant "fire"-philosophy... or mentality, from? It stems from the Bobo camp still, doesn't it? Who is preaching this, now when Emmanuel isn't there?

A: No, I mean seh we used to go to the camp just to learn to teach, and stay there. You know dem way deh? But them man deh now come there now to learn and they go out there an' form up something for themselves like how Capleton come an' go up there. Ca' Capleton go up there too, yunno? And Junior Reid, and when Junior go up there an' he call himself 'One Blood', Capleton call himself 'David House', yu understan'? Sizzla call himself a different t'ing ('Kalonji' - P), but all you hear them talking about is t'ings that they go there and learn. But they don't go there and come back out and seh well "this is Emmanuel house" - him say 'David House'. Like how him make up somet'ing fe himself. You understan', me brethren? Like he want to be the leader. But when we go to the camp we never go there as a leaders, we go there as to learn, as children. So when Junior Reid an' dem man deh them go there to learn and come out and seh them big and them a leader now. Them control this house an' them control that. So it's the difference now. And is wrong t'ings that, y'know? Yes. Ca' them seh the yout' go there, and why you go there and then come out an' say you form up your own t'ing now there so? But go there an' use your resources and develop there, Emmanuel an' keep the foundation going, don't it? Alright...

As said when it comes to roots music Prince Alla is the real deal, truly heartfelt sounds coming from the deeper end of Rastafari. One particular track of his that still sends shivers down my spine is the monumental 'Slave Master' off the debut lp 'Heaven Is My Roof '. Alla pours so much emotion into the vocal department that you can almost hear the whip rip the skin open on the slaveship to hell somewhere in a strange distant land. And while the blood flows from the back someone else gets the same whip of pain while the ship shakes from a stormy ocean and the smell of sweat, blood, urine and vomit becomes more and more unbearable. Blood & Fire did Alla even more justice by putting together most of his Freedom Sounds performances on 'Only Love Can Conquer 1976 - 79' back in '97 and not long ago they paired the debut 'Heaven Is My Roof ' with another Tappa Zukie protegé Junior Ross & The Spears' lost first lp 'Babylon Fall' on one glorious CD titled 'I Can Hear The Children Singing'. Sublime release and one of the best reissues of the year 2002. Another revelation came out in 1999 with 'Sweet Sensation' on the French based Cornerstone label containing recordings with the Radics and High Times Players from the early eighties with more lovers oriented material for a change.

Other Alla projects can be found on the revitalised Silver Kamel imprint on a CD of various artists called 'Roots Rasta Party' and there's been a few one-off 's like 'Put Them To Shame' for Jah-Mek and some songs for the now defunct US Roots Foundation mark as well as the recent 'Dem Say That Tribal War Is Over' on the New Born label. Whatever Prince Alla will be involved with futurewise it will surely be worthwhile to check, such as the current project with new vocals over vintage Joe Gibbs riddims. He is touring ever since the late nineties, such as the successful venture when he got on a package with Fred Locks and the Dub Asante band a while back. There was a visit to Moscow not long ago. If there is anyone of the golden era of singers I wish the best of luck for a prosperous and creatively satisfying future in the music then it must be Prince Alla who deserves this if not the most then let's say "almost the most". Hail the Gentle Giant of roots music.