From left, Papa San, Browne and Stitchie
Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
CYNICS OFTEN point to declining popularity or 'greener grass' as reasons why secular dancehall-oriented artistes, producers, musicians and emcees switch to doing gospel music.
However, famed dancehall producer Danny Browne, renowned emcee Tommy Cowan and a host of once top-flight secular reggae and dancehall artistes like Papa San, Lt. Stitchie, Chevelle Franklin, Carlene Davis and others have all converted to Christianity, sacrificing their fame, material wealth and careers to rededicate their lives to the Lord.
FAR FROM THE TRUTH
Many of these now prominent gospel personalities will argue that the perception they are in Christendom seeking money or renewed fame is a far from the truth, and there is enough evidence to show that these were among the very same things that they gave up when they became converted.
Dancehall producer Danny Browne, now turned gospel producer, says when he got saved back in 1998 he had to give up his livelihood. He says it was not easy to let go of many things that his successful career had brought him, as he had a lot going at the time and many of the artistes that were signed to his label (Mainstreet Records) had some potentially big openings.
"When I just got saved I still recorded secular music for about six months before the Lord impressed upon me to give it up. I was on the verge of a major breakthrough with most of my artistes like Red Rat and I had just signed a deal for Goofy. There was also a documentary about reggae music that I was involved in and it took me to different parts of the world," Browne recalled.
However, despite the many material possessions and fame that Browne had acquired as a dancehall producer, the most difficult thing for him to give up was Mainstreet Records, which he started back in 1992.
"The most difficult thing for me to walk away from was Mainstreet Records; it and everybody there was like my family," Browne recalled.
ROUGH POINT
At the point when Browne got saved, he said he was living quite comfortably, owning everything necessary for his comfort, but the new life he would lead could not accommodate certain practices and so the money wasn't coming in as before.
"I owned a house and studio, but things got rough as there was no income generating. I couldn't even pay my bills after two years and they became overdue. I actually had to sell the studio, but I was able to see the hand of God working in my life; God provided and He was the only one that I could rely on," he said.
Despite a decline in his income, Browne says he has never had regrets about his decision to follow Christ.
"Since I have been doing gospel music, in terms of earning, it cannot compare to secular music. But mi haffi big up God, because a just His grace carry me through," he said.
For Stitchie, initial adjustment to his new circumstances was difficult, and as his publicist, Cornelius Brown, related to The Sunday Gleaner, Stitchie has been through some really hard times.
"There was a lot that the artiste had to give up when he made the decision to follow Christ. When Stitchie was converted, he lived off resources that he had accumulated during his secular career for three years, but because his income was cut, his bills began to pile up to and so he lost all his fancy cars and houses. He had to sell around three of his trailers and some of his other assets," Brown said.
However, according to Brown, even though Stitchie had to give up so much, now that he has been following Christ, he has been reaping the benefits.
"The good Lord is building him (Stitchie) up again, and now he is enjoying the success of his new career and latest album, Kingdom Ambassador," Brown says.
NO REGRETS
Papa San was at the pinnacle of his dancehall career when he received the call from the Lord in 1997.
At the time, Papa San was one of the few Jamaican artistes to have his music videos shown frequently on MTV.
He was also the first ever reggae artiste to have a number one record on the Billboard Dance Chart.
Papa San, in an earlier interview with The Gleaner, said he had no regrets.
"I even got many calls to be signed to a number of record companies, like Atlantic, G-Street Records, Island Records, Motown (was in the making) and Michael Jackson's label," he recalled.
However, in looking back, San is not disappointed that his record label at the time (Pow Wow) did not release him, as it would have taken a whole lot more to convince him to give up the magnitude of success that he would have reaped.
All in all the artistes all say that while the change they made has left them a bit short financially, they are now reaping spiritual success.
