Her Imperial Majesty

What were your reactions when groups started calling for the song to be banned?

The very first day the song came out, I was on every radio station on the island. That was great. What saddened me, though, was that a lot of the ones who interviewed me just wanted to know if I had that experience happen to me in my life. The way I did the song, I said, "Daddy, don't touch me there/I'm gonna tell on you one day, I swear/Can't you see I'm scared/You're supposed to be my father." I did it to awaken the victims who have been suffering through this, so they could have a song to sing. There were people who called from all corners of the island saying they were willing to come to Kingston and help me fight if the song got banned. That gave me so much strength.

Marco DiFlorio

Details

Queen Ifrica. With Etana, Mavado, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Sean Kingston, Tony Rebel, Spragga Benz, and more. Sunday, November 16, at the Ninth-Annual International Caribbean Music Festival at Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami. 3 p.m. $34 in advance, slightly more at the door. $10 discount with an Obama T-shirt. Call 305-359-3445, or visit icmfest.com.

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More About

• Barack Obama
• Kingston (Jamaica)
• Nassau (Bahamas)
• Ventrice Morgan
• Sister Souljah

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Where does that consciousness come from in your music?

I was raised in a Rastafarian environment as a child amongst elders. Growing up in that environment, it makes it much easier to express yourself and speak the truth. So what you hear in my music is actually me as an individual on an everyday basis. That's how I reason and see reality.

Are you excited to come and play a show in Miami?

Trust me, I am so looking forward to coming to Miami. Miami is like going from downtown Kingston to uptown Kingston. It's like being at a stage show in front of the whole Caribbean. You have to be ready to please or the crowd will just look at you crazy.

Well, thanks for taking the time to chat.

Oh, one last thing. Tell the people and the men up there who send guns and ammunition to Jamaica from Florida that we need some shoes and clothes and food in those barrels right now! We need shoes in the garrisons. We know family members who want to avenge the death of their loved ones often send for guns from Florida. We're saying that education is the best defense. So tell them to send books instead.