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Reggae-dancehall artiste Terry Ganzie, the Original Outlaw Leader is back



One of the marquee dancehall artistes of the 1990s, Terry Ganzie is once again immersed in music, returning to his roots after a self-imposed hiatus from a music business to concentrate on raising his family, and to exorcise his personal grouses with the complicated politics of the music business.


"There were people trying to keep me out, so I just sit and wait on my time to go road again. I have been consistently recording music but there was no hardcore promoting. But I am ready to step out on them again," an animated Terry Ganzie said.

He is promoting his latest single, We Rise, a song which blendis reggae, dancehall, and Afrobeats elements to deliver a message of hope, resilience, and perseverance that he hopes will resonate with audiences worldwide.
Produced by Temps Music LLC, the song has already to rave reviews online.






"We Rise is more than just a song — it is an anthem for Black people in Africa and across the world, calling for unity, empowerment, and the strength to overcome struggles," Terry Ganzie said.

"This song was recorded from October last year, long before the rise of Ibrahim Traoré and Burkina Faso in Africa and the new movement of independence that is rejecting foreign interference all across Africa," he said.



Terry Ganzie is known for songs that project a fiery Rastafarian message. However, his earlier songs, such as Welcome The Outlaw, Ragga Ragga and Whosoever Will, were dance-crashers in the 1990s.



"We always ah sing about Africa, with songs like Ragga Ragga this is just a natural extension of my beliefs, we ah African kings by birth so we sing about the motherland and where we forward from," he said.


He insists that his current songs are just as potent, despite the lack of consistent airplay.





"I have recorded so many hit songs, and none of dem never hit the Jamaican charts. What that tell you? People know of the great works, but people like to talk and spread propoganda. But if something is not important, people wouldn't talk about it so mek dem talk," he said, emphatically.



He said he never named himself 'The Outlaw', that nom de guerre was bestowed him by his dancehall fans.


Born Vandorne Johnson in Hanover, Jamaica, Terry Ganzie emerged in the late 1980s and 1990s as one of the most respected voices in reggae and dancehall.

Influenced early on by greats such as Barry Brown and Super Cat, Ganzie became known for his socially conscious lyrics and uncompromising “reality” style.
He worked the small circuit in his native parish before recording his first song, More Vibes, 30 years ago for producer Ed Robinson’s Top Rank label.





His breakthrough song was Welcome The Outlaw, a hard-hitting, grimy gem of a song produced by Lloyd “John John” James. A flood of hits such as Ragga Ragga (Bobby Digital), Whosoever Will, Showdown (Penthouse Records) and Prepare fi War (Shocking Vibes) established him as a dancehall music icon in that golden era of dancehall, one who was admired for addressing real-life struggles through music.


Sunny Famubode
Temps Music
Temptsmusiq@gmail.com
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We Rise! Terry Ganzie