Mutabaruka: The Verbal Swordsman

Steppin(g) Razors have a long tradition in Rastafari-inspired Reggae. Mutabaruka, the Jamaican-born artist, activist, and radio presenter, is certainly one of its most fervent protagonists. With his voice of thunder, Muta – as he is called by his fans and followers – evolved into an iconic ‘Verbal Swordsman’ at the cutting edge of the struggle for African Redemption and Black Power. His influence on generations of Black people in Jamaica, Africa, and the African Diaspora can hardly be overstated. Yet his impact reaches far beyond, on a global level, as he continues to travel the world with his razor-sharp poems and social commentaries driven by Reggae.In this book, Mutabaruka teams up with two anthropologists to reflect and summarize some of the most important perspectives aired weekly on his two live radio shows on Irie FM, Jamaica’s Reggae radio channel. Cutting Edge and Steppin Razor are controversial by intention. These talk shows owe their impact to the uncompromised stance of its anchorman, paraphrased by himself as his own (rhetorical) ‘art of war.’ Drawing on the role model famously coined by Peter Tosh’s hit song ‘Stepping Razor,’ Muta emerged not only as an institution of ethical conscience and social consciousness in Jamaica but also continues to challenge global injustice, particularly for people of African origin. Read more