Capleton Opens Up About Losing Mother, Why He Won’t Do Verzuz With Sizzla

Capleton doesn’t care for a Verzuz appearance though fans have been pining for the reggae star to face off with Buju Banton or Sizzla.

If you’ve fantasized about seeing Capleton on Verzuz, it’s not gonna happen. Amidst his latest releases, the veteran reggae artiste says he is focused more on spreading positive messages than he is on clash culture. In a recent interview with The STAR, he said, “We know music is a competitive industry, but we have set a standard. Not saying I am against working on stage with a fellow artiste performing tune for tune, but the whole element and message being represented is about clashing.”

“Rasta not in the clash business, and Verzuz is a clash thing,” he added. King Shango also spoke briefly about his departed mother Mabel Downer-Forbes who passed away in May of this year. The reggae singer was extremely close with his mom ‘Mama Live’ who he says was an inspiration to him even in death. “It has affected me deeply; losing a mother is like losing everything, but at the end of the day we just have to grow and live with it. I live like she is still around and find comfort from the memories because she leaves a great legacy,” Capleton told The STAR.

He continued, “One of the biggest lessons I learned from ‘Mama Shango’, ‘Mama Live’ as I and people close to her call her, is to always look out for mankind, believe in the acts of God, and to love. She was always giving and sharing.” Capleton says his mother always encouraged him to move forward when he faced adversity and even life-threatening experiences.

In August, the reggae artiste released a song dedicated to Mama Live titled “Mama Lives,” which is a tribute to not just his own mother but to every mother. He followed up with “Have Some Hope” and “Talk Dem A Talk” in September, which each arrived with a brand new music video. In the latter track, Capleton gives a nod to iconic reggae music veterans like Bob Marley, Shabba Ranks, Garnett Silk, national heroes like Marcus Garvey, and more. He told The STAR that the song “is promoting original dancehall,” he said. “It is all about longevity and that’s why I am bigging up the legends, from artistes to those who fight for human rights on the track.”

Capleton is working on growing his Vevo page and is encouraging fans to subscribe for new and exciting content which he plans to diversify in the near future.