Red Square Spragga Benz

Frank151: What does Red Square mean to you?
Spragga Benz: Well Red Square just basically trying to survive from day to day. So we just try to make the best of life, try to pull it together as best as possible, unity and strength.
 
F151: Where is Red Square exactly?
SB: Red Square is in Dun Kirk. So if you talk to somebody from Dun Kirk, ask them if they know Red Square, them supposed to know it. To the rest of the world, Red Square might be the spot in Russia, and to other people Red Square might be the music group with Don Yute, Spragga Benz, Shuga Slick Assassin, Briggy, Greg Hines. So Red Square can mean different things to people, but to me, we’re homegrown, were trying to nurture community life. 

F151: What keeps you coming back to Red Square?
SB: Well the people. The people them with you grow, they’re your friends.You have friends here, so you chill with your friends. There a lot of youths here, you know if possible you can give them advice, at vital times, so you make yourself available for them.

F151: Do you have any programs?
SB: Yeah, basically more organic, not so much a program, you just do things from day to day, and everyday people have needs, you know. But we have calendars events like back to school, stay in school projects. Like at the end of the summer time, when back to school is going, we provide, not everything, but some people we try to give them assistance with buying uniforms and books, and stuff like that. We might print exercise or hard cover notebooks, give them some pens, and keep a treat for the kids in order to win some stuff.

Encourage them to do good for coming here. At Christmas time we have the annual Christmas tree. We try to get the rides from the amusement park, and bring that to them, right here in their neighborhood. So them feel like, you know, this place is just as good as anywhere else. You understand. A party vibe.

F151: Is this a volatile area?
SB: Volatile in the sense that it’s a political garrison first and foremost, so at election times we go into like a tribal warfare with people from rival areas, rival party strongholds. Sometimes a lot of people die. It’s like the violence is within the confines of the garrison now. 

F151: What exactly defines a political garrison?
SB: A political garrison is defined by affliation to a specific political party. Whether it be PNP, JLP, WPJ, NDM, whatever the party is. But the only two major political parties are PNP and JLP. So this right here is a PNP garrison where all the people in this community is only for the PNP. And there are areas in Jamaica, like Tivoli Gardens, that are JLP. Either you’re with the program or you go, these guys know that it just comes down to the vote at the end of the day. Who can stay in power and have all of the squares. So them vote along that line to strengthen them own parties. Win the different seats, the constituency with the most seats, the more seats they win, it determines who wins the general election.

F151: Do the people in the community really see a tangible benefit if their party gets elected?
SB: People suffer everywhere, whichever party is in power. It don’t matter. Because each one coming and just trying to win the squares, from their posts and positions, and then just put in their friends first instead of more qualified people. Just make it for them own way, so people never really benefit. Unemployment is the same within the garrisons, most of the youths in this community, PNP has been in power for the last 13 to 14 years, and most of them are still unemployed. Same thing whichever party is in power.

F151: Is this public housing?
SB: No. It’s low income, you have lower lower incomes than this, that make this seem like a middle class. Which is what Red Square is all about, trying to nurture that spirit in the people. To keep their surroundings clean, each one keep their portion.

F151: What motivates you to stay so involved with your community?
SB: A lot of things contribute to the way people feel about the youth coming up. We never really had role models, never no artist and stuff around this community. Nobody to look up to and get things that we need from. That determine how me feel. So I give back with the people, and be there for them. No one can do Jesus work. But still, since God give me the energy and the strength, share it back with the people for the good.

F151: What is the biggest problem facing the future of Jamaica?
SB: The biggest problem, the youth feel like them hopeless. Them have no hope, them look at it like them have nothing for them get a gainful life. You know? Gain survival, like them can’t feel comfortable at the level they’re at. Them can’t do the things them do and still feel comfortable, taking care of them friends and doing leisure things. Them need get a bit more balance, basically need more opportunities.

F151: Do you have anything else you are working on outside of your music?
SB: Well, basically just the music. Music is life, life is in the music. So we just go and live day to day, and go give praises to Jah, and go and try to put it in the music—the experiences, the thoughts. I worked pon some stuff with Stephen (Marley), 8 or 9 songs. Doing some work with Salaam Remi. Me just do a track with Nas too for a project. A couple more stuff, but basically music, and doing movies—Shottas came out this year, and people have been telling me they appreciate it. Me get a couple of scripts, but nothing still like that sparked me imagination and the vibe. Basically me just making music.