Jamaican dancehall superstar Beenie Man has moved to clarify his controversial comments about Carnival, insisting he never intended to disrespect Trinidad and Tobago or claim ownership of its cultural traditions.
The clarification follows criticism of an interview with Shani Kulture in which the entertainer appeared to support the suggestion that Jamaica started Carnival before Trinidad, crediting legendary bandleader Byron Lee.
In a follow-up video, Beenie Man explained that his remarks were based on his personal experience growing up with Jamaica’s Carnival celebrations.
“Okay, let me clear up this video for you. I was just only speaking about my experience with Carnival in Jamaica and the role that Byron Lee played in our Carnival,” he said.
The dancehall veteran credited Lee with bringing major music trucks and organised street festivities into the Jamaican Carnival experience.
However, Beenie Man was particularly emphatic about his respect for Trinidad and Tobago.
“I could never ever come and steal away nothing from Trinidad,” he declared.
He stressed that his comments were never motivated by hostility towards the country.
“I love Trinidad and Trinidad know that I love them and I know that Trinidad love me.”
Perhaps his most significant clarification came when he directly acknowledged Trinidad’s longstanding Carnival history.
“Trinidad Carnival is Trinidad Carnival. It started from way back when.”
Historical records support that distinction. Trinidad Carnival developed long before Byron Lee established Jamaica Carnival in 1990. Jamaica also had earlier Carnival traditions, including university celebrations dating back to the 1950s.
While Beenie Man did not explicitly retract his original statement, his latest explanation makes a clear distinction between the historical origins of Trinidad Carnival and the modern Jamaican Carnival experience he credits Byron Lee with developing.
The entertainer concluded by again expressing his affection for Trinidad and Tobago, seeking to clear up any misunderstanding surrounding his earlier remarks.
