As a child of music who got his big industry break in the 1990s, Beenie Man says it is important that artistes give fans value for their bucks at live events.

The entertainer, ,who has been selling out arenas across London and Dubai in recent weeks alongside his musical brothers, Bounty Killer and Baby Cham, says having peaked in music’s golden era, the trio continue to pull crowds because of their on-stage presence.

“These shows are a Beenie Man and Bounty Killer and Baby Cham thing, so the fans dem a go crazy. All three of us in one place, on one show, is just spectacular. It’s for the fans, and dem come out fi see the legends, and it’s just a different type of vibe,” Beenie Man told the Jamaica Observer’s Splash.

“All of us at one point recorded for the same producer, Dave Kelly, and in those times the music was just different. Special. I think that was when everyone was hungry for music and it showed when we touch the stage. I keep telling people, ‘Yuh work hard in the studio, but you work harder on stage. Yuh haffi make sure the people remember yuh, because that’s the only thing that can keep yuh alive as an artiste,” the veteran continued.

Indicating that he and his brothers have been blessed to perform in countries where English isn’t even the nation’s first language, Beenie Man told the Splash that he is always blown away by those same people singing along to dancehall tracks verbatim. This he said is a powerful indication of dancehall’s global resonance.

“I mean, it’s not surprising to me because I’ve been doing this all my life, but it just shows how powerful the music is. I have been to Germany, to France, all over the world, and they sing these songs like dem born and grow a Jamaica. The greatest surprise is when you leave the stage, yuh can’t talk to nobody because nobody nuh speak English. But dem know the songs,” he said. “The music is international. Di people dem study the music, learn the words, and I really respect and appreciate that.”

The entertainer says the latter is part of the reason he usually gives 110 per cent in live performances. He said it’s one thing to record a song that ends up becoming a hit, but an artiste is catapulted to the next level when he/she connects with their core fan base face-to-face.

“If people come to a Beenie show, 10 years from now dem ago remember it. The people dem work hard fi dem money weh dem spend to come and see you. You a come work fi your money as a performer, so yuh haffi show the people dem say yuh want it and yah work fi it. If you leave a Beenie show entertained, I feel good coming off that stage knowing I gave you value for your money. That’s why man like Bounty and Cham, we still selling out arenas.”

“When dem put this show together, I think they just knew all of us together would be a hit like we were back in the day. We still a hit from dem time until now. It’s a good gesture to just use us and our history in music fi show people dancehall’s power. It will always be here,” he continued.