by Howard Campbell
BOGOTA, Columbia – From Bogota to Mexico, Beijing to Manila, Leandro Verjan has satisfied the dancehall massive with his Mr. Broker International sound system. He yearns for similar acclaim in Jamaica, birthplace of the music.
If things go to plan, his wish may become reality this summer. With the help of a popular Jamaican impresario, the 34-year-old Colombian is likely to make his debut in the Caribbean country.
“Playing in Jamaica would be a dream come true! Playing in the cradle of the genre that has been part of half my life, would be a unique and incomparable experience and it would contribute a lot to my career!” said an excited Verjan, who is known as MistaLion.
In January, he attended Rebel Salute in St. Ann parish on Jamaica’s north coast. His objective is to bring top Jamaican artists to Colombia for shows that would revive a dancehall/reggae scene badly affected by Covid-19.
Verjan is one of the leading dancehall/reggae sources in Colombia, operating from his hometown of Bogota. He lived for seven years in China where he also made a name for himself.
Playing Jamaican music in the socialist superpower is a unique experience.
“The scene there is quite underground. China is one of the countries with the greatest content restrictions, there is no Google, no Facebook; no YouTube, any pro-cannabis or anti-system lyric will be censored. It is another world, however there are many foreigners there… Africans, Latinos and Europeans bring their music from abroad, the Jamaican embassy in Beijing also helps a lot in managing reggae and dancehall cultural events,” Verjan explained.
While mainstream acts like Sean Paul and Shaggy, and British veteran Pato Banton, are popular throughout Asia, artists from a different era are trendy in Latin America.
“In Colombia, we love the old school and middle school dancehall! Shabba Ranks, Chaka Demus, Buju Banton, Cutty Ranks, General Degree, Sizzla, Capleton, Ward 21, among others. The list is long,” Verjan said. “Since couple years ago I started to work more with dancers and always invite them to my sessions and events so I play for them like Ding Dong, badman style like Vybz Kartel, Skeng, Skillibeng. For me, the dancers are a very important part of the movement.”
Leandro Verjan is collaborating with influential Jamaican dancehall personality Boswell “Stampede” Lammie and Ras Nini from Panama to get more dancehall acts to Latin America. Reggaeton, arguably the most popular sound in that region, is heavily influenced by old school dancehall.
