It was 1973 and an emerging singer named Keith Poppin entered Jamaican music charts with ‘Envious’, a song that took jabs at persons of questionable character. Now based in North Carolina, he still records hard-hitting songs, such as his latest, ‘Africa Calling’.
The self-produced single was released on July 1. According to Poppin, it is inspired by the “haves and the have nots” and the importance of showing respect for one’s neighbor.
“Truths and rights always have a message of hope that mankind will put aside their differences and make the world a better place,” Poppin reasoned.
A recording artist since the 1960s, Poppin also scored with ‘Same Thing for Breakfast’ in the mid-1970s. He was among a group of artists who gathered in an area of downtown Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, known as Idler’s Rest.
They were anything but idlers, as they discussed diverse topics, from domestic politics to international affairs which included developments in Africa. Poppin retains that awareness.
“Africa is our motherland, so as an artist I speak to injustices that affect the nation,” he said.
Poppin migrated to the United States in the early 1990s, settling in Hartford, Connecticut. For over 20 years, he has called North Carolina home, but returns to Jamaica intermittently to record. ‘One More River to Cross’, his previous album, was released in 2020.
