Papa SanPAPA SAN, one of the pioneers of the controversial reggae gospel strongly believes that he and the other pushers of the fairly new genre have won over many of their detractors.
"We have won over alot of them." "People all come to me come apologise, even Pastors.... Church people come to me and say that they can see God working in my life," reasoned Papa San.
In June, Papa San who during his secular career had been arrested for the illegal possession of a firearm, will be celebrating six years walking with the Lord on the straight and narrow. A feat, he said, many did not expect him to accomplish, and as a matter of fact there were some who even pointed to a premature six months return to the pleasures of the world.
The deejay, who was christened Tyrone Thompson 35 years ago, told The Sunday Gleaner that his Christian pilgrimage has been 'A melting pot of mountain peaks and valleys'. He added that, if he could sum it all up with one song it would be Footprints. 'During his wilderness experiences on the road to the land that floweth with milk and honey, when he thought he was all alone, that was the time that the Lord beared him up.'
"I can't see my life without Him, to know Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me," noted San, who added that most of his immediate family members have also come to know the Lord as a result of his conversion.
As the conversation continued Papa San revelealed to The Sunday Gleaner that his conversion was akin to a sucker punch - he never saw it coming. "I never planned to accept Christ, I never even liked going to church at that time," he reminisced.
As a matter of fact the graduate of the McAuley All-Age School stated that he was a professing Rastafarian, under the guise of 'Don't have to dread to be Rasta'. During the time he ignorantly hailed Selassie as the Most High, Papa San pointed out that he was not amongst those that threw fiery missiles at the saints of God.
".... I was one of artistes that use to lick out on the church. I was not a fire burner but I use to say that church people are hypocrites."
However, ever since Mr. Thompson's Damascus Road experience, much like Saul the (Apostle Paul), he has been transformed from a persecutor to a mouthpiece for the gospel.
In 1998, the 22-year veteran who grew up on Tower Street, Southside Kingston, signed with United States based, Gospo Centric Records, which is home to artistes such as Kirk Franklyn and Kurt Carr amongst others.
The following year gave birth to Papa San's virgin gospel album, Victory, which has set several unprecedented records. It entered and peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums Chart and it also broke into and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart.
Feats Papa San is quite proud of, however he defers all the accolades from himself and to his Saviour for the album's success. "It's not a boast thing, it's just the work of the Lord... all glory and honour belongs to God, I can't claim any of it." Nonetheless Papa San says he is poised to outdo himself with the follow-up effort. "Mi a look fi override that by far with the next album," emphasised San as his voice oozed with confidence.
A claim he will soon justify or belie, as the album, God and I will hit the shelves worldwide on April 1. Almost 42 months separates his debut effort from the soon-to-be-released follow-up, which seems strange since the first did so well.
However, San believes that it is all apart of God's divine plan. "It's just God timing, God don't do things off a man time, Him do it after him own timing." Additionally, he pointed out that the album will feature some songs that he recorded from as far back as two years ago. The extended waiting period also forced Papa San to replace some of the songs that he had on the album with some more current ones.
According to Papa San, God and I is a completely different offering than Victory. "It (the first album) was more laid back because the church was not yet into it (reggae gospel), but this album has a bit more hardcore tracks, however it still maintains a mixture of songs," reasoned Papa San.
The deejay's closing remarks solicited the support and prayers of the church, whom he labelled the 'Body of Christ'. He encouraged parents to go out and buy the albums for their kids if they knew that they had a liking for reggae music rather than allowing them to be seduced by the nightclubs where they can be easily led astray.
