Chuck Fenda values impact over accolades

Coming from humble beginnings, he has never forgotten his roots or the importance of turning back to extend a helping hand to those who need support getting back on their feet or reaching the next level. For Chuck Fenda, the ‘Poor People’s Defender’, empowering youth is a life mission he takes seriously. He believes that now, more than ever, society is at a critical crossroads and, without meaningful intervention, the next generation risks being lost to crime and violence.

“When people ask me about my biggest accomplishments to date, I know it’s not an award, a prize or an international title. My big[gest] accomplishment is seeing the message reach and connect with the young people. When the message is spread, it makes my day. Yes, back in the day we got nominated for deejay of the year, best song, best artiste, etc., and countless awards, but none of that means anything. If we can change one person’s thoughts and mindset and tek the gun out of their hands, we would have accomplished something significant, and that is what is important,” he told The Gleaner.

The Wah Gwaan Pon Di Rock singer said he has lost many friends to gun violence and that putting out a positive message is what matters most to him, noting, “putting a positive message out there is what makes me feel good, not titles and awards”.

He added that young people need to understand that greatness lies within them.

“That message is needed now more than ever because people are lost. They talk about rifles and being bad men and pushing badness. We need to erase that mindset from the younger generation and let them know that there’s a different way and that there is more to life than pushing violence, he said. “People haffi start love themselves and love each other. No love nuh deh again. You step on a man foot, him all waa push a knife through your neck.

For Chuck Fenda, whose birth name is Leshorn Whitehead, empowering people means more than offering encouragement. It requires creating a mindset of self-improvement, education and personal responsibility. The artiste believes that, instead of pulling people down, Jamaicans must be willing to help each other rise.

“When you are down, a man waah push you further down instead of reaching out and helping you up,” he explained. “The cake is big enough for everybody, so Chuck Fenda nah lead the people inna no make believe or illusion. We a try lead them down a righteous path by educating them.”

Beyond social empowerment, Chuck Fenda is also encouraging youths to prioritise their health

“We want them to start taking care of themselves and eat healthier and exercise. The diet of the average Jamaican is so bad because we eat too much starch and we need to put down the sugar,” he added.

Making music, he said, is first and foremost a business, a reality that many artistes, including himself, took for granted when they first entered the industry.

“When we just a forward, we never know about business. We did just excited fi go inna studio go voice, and we just waah hear weself pon radio. But as you get older, you begin to understand and do your research and know that there is more to it. So we learning the business now. If we had been cognisant then, we would have known about publishing rights and royalties and merchandising,” he said.

When asked for his advice to young artistes trying to break into the industry, he explained that it starts with believing in yourself and the vision.

“If I did listen to people, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I migrated from Jamaica as my grandmother sent me overseas to go live with my aunty in Connecticut and start go school. When me tell them say me ago back a Jamaica to be a deejay, everybody say ‘you mad, you nah go mek it down there’. But I believed in myself, and so I packed a bag and headed back to Jamaica, and mek it rouna the studio every day and just believed in my talent. Put God above everything and continue to push, and it will happen,” the singer, who is fresh off his performance at LakeSplash in Switzerland, said.

nicola.cunningham@gleanerjm.com