Inna de Yard: «Our message is simply love and unity».»

We took advantage of Inna de Yard's visit to the Philharmonie de Paris to interview them. Winston and Cedric Myton kindly received us in a small house in the Parisian suburbs to talk about reggae, spirituality, and ganja.

The collective “Inna de Yard” was born from the desire to record acoustic sessions directly in your backyards, the yards How do you manage to capture the atmosphere of yards in your concerts?

W: We're just trying to do as well as when we recorded the album. It's something we don't put ego into, you know? You have to feel good in the studio. Most of the time, even over the years, artists have this fear, you see what I mean.

Doing it in a backyard makes it disappear. It allows you to touch the real source of creation. And you try to do that as much as possible in the studio with everything we do, all our concerts... And we give minimal space to instruments, to guitar, to piano. Most of our instruments are just percussion.

You just play your music on stage and let it speak for itself until people listen, is that it?

Yes, and the beat is also very important. When recording, the beat has a different energy, a different frequency.

What do yards allow compared to a studio recording session?

W: You feel less restricted in a yard, you just want to improvise. That's also why we recorded in the yards.

And what do you like most about being on stage?

When musicians play well. It's a nice feeling, everything is fantastic, it's just you and the audience, it's up to you to do well, to bring to people what you feel, there are no more distractions.

You have a responsibility to ensure people are happy.

How did you choose the musicians for the collective? Does anyone choose them, besides you?

W: Well, the musicians, that's something that started a long time ago. It was just us on stage at the beginning [Winston and Cedric Myton]. Now there's my son, our friend Bo Pee, Cedric Myton, and Kiddus I, since Inna de Yard.

Does everyone have their role in your collective? Or do you mix positions?

Yes, some have specific roles. The bassist, the pianist, the guitar, but sometimes Cedric plays bass or Kiddus. Sometimes my son Kush too.

We change according to the song.

What do all your songs have in common? What messages are you trying to convey?

Our message is simply love and unity. We have some protest songs, but we protest in a positive way. We never try to protest in a negative way.

We have songs about marijuana, some titles protest in favor of cannabis. It's been years now, like you and me, it shouldn't even be a demand anymore. If someone tells you not to eat cabbage, and you want to eat it, people will tell you: don't do this, don't do that.

I am a perfect example; I've been smoking weed since I was 9 years old, and in the United States, you won't find anyone who has died from weed. But people are dying from tobacco and alcohol. Yet, they criminalize marijuana and say you can't smoke it, but it's there; we've never seen anyone get cancer from marijuana.

We have this large disparity in the system about what our rights are.

What was your best collaboration?

This was a collaboration that never came out, with Mad Professor.

How would you describe reggae today?

W: Reggae music is about going to the source, and the source is the Higher binghi. The Higher binghi leads to the heart, and the heart is the origin of time.

This is where Inna de Yard is heading. The source and its entirety. We are trying to revisit this source. The search for reggae leads you straight to the source, I believe.

Are new artists welcome in reggae?

Of course. So, there's an initiation path. Many artists come in as DJs and start talking a lot of bad things about women or gay people. But after a while, people like Cappleton, who were in a negative universe, they realize that young people are listening. And if we say stupid things, young people learn stupid things, we have a responsibility.

Youth develops by watching us. If you don't say anything that will make people better, I don't have the power to do it. But if it's something that will make people stronger, go ahead.

Does Bob Marley still have an influence on Jamaica?

To Yeah, man.. Bob Marley was ahead of his time, like many artists. He sang lyrics that are 100 years old and are still relevant today. I'd rather be a lover than a fighter 'Cause fighting's not a lover I'd rather be an honest man and a true friend And be loved by you in the end I'd rather be a giver than a taker 'Cause taking's not a giver I'd rather be a builder than a breaker And be loved by you in the end And if there's any beauty left in this world I'll find it And if there's any justice left for the girl I'll serve it I'd rather be a lover than a fighter 'Cause fighting's not a lover I'd rather be an honest man and a true friend And be loved by you in the end I'd rather be a keeper than a leaver 'Cause leaving's not a keeper I'd rather be a weaver than a cleaver And be loved by you in the end And if there's any beauty left in this world I'll find it And if there's any justice left for the girl I'll serve it I'd rather be a lover than a fighter 'Cause fighting's not a lover I'd rather be an honest man and a true friend And be loved by you in the end And if there's any beauty left in this world I'll find it And if there's any justice left for the girl I'll serve it I'd rather be a lover than a fighter 'Cause fighting's not a lover I'd rather be an honest man and a true friend And be loved by you in the end, these things never get old.

C: It all comes from that era, generation after generation. Jamaica is at the forefront of this message of redemption. It has spread throughout the whole world. But Jamaica and reggae music make a difference. Reggae is revolutionary in itself, musically, medically, financially, because it allows us to do what we do.

It was sabotaged by record companies at the time. So many unspoken things remain to be said. The history we've gone through, to move past it, and give it back to music.

W: Oppression only causes explosion. When you press something too hard, it will eventually explode.

It's a daily learning experience.

W: The light is so strong that the darkness will eventually disappear.

But... our message again is love, more love, a universal love and an unconditional love.

How do you live your Rastafarianism?

W: We just live it daily. In every action, we try to be good, to be nice to our friends.

You told us earlier that you drink alcohol? Isn't that supposed to be forbidden?

Everything is for everyone. It's just the way you consume it. In moderation.

C: Anything you do too much, you have a problem. If you have too much sex, you'll have problems (laughs)

Yes, my friend, Sonny had big problems with that (laughs). Yes, because he was doing it too much. He hurt himself.

What role does cannabis play in your creative process? In your daily life?

W: Well, marijuana, originally, is a sacrament, like people put incense in church. But we don't burn it, we smoke weed.

My mother was a priest at the church, we talked about it a lot. I asked her if she could tell the Almighty that he was stupid for creating marijuana and she said, «No, no, no.» She never had a problem with marijuana even though she was Christian...

It doesn't make you a bad person. It doesn't make people fly. But it heals, and gives inspiration. If you're a good person and you do good things, it will make you better. And if you're a bad person, it neutralizes you. It makes people wonder, «I should stop doing these things.».

What is the connection between spirituality and music?

W: This is what we live for our whole lives. Since our childhood, we've never really paid attention to the material side of things; we were content with being Rastas. Even if you've been a bad person, you have to stop. Because people will start saying, «Hey, a Rasta can do that?».

You are no longer free. Even if you are a free person who does what they want, others will come to see you and say, «Oh, how are you? You're a Rasta, don't do that.».

People who aren't Rastafarian are watching you to make sure you're doing the right thing.

Spirituality and music are part of the church's mystical side. Some people sing, dance, you find the same music, the same people there.

It's universal, it's spiritual, it's physical, it's natural, and it's music. Music is one of the most important things. Like the language we speak. That is given to us. Music is development for everyone. It's spiritual, it's physical, it's rebellious, and it's revolutionary.

Once again, we are individuals who represent what we do. Music is one of the most important ways to convey a message. What is music? Transmission.

Into the hearts of people. In books, or in films, in many things, it has been integrated and revealed day after day. So we are the people who reveal things to people, with our songs and the artists.

Day after day, we learn from each other. Information comes from everyone. And by the direction we're taking, we're trying to be revolutionary, to bring better conditions to people.

Governments oppress people daily; it's something we face. Authorities think they dominate and control people. But there is no just government in the world. It doesn't exist. Perhaps in the minds of some. All these countries, they get together and decide for people that they must pay a minimum. And every day, they still print billions of dollars.

At the same time, if you want to earn more than €500 per week, you must go to university and be sure to get a degree that allows you to work.

That's why so many people sell drugs around the world, to get more money. Because these governments pressure people, like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode.

So we are here, the musicians, to calm people. It would be a dangerous world without music. Music brings peace to the mind.

Doesn't it feel strange to you to be in France, the most repressive country in Europe regarding cannabis?

W: I don't see it as being as repressive as Jamaica was before. I realized that a lot of artists went to jail for cannabis. Bob Marley went to jail, and many others.

In general, we don't care about repression. No government can say that cannabis is bad. If they say it, it's because they themselves are bad.

I'm an example of that. You know, cannabis only brings good things to people. But some people abuse it. Even food, some people abuse it and get sick.

With everything, moderation is the most important thing. I drink alcohol sometimes, but I never drink to get drunk. I never lose my consciousness.

Jamaican rum is medicinal. If you have the flu, you put rum on the soft parts of your head, and within minutes, you feel better. Rum at 63%.

How was the concert at the Philharmonie?

We really liked it. We've always been well received in Paris, me, Cedric Myton, Kiddus I, and the whole project, it's pure joy.

In the end, people were even asking us to come back. The concert is a bit short, but we're working to make it better.

Is it too early to share a chalice?

It's never too early for a chalice!

Inna de Yard will be performing in concert on October 27th at Le Trianon.
Ticketing https://innadeyard.lnk.to/Trianon
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/266131413846104