Autarchii wants Jamaica to cut ties with the Queen

Reggae artiste Autarchii believes the time has come for Jamaica to cut ties with the Queen of England and become a truly autonomous nation.

"Jamaica became an independent nation almost 60 years ago, but the Queen is still the official head of state, which means she is the Queen of Jamaica. It's time to stop this nonsense and cut all ties with the Queen and the royal family. I was shocked to see Rastafarians playing Nyahbinghi drums for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their recent visit to the island."

He continued,"We need to organise and centralise, and build Jamaica into one of the great nations of the world; but this goal cannot be achieved if we keep hanging on to our colonial masters. Every school in Jamaica should teach the youth about Marcus Garvey's philosophy and our African ancestry. Teach them about African heroes, and stop teaching them about Columbus and Marco Polo. It's time to take a more Afrocentric approach to education."

Autarchii recently released a new EP, titled Disrupting The Status Quo, on his Red A Red Music Group imprint.

The nine-track EP, which is distributed by Tuff Gong International, features songs with a strong back-to-Africa theme. Included in the track list are Freedom In Africa, Redemption Cry, As The Water Flows and Pomps And Pride.

"We have to use the music to awaken the consciousness of our people. [Late Rastafarian elder] Mortimer Planno's new faculty of interpretation must be applied now. We need to celebrate Africa and look to the motherland for our redemption," said Autarchii.