Chuck Fenda was born in Brooklyn, New York but that did not stop Chuck Fenda from ascending to the heights of the Reggae music fraternity. Frequently travelling between Jamaica and New York to hone his deejaying skills, he spent most of his time at King Jammys studio, where he released his debut single "Shut Yuh Mouth When Bad Man Talking" on the Tight Clothes rhythm for John John (King Jammys son).

Soon thereafter Chuck embraced the Rastafarian way of life. He adopted the "poor people defender" cause and focused on creating heartfelt lyrics about the plight of the poor, while revealing his Afromantic side in the beautiful lyrics he penned glorifying the black woman.

Earlier this year Chuck Fenda had a controversial smash hit "Gash Them & Light Them". The Poor People Defender took time to give Peppa Pot a few words about his latest album, Gash Dem.

Interview conducted by: Heike Wollenweber

Peppa Pot: You spent a part of your life in the US. Why do you not live there anymore?

Chuck Fenda: Living in America is great yes but the family is back in Jamaica and left back a lot of people and family. We are always looking over our shoulder and say, yo, Jamaica. When I go back to America I have to get immune again to the system.

Peppa Pot: You and Bounty Killa know each other for a long time. How do you feel about then constant argument between Bounty and Beenie?

Chuck Fenda: I don-t really get into that kind of issue. I have a lot more important things to sing about. People are suffering out here and that-s my job to let the world know of that. A lot of war and violence happening all over the world. I have to target those type of things. Things that are relevant in society. I try to stay in a more conscious and right lane.

Peppa Pot: You are known as the "Poor People Defenda". How do you feel about this role?

Chuck Fenda: I feel great, but it was not that I just get up and say "Yeah, ok, I wanna be the poor people defenda." This is the thing that was handed down from a higher power.

Everyday I get up and I am doing something for the people and for the less fortunate, the undermined, the unnoticed and the suffering youth from out there. Driving through the streets I give away a few dollars, send kids to school, pay their school fee, buy their books, buy their uniform. Go around singing for charity, singing for free, for them. We gonna set certain things straight. I am not the type of person who just goes around trying to show the media that, yeah, Chuck Fenda is a good person and Chuck Fenda is giving away this and Chuck Fenda is giving away that. Everything I do comes from my heart and I am just trying to make people happy and try to help the less fortunate. That-s me.

Peppa Pot: What do you think about the development in Jamaica? Do you think the situation is getting any better?

Chuck Fenda: Not in my eyes. Right now there are a lot of things that need to be changed. People need to start living better, people need to start getting more pay, a lot of kids out there need to get education and they can-t afford university. What about those kids? And what about the people who live in the ghetto? And their kids? Those kids really want the opportunity and they can-t really get those opportunities to get a proper education for the real world. It is just a whole system just to keep down the less fortunate and keep down certain people. That-s why you have youth like I and I now who have to sing these songs to get certain messages across to the higher heights. The people are suffering and hungry so we have to let it be known.

Peppa Pot: How do you see your role as an artiste?

I see myself as a messenger. As a man for the Almighty who was send to do certain things. No one is perfect, but to me, when I am called on to do a duty from Jah, it has to be done. I don-t see myself to be flashy or bosey. Those things don-t really make you a better person. To see that you can afford and your brother and sister can-t afford. I just move simple and be calm an easy and observe and people tend to love that and that really carries me a far way.

Peppa Pot: How would you describe your career as it is now?

Chuck Fenda @ Irie Jam - click here

Chuck Fenda: After leaving 5th Element my career went to a higher heights than it was before. No one can stop Chuck Fenda now but myself and the Almighty and Jah wouldn-t do that because Jah has chosen me to do a work so until he says "Ok, Chuck Fenda, I don-t want you to do this work no more", I will just keep on doing it. My career right now, after leaving 5th Element, is one of the best things that happened to me. I get to be my own boss. Not really boss, but I set the thing how I want it and our thing, the people love it.

Peppa Pot: What is your mission with your own new label, "Living Fire"?

Chuck Fenda: My mission is to spread righteousness around the world. I really form the "Living Fire" company and I know what I want, I know the business. I try to put everything in one package and everybody know their job and everybody know their duty, but it is the Almighty, his majesty, who is really guiding this ship along the way. He is the pilot for it. It-s all righteousness. It-s all love.

Peppa Pot: What can you tell me about your upcoming album?

Chuck Fenda: This album is very powerful. We will put it in the four corners of the Earth so we are praying and hope it reach the heights that we think it is supposed to go. Where we know it is supposed to go.

Peppa Pot: How many albums have you released so far in your career?

This will be my second album. I have over 500 singles or even more like a thousand or even three thousand singles out. I voice a lot of songs every day. If I should compile all these songs I would have 20 albums out there but we are trying to put a good thing together.

Peppa Pot: Why, do you think, "Gash Dem and Light Dem" caused so much controversy?

"Gash Dem" really lick the nail on the head. It-s really a truth and rights. It-s a song that really touch the bigger heads. Dem know seh it-s a relevant thing mi a talk about and ah reality. Dem nah really like to hear the truth. Abusing little kids and all of that and senseless killing. They don-t really want the people to get the real truth of what is happening . I don-t really sing nothing that is fiction or joke. It-s a song that people can relate to. They are really afraid of that song. They don-t want to hear this song. They say this song should stop play. They try everything to stop this song but it-s one of the biggest songs to come out of Jamaica for a good while now so they are really scared of this song. Truth and righteousness cause so much controversy.

Peppa Pot: How do you envision your future?

Right now I am a messenger for Jah so me just go on pray, eat right, exercise, live good, have a clean heart towards everyone and Jah will decide what is for Chuck Fenda, cause I am a servant of the Almighty.