OLDIES SUNDAY: Charlie Chaplin: Obeah Business (1991)

It’s October 31, and in certain parts of the world, Halloween is celebrated. While Jamaicans don’t celebrate Halloween (expect the American minded folks), Jamaica’s music culture has shared a few words on ghosts (duppy), monsters, demons, vampires, and those who practice witchcraft and black magic. For today’s Oldies Sunday selection, we look at those whose practices involve potions, elixirs, and spirits. We go back to a couple decades to check out Charlie Chaplin’s “Obeah Business“.

Produced by Doctor Dread on the “Heavenless Riddim” and released through Ras Records in 1991, Charlie Chaplin puts fellow Entertainers on blast as he’s aware of their unethical practices to gain fame and fortune. While he does this in a comical way, he shares his experience in meeting an Obeah Man who exposed a few of his peers who sought the Obeah Man’s services that use his “powers” to give them success. The Obeah Man also shares that some of them owe him money, and he will use these same powers to bring bad omen their way until the fees are covered. The Obeah Business has been a very profitable one for decades as people would spend exuberant amounts of money to get their wishes granted. Charlie Chaplin’s “Obeah Business” gained some popularity when it was released as the Deejay was already a big name on the scene. The single was featured on his 1991 album, “Cry Blood“. Watch out for strange powder being sprinkled your way, and stay prayed up as there are people out there who wish to see your downfall.