‘Cult Pastor’ Kevin O. Smith Has These Reggae & Dancehall Artists On His ‘Elite’ List
Dance Hall Mag/October 22, 2021
By Claudia Gardner
Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries’ Pastor Kevin O. Smith has a seeming penchant for Dancehall and Reggae artists and their genre.
Since the news broke of the human sacrifices that had been taking place at his church in Albion in Montego Bay on Sunday night, several video clips of Smith, who is now being dubbed the “cult pastor,” have been circulating—made long before he was taken into police custody.
In one of the videos, the rotund 39-year-old clergyman is seen sitting at his desk, preaching to his congregation, while reeling out a long list of names of artists he claimed were elite and revered by him. Among them were the brothers of the Marley clan, Capleton, Sizzla, Anthony B, and Chronixx, whom he declared to be prophets and leaders.
“Ziggy Marley, oh yes, he’s a musician from the 12 Tribes… you have rejected your own people your musicians,” he told his congregation.
“Buju Banton!” he shouted. “Bujuuu Banton is Mark Myrie,” he added, sounding like a boxing ring announcer.
“Damian, Kyami, Stephen, Julian they were the prophetic people. They saw what you couldn’t see,” he added.
He then went on to call the names of vintage, deceased and contemporary artists, whom he claimed had been ‘warning’ the people over time, but said that they did not take heed as they were “comfortable in your slave masters house”.
“Sizzla, Sizzla Sizzla – Moses,” he said, likening the Da Real Thing singer to the biblical leader.
“Jah Cure – he gone get cure,” he said to rousing cheers.
“Anthony B… these are the singers of the kingdom on a higher frequency trying to make the noise to wake you up and you are still sleeping. Wake ye Israelites from your sleep 400 years… wake up sleeping beauty,” he said in a loud voice.
Richie Spice and Mutabaruka also made Smith’s ‘elite list’ as did Bushman, Junior Kelly, Junior Reid, Dennis Brown, Barrington Levy, Jacob Miller, Nicodemius Ini Kamoze, Mykal Rose, Chezidek, Cocoa Tea, Protoje, Turbulence, and Lutan Fyah.
Even rapper Snoop Dogg and German Reggae singer Gentleman made the list.
Smith even had a special shout-out for Good in Her Clothes singer Capleton. “Capleton! Fireman!” he bellowed as if summoning the artist.
He was met with more cheers as he called out Montego Bay’s foremost daughter of Reggae/Dancehall. “Queen Ifrica!” he shouted as the congregation responded with glee.
It would appear though, that Smith’s adoration of the Reggae artists, is not reciprocal.
Anthony B, for one, has taken to the studio to record a song rebuking the pastor for his Jim Jones-like actions, pointing out that he was bunning out the pastor “inna Jeezas name”.
“Join I Bun Out The Liar Pastor No Blood
“Teefin church, liad pastor; wi nuh want no sacrifice inna Jamaica…,” he sang.
In full Dancehall mode, Smith was also seen in another video as he interpolated Gully Bop’s 2014 breakout hit Body Specialist.
He’s again seen sitting at his pulpit as he calls for his ‘band to wheel up di riddim’.
As he slowly rises from his armchair, he starts to spit Gully Bop’s lyrics deejaying: “Every baddy want a touch off a mi; every baddy want a touch off a mi”. The band members play their instruments vigorously, as Smith dances to the riddim.
Over on ZJ Sparks Instagram page where the video clip was posted on Friday, there were some followers who were dismissive of Smith. However, some Dancehall fraternity members found his antics, even under the bizzarre circumstances, hilarious.
“Dancehall cyaan stall.. Wheeel…
” an amused ‘Dancehall Doctor’ Professor Donna Hope from The University of the West Indies wrote in response.
Sauce Boss Kemar Highcon, also found Smith’s Dancehall shenanigans comical. “Watch him to nuh
” the So Saucy artist wrote.
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