UB40 and Spragga Benz Clash Over Claims of Cultural Exploitation in Reggae

Jamaica Live Entertainment Report | Sept 25, 2025

The reggae world is buzzing with controversy after Jamaican artiste Dantan Humble threw sharp words at German reggae star Gentleman, accusing him of exploitation and disrespect. Humble claimed that Gentleman “rob him and give him a red card,” before delivering a broader critique of white reggae artistes, including Britain’s UB40, alleging that they use Jamaican music to build fortunes while sidelining the very creators who birthed the genre.

Humble didn’t hold back, charging that, “Jamaicans are puppets, and white reggae artistes take what we have, change it, and then say: this is my country, I make my own Bob Marley, my own Jimmy Cliff.”

Dantan Humble, also known as Original-Dantan Humble or Jahbe, is a veteran reggae musician, singer, songwriter, engineer, producer, and CEO who helped pioneer reggae music in Germany during the 1980s. Widely respected for his versatility, Humble has worn many hats in the industry—from performer and producer to manager and cultural advocate—while keeping reggae’s Jamaican roots alive on European stages. His journey has been chronicled across platforms like Facebook and YouTube, and he has graced events such as the D-Town Sting Jamaican Culture Reggae Open Air Festival, solidifying his role as a bridge between Jamaica and the global reggae community.

Humble isn’t just throwing shade for clout — his frustration comes from decades in the industry. As a pioneer of reggae in Germany during the 1980s, he feels that foreign artistes like Gentleman, who rose to fame much later, benefited from a path that he and other Jamaican-rooted performers carved out. From Humble’s perspective, Gentleman and similar acts took the culture, profited from it, and then sidelined or disrespected the very Jamaican and early reggae voices that gave the genre its foundation.

Meanwhile, reel_and_propah reminded everyone of reggae’s interconnected history: “Are you forgetting that Richie Stephens did buss Gentleman? Please stop talking f**ery. Truth is, 70% of artists nowadays from Jamaica singing like dogs, even with auto-tune, and not even want to talk about lyrics.”*

UB40 Fires Back

The legendary British band UB40 quickly responded with a cryptic warning: “Careful…” — a comment that immediately set the internet ablaze.

Veteran Jamaican deejay Spragga Benz was among the first to clap back, questioning the intent behind UB40’s reply:
“To me that sounds threatening fam… Careful of what? Or else what? Is he lying though?”

UB40 doubled down but shifted tone, clarifying: “Jamaicans could never be puppets, Jamaica is the foundation! This sounds like we didn’t give anything back, never that!”

Still, the damage was done — with reggae fans, industry insiders, and artistes diving headfirst into the digital melee.

Fans and Commentators Join In

The comments section across platforms became a battleground:

• Dezola Kadamawe challenged UB40 directly: “Or else what?”
• boomblastentertainment told UB40, “He’s talking about how the system works dadda! Careful about Kum Dung.”
• ian.swaby.79 dismissed the band as “crooks.”
• nkeepit1000nd reminded them, “He’s telling the truth, you have to overs the whole point and not just take one part about puppets to then reply careful.”

Others offered more nuanced reflections. dennis_raidaz pointed out that while European festivals may now book fewer Jamaican acts, the roots remain unshakably Jamaican:
“Their biggest star can never measure up to Beres, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Junior Gong, etc. Reggae has grown far beyond Jamaica, much like jazz spread from New Orleans to the world. The global reach is proof of the foundation laid by the elders.”

@shopriceandtees argued that Jamaicans must “gatekeep the culture and have ownership of intellectual property, platforms, etc.”

Meanwhile, @rasbigmill acknowledged the global growth of the genre, noting that “authentic reggae is coming from all over the world now… our forefathers brought it to their doorstep, and they in turn grew the music to the heights it is now.”

Others, like @ballydon3, dismissed Humble’s claims entirely, firing back: “Fuckery yuh ah talk bredda!! When you good you good. UB40 and Gentleman are way up. They make the culture proud. Just write great music and put it out. The universe will bless you.”

The clash raises the question: is Gentleman’s popularity simply because he represents a fresher, modern sound as a German reggae artiste, pulling crowds that might otherwise look to veterans like Dantan Humble?

The Bigger Question

This flare-up reopens an old but unresolved wound in reggae: cultural ownership and respect. For decades, Jamaican artistes have debated whether foreign acts truly honor the roots of reggae or whether they profit disproportionately while Jamaicans themselves struggle to receive recognition and fair pay.

As the argument between Dantan Humble, UB40, Spragga Benz, and fans continues to play out online, the heart of the matter remains the same: Who gets to own reggae’s global future — and how do we balance respect for its Jamaican roots with its worldwide success?