Sizzla Reflects On 2007 Onstage Incident With Norris Man

Reggae and Dancehall artist Sizzla Kalonji recently revisited the controversial 2007 onstage incident with Norris Man at the ‘St. Mary Mi Come From’ concert, staged by Capleton.

According to a 2007 Jamaica Star article, the confrontation had erupted minutes after 4 a.m., following hours of brief performances that left the audience eager for marquee acts. However, the excitement turned into confusion when Norris Man, who was scheduled to perform later, interrupted Sizzla’s set, saying, “Jah Cure left to come pon stage. Me rehearse wid de ban’.”

He then performed Big Long Gun/Move Hard, his song on the Redbull and Guinness riddim, which was also considered a counteraction to Sizzla’s Run Out Pon Dem on the Applause riddim (2005). This prompted Sizzla to ask, “Mek sure a no me yu a talk,” followed by a more forceful, “come off a de b* stage.” In response, Norris Man defied Sizzla, saying, “…k yu mumma.” Shocked, Sizzla retorted, “wha? a dat yu sey?”

What followed was a physical confrontation where Norris Man received sharp, heavy blows from several individuals on stage, though Sizzla did not personally partake in the violence.

In a new interview on The Fix podcast, the Solid As A Rock artist emphasized he did not endorse or direct the attack on Norris Man. “On a stage like that, you shouldn’t be saying that to me, you should be approaching me and say Dadda, ‘gimme the microphone mek me mash up the place, a that you fi a tell me;it went the other way around so unexpectedly that’s what he uttered,” Sizzla recounted.

Sizzla noted that the event’s atmosphere was already tense before he arrived, partly due to a disorganized running order that left artists impatient and frustrated. He agreed that Norris Man’s entry on stage was a deliberate act to disrespect him.

“Yes, he shouldn’t be on the stage,” he said.

“Lady Saw was performing so the other person who should have been given the microphone should have been the person servicing the public so with you taking another microphone, you weren’t introduced to the public… no you weren’t introduced. Sizzla wasn’t introduced either. Honestly when I got backstage I was like, What time am I performing ? I was like what time am I working? No one knows what time. I was looking at the promoter and it was like the promoter vex with me but me a say why you a vex wid me when me no do you nothing? A me shudda vex wid you cause you naw pay me?”

According to Sizzla, the disorder led him to step in and manage the situation himself, aiming to restore order and perform without further issues.

“So as one of the leaders, I just took it on myself to break that spell…there was a bit of hesitancy getting on the stage with everyone so I was about to go on the stage…the same instance now, that artist drew a song on the anger management riddim and at that time I had to manage my anger so mi say look like you haffi go call me up inna mumma cause it look like none a we na go get pon tha stage yah unless we battle it out,” he explained.

“It was a struggle for the female artists to get on the stage so the agreement was I’m gonna take over the stage and anytime anyone want to come up dem say mek we go up first so mi say alright gwaan but look out fi me so we planned that round there same way so you a plan fi we no go so we a plan fi go so when the artist go up and nice up the thing mi say well a my time now and just deal wid the thing and the big rail go happen weh no body did want and to disturb that and distract that, then comes trouble but we already saw it from the ground,” he added.

Sizzla reiterated that while the altercation was unfortunate, it was not something he orchestrated: “Persons had laid their hands on persons but I didn’t tell anyone to do that.”

He shared that Norris Man apologized to him following the incident and they have long moved on.