Deported dancehall DJ Country Speng turns ICE detention into chart-topping single
The Jamaican artist, who lived in Florida for 29 years, says "100 Miles" spent nine weeks at number one on a South Florida radio chart.
KINGSTON, Jamaica. Veteran Jamaican dancehall DJ Country Speng, also known as Speng Beng, says he has turned the pain of US immigration detention into a number one hit, "100 Miles".
The DJ, who had lived in Florida for nearly three decades, was deported to Jamaica in June. He told Caribbean Life on Monday, October 19, that he was detained by immigration authorities in Fort Lauderdale on January 6 and spent about five months in custody, including at facilities in Miami and Alligator Alcatraz, before being deported on June 11.
"I was frustrated and deeply troubled by what I witnessed. But, instead of allowing the experience to defeat me, I did what I know best and that is music," he said.
"It wasn't nothing nice," he recalled, citing repeated searches of detainees as among the experiences that still trouble him.
"I arrived in Florida in 1997, held a green card and, over the years, developed strong family and community ties," he said. "Although I never became an American citizen, several members of my family are citizens."
Nine weeks at number one
Country Speng recorded "100 Miles" on the Helicopter riddim. He said it spent nine weeks at number one on Mikey B's Top 10 chart, broadcast on Tuesday afternoons on WAVS 1170 AM in South Florida.
"Everybody loves it. They love the lyrics," Mikey "B" Brown told Caribbean Life. "With the right promotion, it could become a hit in Jamaica and other Diaspora communities like New York, New Jersey, Toronto and Atlanta."
For the DJ, the song is about giving a voice to people he believes are treated unfairly by the immigration system.
A long career
Country Speng said his career stretches back to the early 1990s, with recordings including "Black Awareness", "Not Every Day", a collaboration with Colin Roach, "Shot Too Dear", "Mi Belly Full Now" and "Cherry Pie". His former manager was veteran Sting promoter Isaiah Laing, and he has worked alongside names including Sanchez and Maxi Priest.
"We can't just say it's a number one tune in Florida," he said, adding that there is still work to do to promote the song in Jamaica and the diaspora.
