(The Gleaner)
New York-based Jamaican reggae singer, Marcia Aitken, burst on to the scene in the mid ‘70s with her single, I’m Still in Love with You Boy, which climbed to number one in Jamaica and the United Kingdom (UK). The song was sampled by DJ Trinity on his popular hit, Three Piece Suit, and by Althea & Donna on Uptown Top Ranking.
Two years ago, Beyoncé used I’m Still in Love with You Boy to announce her 2018 ‘On The Run II’ tour with husband, rapper Jay Z in a mainstream TV ad. An Instagram post by Beyoncé with the video clip was viewed almost nine million times and aired on Entertainment Tonight (ET), the longest-running syndicated entertainment news programme in the United States.
Aitken revealed to The Gleaner in an interview this week that to date she has yet to receive any compensation from Beyoncé for using the song.
“I am just saying give me back a little of the love. Send a little love my way,” she said. Aitken, however, is still grateful to Beyoncé. The promo ad injected new life in Aitken’s career. The singer said she got booked for a number of festivals, including Groovin In The Park 2018. Last year she was invited to perform at Rebel Salute. It was her first performance in Jamaica after a 30-year absence from the stage.
Career resurgence
Speaking about her career resurgence after the Beyoncé-Jay Z shout-out, Aitken said, “That was the timing of God, which was a good thing. I am not knocking it. Many versions of that song have been done and they chose my version and my voice. This means they liked it and I love them,” she shared.
Aitken said she has also never received any monetary compensation for recording I’m Still In Love With You in 1977.
“Yes, Mr Flourgon, well done. It is about time that some of us get some recognition and not just talk, but financial recognition for the stuff that we have done for our talent and our endeavours. Yes, it is about time. I can say for sure that Flourgon have propped me up more and given me more zeal to fight for what is mine,” she stated.
Flourgon, real name Michael May, recently received a settlement in a US$300-million (J$40-billion) copyright infringement lawsuit against American pop star Miley Cyrus. The Jamaican deejay had accused Cyrus of stealing the “we run things” lyrics, included in her 2013 hit, We Can’t Stop, from a similar production he recorded more than 20 years ago. The sum of the settlement has not been disclosed.
To the record company that now owns the original masters for the songs that Aitken recorded in the 1970s she issued a stern warning.
“Watch out because all my records and albums that were acquired from Joe Gibbs Records that have been selling for all these years, is about time now that I get some monetary compensation,” she demanded.
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