International reggae star Patrick Anthony George Barrett, is by no means your typical father. Affectionately known by his stage name ‘Tony Rebel’, the If Jah Is Standing By My Side, singer has 14 children to call him dad, ten of whom are evenly split between two mothers. A proud loving father, Ras Rebel has to find creative ways around fathering to achieve his mentoring goals of love, support and guidance.
The award-winning musician who is famed for a string of hits including Fresh Vegetable, Sweet Jamaica and Nazarite Vow has a star-studded career which spans more than two decades and dates back to the early ’90s when he was called Papa Tony.
Enjoying the thrills of fatherhood with his children, which age range between 3 years-old to 31, Rebel tells Buzzz Magazine: “For me, it’s about playing my role and being serious about my role as a black person who has noticed all the ills within our race, and seen how many of these things are connected and caused because there are absentee fathers in our community.
“I want to make sure that I deal with and not contribute to the negative effects which already exist,” states Rebel.
Raised by his grandparents from 4 years-old in Manchester after the untimely death of his mother, Rebel came from a traditional, strict, old-fashioned, Jamaican value home, which instilled from early discipline, manners and respect.
Revealing his family values helped shaped and influenced his life, preparing his role as a father, the devout Rastafarian and now Justice of the Peace, admitted that his children all have challenged him in different ways but, his greatest test were with his daughters – Jahudah and Kenya during their teens, who proved the most rebellious, resulting with countless fights regarding going out and parties.
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