Reggae artist Fantan Mojah dies after reported heart complications

Jamaican reggae artist Fantan Mojah died in hospital on Tuesday, July 14, after what was reported as heart complications. He was just short of turning 50.

Entertainment Report revisited archive footage of Mojah from 2004 and 2021, tracing the path from his breakthrough to later reflections on fame, fashion, and loyalty to the communities that raised him.

In earlier remarks, Mojah spoke about hardship and leaving rural life behind. He described hunger at home and among friends, saying people from the country were being remade by city living and that he had no plan to return once he built himself up. He urged himself not to quit and said land purchases and yard work with people he knew were part of how he moved forward.

He also addressed how public talk followed his success. After breaking through around 2004, he said his fans had grown up with him and that audiences wanted vibes — and that entertainers owed them music. "Give the people them music and let them come up and do," he said in the archive material.

On criticism that mixed faith with his image, Mojah insisted music was not a religion. He defended dancers appearing in his videos, saying they were booked through agents, paid for the work, and used the income to support their children. Getting back on the scene, he argued, was about the music, not blending religion into it.

He claimed credit for setting style trends, recalling how few people first copied his look — including what he described as tie pants — before the fashion spread widely across Jamaica after he travelled to Suriname. He called some critics hypocrites for judging an image he said he had worn openly, with nice clothes and a proper business approach, while he chased attention for his music.

Looking at younger artists, Mojah said new talent bursting out of the ghetto was getting little support. He argued every artist deserved a chance, but those who made it should remember where they came from. Naming peers who looked after people in the community, he stressed that entertainers should stay jovial with the public, greet fans, and never turn their backs on the ghetto that produced them.