Farmer Nappy gets down, dirty with Dutty Meh Finger

BAVINA SOOKDEO

Darryl “Farmer Nappy” Henry has stepped out of his comfort zone and into the mud with his latest J'Ouvert anthem, Dutty Meh Finger.

Known for his smooth, feel-good hits like Big People Party and My House, Farmer has taken a bold new direction with this high-energy track – one that he himself didn’t see coming.

“It was inspired by Kyle Phillips. I went in the bandroom by Kyle, and what really happened was he was playing me some demos. Apparently, this song was supposed to be sung by someone else, but when I heard it, one time I say, ‘I have to do it!’ I grab up this one time.”

Written by the songwriting trio of brothers known as "Jonesy" and produced by Nikholai Greene (NMG Music), Mevon Soodeen (XplicitMevon), Kyle Phillips (Badjohn Republic), and Kitwana Israel (Advokit Productions), Dutty Meh Finger is a pulsating, infectious call to get wild and embrace the true spirit of J’Ouvert. With an undeniable beat and a mischievous energy, the song urges revellers to get down and dirty – literally.

“The feeling is to dutty your finger, be dirty and stink J'Ouvert morning,” Farmer explained. “You have to be dirty, and when you hear ‘go down low, go down low’ – because is J'Ouvert in yuh! Your fingers put the mud on you. So, your fingers must be very dirty, all your fingernails too.”

For a man whose career has been built on groovy soca, this departure into J'Ouvert bacchanal might seem unexpected. But Farmer sees it as just another layer of his artistry.

“People saying it out of the box with Farmer because it’s something you wouldn’t hear Farmer singing or whatever but it’s very nice, and apparently, people saying it is growing, because remember, J'Ouvert is coming soon.”

This isn’t just a one-time experiment either. When asked if fans can expect more J’Ouvert-style songs from him, Farmer didn’t hesitate.

“No, no, so long as I come by Kyle and they give me demo, I singing anything…I singing hymns, anything they give me…I am an all-rounder.”

Farmer Nappy’s Carnival 2025 season has been heating up, with other releases like Thankful (written by Mical Teja), Would You (written by Nadia Batson), and Choose One (written by him and GBM Production). However, he had no plans to compete this year.

“Competition is headache right now. I wanted to go in the (Calypso) Monarch with Thankful, but I say let me leave these things alone right now. Right now, let me focus on the parties and executing these songs.”

With a packed schedule, Farmer has been enjoying a successful Carnival season. But his sights are set beyond TT’s shores.

“After Carnival 2025, Farmer always goes on the road, because I’m a touring artiste. So I go on the road and come back to the normal sequence – Miami Carnival, Notting Hill, New York, Boston, and so on.”

And Dutty Meh Finger might just have an even bigger moment ahead.

“Look out very seriously for November,” he hinted. “Because in November, Dutty Meh Finger could be very popular…watch out and read between the lines.”

With a career spanning over 30 years, he has kept things fresh by staying ahead of the game.

“Songs is fish, so you have to mind your business before your business don’t mind you,” he said with a laugh. “Some people like to go on tour and they don’t study the next year. I does study the next year before I go on tour.”

Though he’s collaborated with many big names over the years, Farmer is now focused on building his own legacy.

“I don’t want no dream collaboration again. I feel I work with a lot of people, and by me collaborating, I always make them become big. So right now, it’s time to focus on Farmer Nappy alone and try to get some young artistes under the Country Life label (of which he is the owner).”

While Farmer he is embracing the revelry of J’Ouvert with Dutty Meh Finger, his Thankful has touched audiences in a very different way. The track has resonated deeply, even being sung in churches and choirs.

“I feel really thankful to see that my music is embraced in this way, all across borders. The message is being sent, and people are paying attention to the details in the song, so I am very grateful for that."

Beyond just being an uplifting anthem, Thankful carries a powerful message. Farmer hopes its lyrics can inspire people to turn away from wrongdoing, especially in light of rising crime rates in TT.

“The lyrics must be so infectious or so effective that when someone hears it, they say ‘no’ to doing wrong. The lyrics must take over all the demon things in your mind. I always say that I wish God could give me a song that, if played at a party, someone who was about to do something bad could hear it and change their mind.”

Thankful's music video also stands out, featuring Farmer kneeling and praying. He insists this was a natural expression of his faith. “From small, I know when you’re praying, you have to kneel down and pray. So, at the end of the day, I kneel and pray because that’s what I always do. It was in a church, so kneeling down and praying was part of it. I never got any negative reactions because when you’re doing God’s work, you don’t get negatives.”

Despite being a Roman Catholic, Farmer chose to film the video in an Anglican church – a deliberate move to emphasise that spirituality transcends religion.

“God is everywhere – He is Catholic, Anglican, Spiritual Baptist, Jehovah’s Witness – there is no religion for God. God is God.”

As for whether fans can expect more spiritual music from him in the future, Farmer remains open to divine inspiration.

“Who knows? If God permits me to send the message, then you will be getting these songs from Nappy again. And I’m grateful and thankful for everything.”

Farmer shot to international fame when he was voted as MTV Iggy’s Artist of the Week in March 2012, after a weeklong voting contest that pitted him against other artistes around the world. Despite his global success, he remains deeply connected to his fans. His simple message to them is:

“I love you all. Stay loving me and at the end of the day, please love each other because Farmer Nappy fans are loving people…they are not haters.”

With Dutty Meh Finger on the J'Ouvert scene, Farmer Nappy proves once again that he’s not just versed in groovy soca.

He wished everyone an enjoyable Carnival and told his fans to get ready to get dutty!