Perfect, for the 'Back For The First Time' album you teamed up with the guys from Lustre Kings, a label based in Brooklyn, New York.
Perfect: "Well, I've got a new album coming out called 'Journey Of 1000 Miles' that was also produced by some guys in America, Dan Grossman and Nick Dubitzky of Dynasty Records in Seattle, Washington. Style-wise I tried to be as versatile as possible, something I think people have come to expect from Perfect."
American roots reggae has its own distinct sound and feel, how did you connect with that, being Jamaican yourself?
Perfect: "Music is a universal thing and I've worked with a lot of producers on both sides of the Atlantic over the past years. I usually listen to some of the riddims they present me with and if I like what I'm hearing, I go for it. Take the guys from Dynasty Records for example; they are a couple of young guys full of fresh ideas and inspiration, so I felt like giving them a chance."
You don't seem to be afraid to go beyond the borders of reggae music.
Perfect: "Music is music, regardless of the genre and I'm no "reggae-cian", I'm a musician, so you can just as easily hear me do a reggae song as you might hear me do r&b, hip hop or whatever. However, the message I bring of equal rights, justice and Rastafari always stays the same."
Are the styles of music you perform related to the music you listen to yourself?
Perfect: "I listen to a whole variety of artists and genres, ranging from something like Sade to James Brown; it's not because I'm known as being a reggae artist from Jamaica that I'm listening to reggae all the time. Reggae itself was influenced by a lot of other genres; most of the early reggae songs were cover versions of rhythm and blues and soul songs from the United States."
I noticed you improvise a lot when you're on stage, is that something you do to break the routine of having to do the same songs night after night?
Perfect: "Being in Europe means being around people that often don't speak English, so I feel I need to take some time to explain what I'm about and what my message is."
Natural Black recently denounced his Rastafarian beliefs, stating: "I needed a new page, mi have basic needs to fill. As a Rasta you have certain tings weh you haffi keep up and if you nah keep it up, it nuh make no sense, just live free. When you nah make it one way, you haffi attack it another way.". How do you feel about artists doing a 180 degree turn like that?
Perfect: "Well, if he feels like that, I guess he has no choice but to cut his covenant. Personally, I think it's kind of sad and it doesn't reflect well on the Rastafarian community."
August 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence. What does that anniversary represent to Perfect?
Perfect: "It's a very important anniversary for us as Jamaicans. Independence is meant to strengthen a nation and make its people come together, looking forward to progress and prosperity, so I will celebrate the anniversary with a smile. It's important that, as a people, we keep looking forward and try to be even more self-reliant than we already are."