“You got to be strong, and fit mentally and spiritually… What we take unto us in spirit becomes flesh”
“You got to be strong and fit mentally, spiritually and physically and always ready cause if you are not you’re gonna pop down on the road but most of all you got to be focused.” Such was the advice from Jamaican artiste Gyptian to entertainers as he rides the waves of musical success internationally. Destiny is always inevitable no matter what your dreams are and Gyptian is living proof of it. On July 3 while on the local shores for his debut Guyana show he told fans during an interview on the Caribbean Music Box programme that his aspiration as a youth was to become “a soldier or police” but music was with in his blood. Standing on the lawns of Promoter Jonathan Beepat’s house back then at an exclusive daytime White Party he said “Music is a path and we as a people have feh set it…it was manifest in me and it became flesh so that ah what me adapt to.” That night dished an international serving to his Guyanese audience at the National Park. We are not sure how soon it will be before he returns to the local soil but based on his fans responses “he’s welcomed to return any day to thrill his Guyanese fans all over again.” Today, many can celebrate the ever growing success of this Caribbean son as he takes his talent to the world. A few hours ago Gyptian who
prides himself in being called a humble Caribbean artiste won his first MoBo award over other regional artistes the likes of Damian Marley, Mavado, Vybz Kartel and Gappy Ranks at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England. During his Guyana interview he had said “I’m aiming to go as a far as the eye can see” and as he continues his European Tour he is a nominee in the up coming Soul Train music awards as well as a scheduled performer for the event, a plus for Caribbean artistes.
Nominated recently for a Soul Train award in the ‘Best Reggae Artiste’ category where he is also billed to perform live on November 10 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. Other nominees in the category include Damian Marley, Mr Vegas, Jah Cure, Vybz Kartel and Gramps Morgan as part of his interview on the Caribbean Music Box programme aired on BTV2, the artiste said that his contagious ‘Hold yuh’ song is subject
to interpretation based on age range.
Education: So Important
He dubs education as “so important” in his business that because of education “artistes not getting rip off as much no more.” He noted that back in the days artistes suffered as a result of not knowing the business but credits education for changing that. To youngsters getting into the business, as he pointed to his head Gyptian said “you
have to have education first so in case the music fail you, you have something you can rally back on naturally”.
Back in July he was number 71 on the Billboards Charts and dubbed being on it “an example that Caribbean music is here to stay and we (Caribbean artistes) have much more to give”. As an artiste he described himself as a young Jamaican who is always being original and humble but seeing him self going further than any other Caribbean artiste has been in mainstream music. Explaining the hold yuh…tightest hold me ever get in ah my life he said “me have fans
of all ages suh me just play on words … fuh the youths dem its is HOLD but fuh the bigger people is what ever you want it to mean.” When asked about the part that speaks of putting things all around you he said: as a man you have to take care of your woman business properly cause if you don’t another man is gonna be in your place… treat her right, make her comfortable and everything is gonna be alright.” Speaking directly on the subject of domestic violence he said ” Ladies don’t make nuh man beat you and abuse unu cause ah you ah de creation of the earth… me don’t beat no woman me love and respect them. He is scheduled to join Mary J. Blige for a UK tour next month.
By Mondale Smith