Jamaican artiste seeks break in hip-hop industry

Manchester-born recording artiste 12 Gaddi is hoping to break on the international music scene.

But unlike the typical Jamaican artistes, he is hoping to catch his big break through hip-hop music.

According to the entertainer, he has no problems recording reggae and dancehall music, but he has his sights set on becoming the first rapper to break from Jamaica.

The artiste told THE WEEKEND STAR that as an artiste, the thing that is most unsettling to him is when people think entertainers should stick to one particular genre.

Pointing out some of the biggest names in the rap industry, Gaddi said Jamaican artistes do possess the talent to make it in hip hop.

“People love to act like once you live in Jamaica and you rap, it can’t work. But a because they don’t know their history. You have a veteran rapper name Heavy D. He was Jamaican; the great Biggie Smalls had Jamaican lineage; and the biggest thing is that rap music, or hip hop, came from Jamaicans,” he said. “It was started by Khool Herc, who was a Jamaican who migrated to the United States. So we can rap if we wanna, because if you want to get technical, it’s our music, too.”

Gaddi reiterated that Jamaicans should be able to pursue any form of music that was influenced by their culture.

“Marcus Garvey said, without knowledge of the past you are a tree without root, and me see that nuff people don’t know their past so they frown on certain music, not even knowing that we inspired it,” he said. “Never make the media fool unno. They take our stuff all the time and don’t give us credit. Reggaeton come from us, rap, and this new thing, Afrobeat, too. So any Jamaican who want to do those genres should be free to.”

The artiste is currently promoting a rap song, Make Money. He says that while the song has been doing relatively well with the support of the diaspora, it can go even further.

“I want the entire Jamaica to catch up. Don’t write me off because I am a rapper, but listen and support,” he said. “I know I have the talent to do big things, it’s only a matter of time; and I would love the support of my people as I try to add to Jamaica’s international music legacy.”