|
What have you been doing since
the promotion of "Dutty Rock" ended?
Sean Paul-That whole
album I have to give thanks to the Father and the finest.
I sold near six million records and I had five singles
deep so that took two years to promote. The last year
what I've been doing is touring. I was able to sell records
in different places. So this year I went to Japan,
Australia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,
Egypt, Nigeria, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Mexico, the
entire United States, all of Canada also Sopal,
Poland and Hungary. I've been going all over the place.
Lots of places in Europe but Sopal, Poland and Hungary
are places it's not usual to see dancehall artists selling
at these levels. That's what I was busy doing.
The past seven months or so I stayed at home in Jamaica
doing the album The Trinity. It features our young
entertainers and young producers--people who haven't been
in the game more than 5 years. The reason is because dancehall
did blow and I blew up with it. There are a lot of other
people out here doing it. R. Kelly, Beyonce did
it, Busta Rhymes did it, right now Jessica Simpson
and Willie Nelson did it. One great thing about
it is it means dancehall is growing but one downside to
that is none of these people have gone back home to Jamaica
to produce the music. If a rapper wants crunk music he
goes to Lil Jon. If a rapper wants something more smooth
sounding and R&B he is going to go check the Neptunes
and Pharrell and them. If he wants something harder hitting
he is going to check Red Spyder or Scott Storch.
But none of them if they want dancehall go to Jamaica.
They will all be like, "Oh I can do that," or they ask
some hip-hop producer to do it for them. That is one of
the main reasons I went back home to do it. Earlier this
year I had a chance to work with The Neptunes again
and I did demos with them. I did demos with Scott Storch.
I also did demos with Ashanti. None of that stuff
is featured on this album.
Reason being earlier this year I asked myself, "What do
I want?" I wanted to be inspired. What was inspiring me
was these young kids who reminded me of myself 10 years
ago. It reminded me of what I was doing but with no help.
So I was just basically trying to give that energy. I'm
the big man now so to speak. I sold all these records
so I wanted to give the shine back to Jamaica. That's
the reason we took it all back home, took the six months
not touring, not going to Sopal, Poland and
Hungary. The new energy, the new synergy of Jamaican
producers and entertainers.
You mentioned you went all over the world. When you
are working on an album do you think about appealing to
the international community?
Sean Paul-Not really.
I have always had in my songs an element that they can
play on any radio station. They are not vulgar and they
are not violent but they are strictly dancehall. The tracks
that I use and the tracks that I am on are straight dancehall
production produced in Kingston, Jamaica. It's not really
like I plan to say I want a crossover song here and there.
I made a conscious effort to write English hooks and hooks
that hip-hop heads can identify. I'm using the word like
"get busy" that's not a Jamaican term but that kinda thing
has helped me to get across and it's straight dancehall.
Can you tell me the meaning behind the song "We Be
Burnin'
Sean Paul-Yeah.
"We Be Burnin'" was at first a weed joint. It was
called "Legalize It" at first. If you do know
my album called "Dutty Rock"
you will know I had a song on their called
"Ganja Breed." "Ganja Breed"
is about me saying I'm a weed head, I love weed. It wasn't
a single because you cant really make those songs a single.
I thought "We Be Burnin'-Legalize
It" would be one of those songs on my album.
But it blew up in Jamaica reason being people there smoke.
It started to blow up in Miami and started to hit certain
different stations in different areas. The company came
to me and said "Listen will you change the word legalize
it in the song cause we want to shoot a video of it."
I was like, "No way," because every other word in the
song leads up to "legalize it." It wouldn't make any sense
especially to the heads on the people who supported it
in the beginning. So, I changed the whole song and now
it's a party track. Now it says, "We be burnin, not
concernin' what nobody want to say." Burning what?
I'm burning the candle at two ends.I'm making my bucks.
I'm making my dough. I'm partying with the ladies in the
club. Life is short you have to just socialize sometimes
to get out of the vibe of feeling like a warrior instead
of feeling like some animal at war. You can more feel
like a human being socializing. That is my work supposed
to remind people of-party music ya know what I mean. "We
Be Burnin'" recognize it. It's basically party music,
it's another part track.
What are some of your favorite songs on the new album?
Sean Paul-Being an
artist I don't have a favorite song, I don't have a favorite
color, I don't got no favorite movie. I get different
inspirations from different things. All of my songs are
my babies. I don't have one song I favor over the next
one. They are all for some reason a piece of me. They
are a piece of me and a piece of my self expression.
I know you mentioned going all over the world and in
the press release there was a mention of a wave of violence
in Jamaica. You've reached this level of success what
made you decide to stay in Jamaica and keep your roots
in Jamaica?
Sean Paul-Its where
I come from. It's part of me. In the 70's when I was growing
up it was real hectic. It was real bad there. I can remember
years I would go to the supermarket with moms and people
would be fighting over the two bags of flour and a couple
of bags of sugar that were on the shelves. It was real
bad. There were killings everywhere. Stuff like that has
been a part of our society unfortunately for many years.
It's not that I'm used to it but it's my home. I'm one
of those people who would like to see it get better. I
don't think running away is going to make it better. Because
I have an international voice right now I think I should
stay there and help out. There are certain things that
I have been able to do voicing my opinions and when Hurricane
Ivan hit there last year I was able to donate money to
schools and hospitals that were damaged. That was very
important for us to get back on our feet as a country
we need those things in place. I think I am doing my part
and that's important to me to give back to what made me
what I am now.
You are one of the few artists out there who are truly
carrying albums by themselves. I know you have a few featured
artists on your new album but what was your thinking behind
not having too many guest artists on the album?
Sean Paul-I said before
lots of people have been doing dancehall and what not
but I want to give the shine back to the kids in Jamaica
and what not. To show that these kids inspire me. I just
didn't think I could do "Dutty Rock" again. I've sold
5 million records with that formula. I've worked with
the top people in the R&B/Hip-Hop game. Busta Rhymes,
Beyonce, Tony Touch, Rahzel, I have also done work
with Blu Cantrell and 50 Cent. I don't know if people
want me to run down the latest cats in the game right
now. Should I go and run down Game or should I run down…to
do songs with them? All of those collabs happen naturally
in the natural progress of my career. Things were getting
hot, Beyonce heard about my songs and she was like, "Yo
I need that kid on my album." That is how the song came
about. Ya know what I mean? It was a conscious decision
this time to stay away from that. I just don't think you
can give people the same thing over again. History is
made, 6 million record. The new Trinity.
Last question. Someone from the website sent this question
in and I always try to get at least one of their questions
asked. They wanted me to ask you if you have ever worked
with Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley or do you have any plans
to work with him?
Sean Paul-I've never
worked with Damian. I've worked with his brother.
I used to go to school with Damian Marley. I was in his
class for the whole prep school which is from kindergarten
straight up until you enter high school. I know him good
from being almost family friends. My mom is close friends
with his mom. Right now to see him exposed and getting
his work out to the rest of the world is great to me.
I've seen his work evolve from his first album to this
is his third one now. He is really deep right now. I've
worked with Ziggy Marley and Stephen for a song
for the Shark Tale movie. I was listening to some
tracks on his album and at that time I did express, "Hey
we should do some work sometimes," but we haven't
hooked up to do it.
Sean Paul official website -http://www.sean-paul.net/
May not be reprinted, copied or distributed. You may link
to this interview.
Sean Paul interview copyright Dorrie Williams-Wheeler,
thabiz.com September 2005.
|
T
