Thanks to his persistent parents who brought him to the studio and left him, he has been famous in Jamaica since his first album “My Name Is Gyptian” was released by VP records in 2004.
His uncommon accomplishments followed in 2007 with the single “I Can Feel Your Pain” produced by JonFX on the Cloud Nine Riddim. Three years later, his hit single, “Hold You” – with an infectious hook- brought him international recognition.
As he settles in for our late morning conversation he lights a ganja spliff.
He says “Hold You” has sold platinum now but so far the RIAA only issued a Gold certification. Nevertheless, that accomplishment places him among the top one percent of reggae and dancehall artists.
Hold Yuh peaked at 77 on the Hot 100 chart, number 3 on the Heatseekers Songs chart, 31 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, 63 on the Radio Songs chart and an astonishing peak of 28 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40.
In Canada it peaked at No. 69 on the Canadian Hot 100. The official remix for the song features rapper Nicki Minaj which spent 29 weeks on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Chart and 15 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
As Hold You the song gained international success, Hold You the album reached number 2 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums Chart.
There is a reason for Gyptian to enjoy a healthy amount of braggadocio, but instead he comes across with unprecedented simplicity towards the music and music making.
“I don’t think you should have a genre where you have to say this is the type of music. Sing music, people dance”
In expounding his thoughts he gathers, “put something out there where people can be entertained and dance to.”
A simple formula that has worked for him but he has not stayed in that dancing and fun box all his career. The thought of being placed in a box seems tame to him.
“Thats all about an artist being versatile, using up his versatility, it’s not about putting in one box because from you see a man like me you know there is not putting in a box or categorize me” he says dismissively interlaced with laughter.
He doesn’t have a reputation of working with the new generation of artists coming from Jamaica but he respects their efforts.
“Back when we did younger out parents could really relate to what we did a do”.
There is plenty to talk about on that subject but he concludes that,
“The next generation is gonna do what they are comfortable with…their frequencies are totally different from ours.”
“At the same time what me hear them a put back into the music is some melody, me a hear some pretty sounds,” he says to acknowledge the change happening in Jamaica’s music industry.
In 2017 he made a seemingly premature announcement about a departure from VP records due to their inability to market and promote reggae music.
The label then responded to his claims in a statement to the Jamaica Observer, “Reports that reggae artiste Gyptian is no longer signed to VP Records are false. On the contrary, VP Records can confirm that Gyptian remains an exclusive VP recording artist. VP Records aims to establish and maintain strong working relationships with all of our artistes and endeavour to release the best possible product.”
With VP not allowing him to go at will, his advice now to new artists who wish to get in business with record labels is mixed with reason with rebellion.
“It would be better off to go independent but at the same time you’re gonna be entering the markets of these big giants. The only reason they can stay on top is by whatever they do to stay on top, whatever means necessary”.
From the ins and outs of the industry he sees goliath.
“They won’t allow you to go too far as an independent artist, you can but it will take you an arm and a leg”.
He reflects on his younger days in the music industry and finds more advice for the newcomers.
“What these youngsters must do they must really have a lawyer upfront whenever these contracts are being signed”.
It is a practice in the music industry for labels to command the lion’s share of the masters in exchange for an advance and artists must settle their obligation so that labels can recoup.
A lot of us as artists we just go sign and there is nobody representable when we go sign.
He attempts to clarify whether he has used lawyers to sign his contract with a settled thought on his mistakes.
“When the papers dem did a sign after a certain amount of years they are supposed to give me them back so yes some a dem, them have some a dem”.
Without his master ownership Gyptian still enjoys the uplands of platinum record sales and he knows where the money resides in music for an artist.
“Throughout all of my life, my publishing is my greatest accomplishment”
As we got to the meat of the matter for the last 15 minutes of our conversation he reveals what is important to him and his views on the vaccine mandates.
“Mad a murda man faster than how the vaccine a kill you yah star, I Pickney dem haffi eat and I don’t live for man and I don’t live for what social media decide and social media decision. I out already so read between the bomb^&^& line”.
