Beenie Man is suggesting that 6ixx deejay Daddy1 is not a dancehall artiste and is instead a rapper.
It’s been just a few days since Beenie Man stopped by OnStage to air out his concerns about the current state of dancehall and what the youth are offering to the genre. While promoting his new track, with Singer J and Troublemekka titled, “Hands Up,” the veteran King of the Dancehall stopped by Frenz For Real Live Radio during their Mek We Reason session. During the interview, he served up more of what he dished out during the sitdown with Winford Williams, but this time singled out one of dancehall’s hottest new talents, Daddy1.
While on his quest to show just how much dancehall music has changed, he shaded the “Anthem” deejay by dubbing him as a rapper instead of a dancehall act. He recollected on sharing a stage with Daddy1 and not being able to comprehend most of the lyrics the 21-year-old was deejaying. Beenie dubbed his inability to fully understand Daddy1’s lyrics as one of his reasons he regards him as a rapper. In what sounded like an entangled snarl, Beenie proceeded to give his interpretation of how the “Custom” deejay sounded during the performance. Quite a hit at Daddy1!
With clear and powerful vocals, backed by elaborate dancing, Beenie Man is considered one of Jamaica’s most electrifying performers and regularly sets the bar for what is expected from an entertainer, both locally and abroad.
However, Daddy1 falls among a different crop of artistes who pride themselves on bringing a new ‘trap’ sound to dancehall. Beenie sees this act as one of the things leading to the downfall of the genre. The Doc admitted that he didn’t know Daddy1 was a rap artiste, but let’s be clear; the 6ixx deejay classified himself as a dancehall artiste.
“Me never know say Daddy1 was a rapper, ah swear, me never know say him was a rapper,” the dancehall icon said. “And then you want tell me say you a the next dancehall artiste?”
“No disrespect. If you ah do dancehall you do dancehall,” Beenie Man continues. “If you a rapper you a rapper.”
However, who is responsible for the new sound? Many would argue it is the responsibility of producers to shape the sound of a genre. Beenie believes no matter a producer throws at an entertainer, he should be able to remain grounded to the true sounds of dancehall, meanwhile conjuring a positive attitude to the core sounds of dancehall and not implement outside influences.
“Jamaican sound is that authenticity of drum and bass and likkle piano round dere so and likkle keyboard and ting and two piece ah guitar till it go to Dancehall drum and base and two likkle phrase,” mentioned Beenie, as evidence that there is no new dancehall sound. He continued that most of the beats have been mock-ups of the original 80s sound, which Beenie believes actually helps to preserve the genre.
Nonetheless, the shots at Daddy1 admittedly feel like a sour case of contraction for Beenie Man, who preached unity only days before.
