Flippa Mafia is rebuilding his life and music career after being released from prison in 2022.
The longtime dancehall artist known for old hits like “Dem Ya” and “Who Me” says after his nearly 10-year stint in prison, he just wants to rehabilitate and teach the youth to be better and not make the same mistakes he did. During a new interview with Anthony Miller on the Entertainment Report, Flippa, who now goes by Flippa Moggela, denied ever flipping in any way to get an early release. The first half of the two-part interview premiered on Friday (May 31).
“People been a say Flippa a informer with no evidence, no proof, yuh understand me? But I’m saying, ever since Flippa get locked up, who they can say that Flippa sent to jail? Yuh know how Jamaicans stay, community is small but we are big and in [abundance] so somebody gonna come forward and say ‘Flippa tell pon me’ or ‘Flippa take the stand pon me’ or ‘Flippa do this’. Nobody can come forth,” the dancehall artist explained.
Flippa, whose legal moniker is Andrew Davis, went on to rehash his past when he had a run-in with the law after two men were killed in his home in 2006. He vehemently denied any involvement in the double homicide and said he was able to clear his name by telling his honest side of the story and walking away scot-free. Flippa attributes that debacle to the notion that he was a federal informant since he was not charged.
The “Dem Ya” hitmaker was arrested in 2013 and later charged for drug trafficking and money laundering. He pled guilty to the crimes and was eventually convicted on June 3, 2016, and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The artist was also charged for allegedly leading a narcotics trafficking network but a guilty verdict was never handed down for that charge. In response to the question of if he ever snitched on anyone, Flippa said he was the only one the prosecutors wanted.
“I was the top of the food chain,” said Flippa. “Is me dem want, nobody else. A me have the name, a me have the fame. So, prosecutor and police officer get promotion off of [taking] down somebody like me. So, there was nobody to tell on. Even if there was somebody bigger than me, they wasn’t interested. They was only interested in me.”
Despite the serious charges, Flippa became a free man on October 4, 2022. He was originally slated to be released on August 17, 2030, but got out early on parole. The “Moggela” as he designates, shared that he had a brutal encounter with correctional officers when he was first incarcerated, and they physically assaulted him. Flippa explained that he filed a lawsuit and won the case, resulting in the charges being dismissed. “That’s also one of the reasons why I could be able to come out on parole early,” he said.
When asked if he had lost all his possessions, such as vehicles, properties, and jewelry, Flippa admitted that he had sold “a few stuff” but kept his bling. “I would have [given] away everything for my freedom. I am okay, I can maintain. As long as me can pay my bills and me alright and me nah fi beg nobody me nuh care.”
He continued, “Listen, I have titles. Just like mi say foundation over hype. So, guess what, just like how mi say even if me broke mi can sell back one. So, mi can sell and rebuild.” Flippa went on to explain where he is in life now, citing his sister’s restaurant as his place of employment, where he says he is making an “honest living with [his] family” and trying to open up other opportunities and focus on his music again.
“Nuff people don’t want give me [credit] like mi nuh pay no dues. So, guess what? Me a go take mine and do what mi have to do and put back mi self back pon di world scene. Mek di people dem know say Flippa do this and mi nah fi do wah mi used to do before. But me a mek the people dem know who mi is, what mi represent and what mi stand for.”
The rest of the interview will air this Friday (June 7) at 8:30pm in Jamaica.
