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BOSS MAGAZINE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Mavado:
by Kern Carter
voice of a generation
It’s clear that more than any other reggae artist of this generation,
Mavado has been able to cross musical boundaries, influence
Jamaican culture, and infiltrate popular culture. He brought a unique
sound to the dancehall scene, and has remained a powerful voice in
the industry since the beginning of his career.
It didn’t take long
for Mavado to
establish himself
as a force in the
scene. Under
the tutelage of
mentor Bounty
Killer since his
early teens,
and with the
leadership of
manager Julian
Jones Griffin,
Mavado burst on
to the dancehall
circuit with the
knowledge
of a veteran,
immediately
making his mark
with his first
single “Real
McKoy.” The
track became
an anthem, and
became the
first in a string
of songs that
showed Mavado
was much more
than a simple
dancehall artist.
He certainly has
been much more
than that, and
soon fans and
other musicians
took notice
of the new
sensation. As his
base expanded,
hip-hop radio stations started spinning songs off his debut
“Gangsta For Life” album, and Mavado’s popularity grew
rapidly. Artists like Jay-Z started remixing Mavado’s songs,
and even more artists like Lil Kim and Wyclef were requesting
the singer be featured on their songs.
But as the success came, so did the controversy. Most
notably his duel with former colleague Vybz Kartel. Despite
the numerous diss tracks that went back and forth from both
artists, the major impact of this fallout was how it impacted
Jamaican culture, specifically the youth. The impact again
showed the power of Mavado’s voice, as the creation of
his “Gully Side” movement caused many youths of Jamaica
to follow suite and feel like they had to fight Mavado’s
battle against
Vybz “Gaza”
movement.
The result was
an uproar in
the streets of
Jamaica, and
lives were lost
due to what was
essentially a
musical beef.
Though the
dispute between
both artists
seem to be over,
Mavado has
taken advantage
of the Gully
Side movement
and spun it
into something
positive and
profitable.
His website
gullyside.com
has been a hub
for everything
M a v a d o ,
including new
music, show
dates, and
Gully Side
merchandise.
One of the bigger
announcements
of Mavado’s
career came
when he
announced
signing to DJ
Khaled’s We The
Best imprint in 2011, a move that opened up the “Delila”
singer to an even wider audience. Since then, Mavado has
collabed with Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and most recently
got a feature from pop sensation Nikki Minaj on his “Give It
All To Me” single released this past October.
Mavado’s voice continues to be heavy in the dancehall
scene. His impact on music and culture is unmatched by
most artists in any genre today. He has the power to attract
and the power to influence, and with only two albums,
Mavado has a future that may be even brighter than his
past. Transgressions aside, Mavado is the voice of today’s
youth, and his impact has been unquestionable.
WINTER 2013 BOSS MAGAZINE
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