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Bramma<br />
Early Success<br />
By Kern Carter<br />
You always hear stories about what it’s like growing up<br />
in parts of Kingston, Jamaica. What was your personal<br />
experience Maxfield Gardens community and how did<br />
that shape you as a person?<br />
My personal experiences... There’s a lot. Just to name a few,<br />
I’ve to escape poverty and make it out. Maxfield is one of the<br />
toughest Garrison in Jamaica. Just to survive out of Maxfield<br />
was an experience within itself. Also I’ve experienced losing<br />
most of my friends to violence and even saw some of them<br />
go to jail. Other experiences back then, my address alone,<br />
made people judge me “because me a ghetto youth” etc. I<br />
definitely think it shaped and molded me into the person<br />
I am now. It made me stronger, made me realize where I’m<br />
coming from and identify where I want to go.<br />
What was it like going straight from school directly into<br />
the dancehall scene? How did you handle the expectations<br />
at such a young age?<br />
Well honestly, it was a conscious decision, when I look at my<br />
life and my surroundings. Firstly, I had to grow up quick; so<br />
immediately after High School it was either music, or being<br />
on the corner. As an only child of my mother, you know what<br />
stems from the corner: either death or jail. I did not want<br />
that for myself, «so I chose music». It was hard as a youth<br />
yes, trying to make links from studio to studio in the streets,<br />
lots of doors closed on me. I knew what I wanted though, so<br />
I just went for it.<br />
How difficult was it getting attention in the Jamaican<br />
dancehall market? Why do you think you were able to<br />
have success outside of Jamaica?<br />
BOSS MAGAZINE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT<br />
<strong>Boss</strong> is fortunate to interview Bramma, one of the leading<br />
reggae artists of this generation and the certainly the<br />
next. He’s already accomplished so much in his early career,<br />
and although Bramma is thankful for the present success,<br />
he is even more focused on what he has yet to conquer.<br />
Very difficult because Jamaica has one million and one<br />
dancehall artists and every other person thinks they are the<br />
next big thing. So you know you have to make your thing as<br />
unique as possible and just go hard to stand out. Firstly, I<br />
know my music is real, and I sing for real people. So naturally<br />
they will feel and appreciate it, and it’s different from<br />
the everyday crap you hear on the radio they are calling<br />
dancehall. I mean, a lot of lyrics, plus the catchy melodies,<br />
nothing confusing (laughs).<br />
You’ve said that Bounty Killer was one of your musical<br />
idols growing up. Which one of your peers in the Reggae<br />
scene today do you admire?<br />
I don’t think that I have any peers because I am unique… lol.<br />
But if I have to say someone it has to be Stephen McGregor<br />
or my S-LOCK Team.<br />
How important was it for your career, and for you as<br />
a person, not to take sides when the initial problems<br />
started between Vybz and Bounty and everyone else<br />
involved. Was it difficult to stay neutral?<br />
Well it was never really hard. First and foremost nobody<br />
can program me, I do what I want and I am my own man. At<br />
that time Kartel and I were close friends and I looked up to<br />
Bounty Killer, so if they have beef; I’m a vegetarian. “Rasta<br />
don’t mix up in that.”<br />
Describe the feeling on finally going on tour for the first<br />
time? Did that make you feel like you were solidified as<br />
top Reggae artist?<br />
Yes, it was overwhelming and gratifying to know that I’m<br />
leaving my island and people because another country want<br />
to see me and love my music. It was a good feeling and it<br />
solidified me as an artist, because it boosted my love and<br />
confidence in the music through that appreciation.<br />
What is the next step for Bramma? Where do you hope to<br />
take your career and what message do you want to send<br />
with your music?<br />
I will continue to do this S-LOCK / BIG SHIP thing to the<br />
best of my ability. Which includes playing my part in<br />
representing and promoting the Dancehall/ Reggae genre<br />
to where it needs to be. Look out for lots more videos, tours,<br />
collaborations and also getting my new artists out there:<br />
Krucial, Idus and Diamond. I hope to take my career as far as<br />
it can go, doing my best. And my message is that ‘#Gorillas<br />
run the world lol.’ To all of the people with dreams, you can<br />
be or do whatever you want don’t allow anything or anyone<br />
to discourage you.<br />
WINTER <strong>2013</strong> BOSS MAGAZINE<br />
72<br />
73
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