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Sean Paul Interview
Reggae | Thursday 17th November 2011 | Osh
The man who is partly responsible for for the love of Jamaican Dancehall in this country is back. Sean Paul recently took on Wembley and he’s showing no signs of stopping.
The man himself, the shotta Sean Paul, is right here on Guestlist TV. How are you feelin’ bredrin?
Good, man. With an intro like that I can’t help but feel good; see this big smile on my face.
You did the work still my brother?
Yeah, but it still feels nice to get that big up, to hear you say that. So I give thanks.
Yeah man, no problem. I know you are here in the UK for the One Love Reggae Peace Festival and you have another show at the Bristol O2 Academy in Bristol?
Yeah, I ain’t been to Bristol since... 1998.
1998? So that’s going back to ‘Deport Dem’ days ?
Yeah, back to when I first started out, so it’s going to be like a reunion going back over there.
You did the work still my brother?
Yeah, but it still feels nice to get that big up, to hear you say that. So I give thanks.
Yeah man, no problem. I know you are here in the UK for the One Love Reggae Peace Festival and you have another show at the Bristol O2 Academy in Bristol?
Yeah, I ain’t been to Bristol since... 1998.
1998? So that’s going back to ‘Deport Dem’ days ?
Yeah, back to when I first started out, so it’s going to be like a reunion going back over there.
You come from Jamaica and I understand that you come from a very sporty background. We almost lost you to sport from what I hear?
I think sport lost me to music really. I used to swim for Jamaica and play water polo, me and my
brother, for the country. We have been to the Carifta Games and Pan American Games and these things. My father and mother met at the National Stadium pool and they used to swim for Jamaica also, so they were teaching swimming when I was growing up. I was the kid throwing people in the pool and if they started drowning, I would jump in and get them out! Yeah, I was very good in the water. The last time I played Water Polo for Jamaica was in 2006.
brother, for the country. We have been to the Carifta Games and Pan American Games and these things. My father and mother met at the National Stadium pool and they used to swim for Jamaica also, so they were teaching swimming when I was growing up. I was the kid throwing people in the pool and if they started drowning, I would jump in and get them out! Yeah, I was very good in the water. The last time I played Water Polo for Jamaica was in 2006.
So what was the transition that made you decide that it was now ‘music time’?
You know over the years I was more and more interested in music and when I was about 15 I
thought that I was going to be a producer. I got a little keyboard and I started building beats because it had a drum section, but never really manifested to that. I still stayed in school and did what I had to do. By the time I was 19 I started to write songs and that took over. So I was working in a bank at the time, counting people’s money; then I left from there and went to Hotel Management School. All during those times I was going to the studio in the night. That’s how I was grinding it. On a double-timing thing every day it was; studio at night, get up in the morning tired and go to school, then swim training in the evening, then studio again.
thought that I was going to be a producer. I got a little keyboard and I started building beats because it had a drum section, but never really manifested to that. I still stayed in school and did what I had to do. By the time I was 19 I started to write songs and that took over. So I was working in a bank at the time, counting people’s money; then I left from there and went to Hotel Management School. All during those times I was going to the studio in the night. That’s how I was grinding it. On a double-timing thing every day it was; studio at night, get up in the morning tired and go to school, then swim training in the evening, then studio again.
Then the absolutely big album in 2002, Dutty Rock; now that was an absolute worldwide smash. Nobody saw that one coming!
Not even me, for real. I give thanks for it every day. For every step of life you have to give thanks but that was a big monumental moment for me, for real.
It sold six million records worldwide and counting?
Yeah, and then when it was released, it was like... Wow. Then you think to yourself, “Let me try to expand the sound and make the same thing but on a different level.” Since then it just been that; I have been trying to grow. That is what my whole vibe has been since stage one too. Just trying to grow and evolve as an artist...
One thing I have to ask you brother, I don’t get to meet a Grammy Award Winner very regularly. So what was it like winning a Grammy?
All those events, as you have mentioned, the MOBOs, the Grammys, I got a Source Award, an
American Music Award, a Soul Train Award. All these things are the cream on the top of the pie, the thing to me is that I love being in the studio.
American Music Award, a Soul Train Award. All these things are the cream on the top of the pie, the thing to me is that I love being in the studio.
You seem to take it all in your stride and it seems to be a humbling experience for you but off the back of all of that now, you started people like the queen of RnB right now, Beyonce, Blu Cantrell..
I did songs with Busta Rhymes, who is one of my heros in the business, Keyshia Cole. I did songs with Rihanna.
Well Beyonce is the most memorable because of all the controversy that came out with it and
it was my first number 1 song but also working with Rihanna was great too because she is from
the Caribbean too so she gets the sense of humour. Keyshia Cole was real easy to work with to, I loved that. Those artists I mention, including Busta Rhymes too, was just like a great vibe to me. I loved the experience of being able to work with them.
the Caribbean too so she gets the sense of humour. Keyshia Cole was real easy to work with to, I loved that. Those artists I mention, including Busta Rhymes too, was just like a great vibe to me. I loved the experience of being able to work with them.
So you took it to another level with ‘Temperature’ as it was your first individual number 1. What was the concept behind the album “Trinity” and why did you name it “Trinity”?
Well it being my third album, and I was noticing a lot of threes in my life. People were saying “trees that you smoke?” and I said yeah... But apart from that, it was things occurring three different times. So I thought I was just name it Trinity because it took me 3 years to build it.
You have a new album in the offing later this year. Tell me about this; who is producing on it?
On “Imperial Blaze”, the last album, I felt like staying by myself, I felt like I reached the point where I am the fire that brings people towards kneeling down to this king, Reggae music. So I called it Imperial Blaze, I am the person who brings people towards it. On this album now I am feeling more to do work with other people but not these great big stars. I mean I am not saying that I wouldn’t like to work with Shakira, as I have been saying to her in interviews for years! This time around, I think I want to use some fresh people. So Alexis Jordan was perfect; she is from America and not much of their population know her or her music. I figured it would be a great way of breaking her to the masses of America and the rest of the world too. So its a symbiotic thing.
Sean Paul's new single 'Got 2 Luv U' featuring Alexis Jordan is out now.
