Al’Qual recalls betrayal on ‘Survival’

Emerging dancehall artiste Al'Qual says that his latest single, Survival, was inspired by an act of betrayal in his life.

"I was going through a phase where my real friend styled me and accused me of stealing something from him. At that time, I was 'preeing' both him and my family. My family mek sure me grow rough, never with too much love. So you don't have to do much for them to hate yu, and the whole ting was very bad. I figured that he was my friend, and he should know I would never do that, and never accuse me of being a thief. But but he just didn't believe or know the real me," Al'Qual said.

The artiste said that his friend later found the missing item and tried to apologise.

"But the damage was already done, the friendship wasn't the same. So I used all those bad things, those betrayals, and put it all together in one song," said Al'Qual, whose given name is Amanual Eccleston.

The single, produced by Father Scur of All Nation Music, will be released in the final week of January on the Pushayute Records imprint. The 24-year-old inked a deal with the label last year. Before that, he carved out a reputation for clashing other DJs and artistes, which resulted in him becoming known as more of a clash artiste lyrically. He has cultivated a decent underground following with tracks like Think Smart and Subzero. He plans to drop another single, Wish Bad, also on the Pushayute Records imprint, with visuals in February.

"I've been through it with people. I have learned that the things that already happened ... you can't change it. So ghetto youths, you have to adapt, hold a focus and don't follow them and live the lie. Violence is not the only answer, circumstances will turn you into somebody that you're not. One bad experience cannot make you bitter. Elevate," he said.