Entertainment

Back in the mix

BY TEINO EVANS, Staff Reporter

Wayne Marshall and Mr. Vegas - file photos

LOCAL DEEJAYS HAVE come and gone, while others manage to maintain a strong presence, both on the local and international scene. However, for some artistes, there are times when they have faded from the public eye locally, but have managed to find their way back.

There may be a number of factors for this absence on the local scene, including personal reasons or even the pursuit of an international career.

Most recently, the likes of Wayne Marshall, Mr. Vegas and even Red Rat have found their way back in the local mix.

For Red Rat and Wayne Marshall, they say it for taking time out to rejuvenate and focus on some personal matters.

RE-INVENT YOURSELF

"In everybody career yuh a guh need time off fi re-invent yuhself, an mi did tek time off fi mi yout still. Mi did haffi guh deep inna mi self an re-invent myself. Suh what I did was to go back to my musical roots of being a musician and knowing how to make music. Suh now, mi a sing more, an my style is more a sing jay. And it's more than just the style, hit songs count, so songs have to be well-produced as well," Red Rat said.

Now, Red Rat has been making a couple of appearances on local shows, the most recent being the Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest held in Montego Bay in July.

"Mi nuh really have nuh upcoming shows locally, most of my shows are abroad. Mi deh pon most of the hot riddims out now though and I'm working on putting out two riddims of my own, one is a dancehall hardcore riddim and the other is a one-drop. Mi basically a work pon mi album now, which will be completed hopefully by November this year," Red Rat said.

In addition, Red Rat said despite establishing his own label (Rat-A-Castle) back in 1999, it is only now that he is opening a studio and office.

"Bout two weeks ago di office an studio open, suh wi more accessible and it easier fi find Red Rat now. Mi feel seh people, especially promoters never really know weh fi find Red Rat, but now, wid the office, promoters will have more easier access," he said.

Wayne Marshall, who had also been missed on the local dancehall scene for a while, had been taking a break to revitalize himself and attend to personal matters as well.

"Mi did kinda a tek it easy, you nuh, take time out... right now me a aim to find myself, find some concept, find some strategy, me a look at the music from a bird's eye view. We have a whole heap a singles coming out; we ago bombard the place. Right now I'm voicing, setting up some videos, part three for me and Tami and a whole heap a videos for the summer," Marshall told THE STAR in an earlier interview.

Marshall also said that his break had allowed him the chance to grow and develop musically.

"I'm growing. Nowadays when I listen to myself back then, my ears hurt... now I know more about keys and delivery. I keep on growing and it's not just the musical element have to grow, you haffi also talk bout serious aspect of music," Marshall said.

Mr. Vegas and members of his management team who were unavailable for comment due to engagements in Los Angeles, had also been out of the local mix for a while, but he has recently returned to the fore, with his current hot singles, Constant Spring and Taxi Fare, which features Mr. Lex, both of which has music videos in regular rotation.

Scare Dem Crew member, Nitty Kutchie, who was thought to be down and out, has also made an attempt to recapture the limelight, as he recently released his debut album, 'Jah Deliver Me'.