Assassin - Contributed

There aren't many dancehall artistes as eloquent or as versatile as Assassin.

This dancehall torcher, who is studying business management online with the University of Sunderland, is equally comfortable at Sting as he is at a Sweet Sixteen birthday party.

Assassin, born Jeffrey Campbell, has also grown and matured in front of our eyes, from Spragga Benz's protégé to a dancehall stalwart who seems to represent the good things of the music and the industry.

He wisely avoided a lyrical battle with Vybz Kartel in 2005, saying it would not have "propelled his career", and has remained relevant through smartly written lyrics and a second-to-none delivery.

In the first of this three-part series, Assassin, who took on the moniker Agent Sasco recently, talks about the growth of his career, why he chose not to 'clash' with Vybz Kartel, and the relationship with his former mentor, Spragga Benz.

THE STAR: How did you get started as a professional in the music business?

Assassin: I started after I finished fifth form at Camperdown High School. A friend of mine, 'Briggi', who is Spragga Benz's nephew, would clash at lunch and in the evenings after school. He used to deejay Spragga's pre-released songs, so at 15 years old in fifth form I would have to contend with that type of material.

That is how I would say I started doing materials which could compete in the market. Then Spragga Benz happened to be one of the people who I respect, along with Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and Buju Banton. At sixth form I was thinking about music as a hobby, because I was thinking of finishing and then attending UWI to take up journalism. I had some songs, which I obviously wasn't going to use, so Briggi say him a go turn deejay and I gave them to him. One of the songs (Big Up All Di Shottas Dem) I gave to him and Spragga performed it. So I became excited and said I wanted to meet Spragga and thought I could be a songwriter. After reasoning with Spragga (in 1999) he said the "writing thing not going to be much more than a hobby, the best thing is to deliver it by yourself". So I took it as a summer job and he introduced me to couple producers, and from there on it was great.

THE STAR: What has changed the most in the music industry since you started?

Assassin: What is tough as a human being is just to understand people. People are very complex, and that is the most significant thing I had to deal with.

THE STAR: What type of artiste is Assassin?

Assassin: I love music with the utmost sincerity and I make that love direct my decisions, and so Assassin would do music without the restriction of a label. I'm an artiste who keeps it real and will always be representing the art form of music.

THE STAR: In what way would you say you have matured since your debut disc in 1999?

Assassin: Time itself offers experiences that you should be learning from, and that is where maturity comes from, and when I can make a conscious effort to amend mistakes I become more aware of myself, and what it is that I have to offer and be focusing on, and I believe there is clarity in that.

THE STAR: Your career and identity would have been different had you followed up on the potential lyrical battle between yourself and Vybz Kartel. How did you manage to avoid that?

Assassin: Certainly, it would. As they say, 'It takes two to start an argument'. It's me who decided I am not going to sing anymore songs and he did a bunch. I just never followed it up. And also for a couple of reasons, one, from morning I never came in this music industry to do anything that I would consider detrimental or to have any form of negative contribution to the business.

Don't get me wrong, clash as a part our industry is not a negative thing within itself. When you have just music competition like Stichie and Papa San, those stuff are fun. When it is done in the right way and competitive nature that is fine. But when you start go to 'under you mother' and all these things, plus at the time my mother was sick. When it start to turn to that, I had to distance myself and it was distracting me from what I wanted to do in music. If I had followed-up, then it would be the definition of my career and contribution to the music.

THE STAR: Has your career improved from that decision? And to what level?

Assassin: It has by a zillion miles. To generating genuine respect, and that became very apparent to me earlier this year when there was the situation with Red Stripe (Project Artiste concert at Sabina Park). When the first report came out, which said my performance was cut short because of questionable lyrics; as far as I know everyone was willing to reserve his or her argument until they get to hear my side of the story because it is not of your character. That is when I appreciate the decision to say I'm not going to be in no cussing with no man for people to add that to your profile. It really has great value to it.

THE STAR: What about the rumours with you and Spragga Benz not seeing eye-to-eye anymore. How true is that?

Assassin: Certainly things are not as they once were in terms of the type of linkage. But as time passes you will understand that you will grow and other people will grow and sometimes grow in different directions. But there is no vibes. If I see him, ofcourse we hail. I'm very fond of his kids.

THE STAR: What are the circumstances that led to you and Spragga's fall-out?

Assassin: It's nothing but growth. When people are heading the same direction things are fine, but if your directions starts to pull a little bit away nothing is wrong with that. We just called it a day. It's a similar thing with Penthouse. (Donovan) Germaine and I get along, is just that he doesn't manage me anymore.