September 1, 2025 • 49 mins
Resilience defines Tifa's journey through the music industry, and her return to the Style and Vibes podcast after five years showcases an artist who has not only survived but thrived through evolution. We discuss changes that have shaped her career since we last spoke—from navigating a global pandemic to celebrating a Grammy win with Kabaka Pyramid, and finding her voice again with her powerful new single "I Want a Man."
We dive into Tifa's writing process as she explains how her songwriting has remained remarkably consistent since age 15. Rather than writing solely from personal experience, she crafts stories from observations, emotions, and the collective experiences of women, creating music that resonates far beyond typical dancehall themes. "I Want a Man" exemplifies this approach, the song became a voice for women navigating complex relationship dynamics and societal expectations.
Her triumphant performance at Alkaline's New Rules Concert marked a definitive statement about her enduring relevance in Jamaica's music landscape. Despite industry attempts to sideline her, 15,000 fans singing her lyrics word-for-word confirmed what she's always known—authentic artistry outlasts social media manipulation.
As she maps out her future with multiple albums spanning different genres, Tifa's vision extends beyond personal success to contributing to the legacy of Caribbean artists who have achieved international recognition.
What makes this conversation particularly fascinating is Tifa's candid reflections on the value of stepping back. In an industry that demands constant visibility, her strategic break allowed her to reconnect with herself, relearn the evolving social media landscape, and fall in love with music again. For anyone feeling burned out or seeking reinvention, her journey offers both inspiration and practical wisdom about balancing authenticity with strategic evolution.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Style and Vibes podcast with me,
Makayla.
I'll be giving you the insidescoop on music, fashion, culture
and more from Caribbeancelebrities and tastemakers
across the globe pushing ourculture with authenticity and,
of course, style and vibes.
Hello everyone, and welcome toanother edition of the Style and
(00:22):
Vibes podcast with yours trulyMakayla, If you are new here.
Welcome to another edition ofthe style and vibes podcast with
yours truly michaela, if youare new here.
Welcome to the family, if youare returning, like my guest
today.
Welcome back, family.
We have t-i-f-a.
Another building.
I wanted them d-e-m.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I still don't know, years later, and I still don't
know.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
So the last time you and I spoke, you were in New
York promoting the SilentProject with Relay and we got to
chop it up.
So we know your history, butwhat have you been up to since?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I know it's a lot Do you know that since I A lot you
been doing like literally, whenwe spoke it was right before the
pandemic, like literally, right, yeah, it's been.
It's been five years, prettymuch it's been five years.
A lot has happened in the fiveyears.
The pandemic happened um, I'mback in full force being tipa
(01:24):
again.
Um, I got a Grammy with KabakaPyramid on his album from Mr
Raskaman.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
So much has happened in the short space of time it
feels long but it feels short atthe same time, and so I am so
glad that you are doing musicfull force.
You've also kind of done someother things in between,
business wise, like you didradio for a little bit, I feel
(01:53):
like you've been doing like somehosting for party.
Talk to me about exploring allof those other creative elements
about you, because Minos sayyou're gonna perform in art
school, so you have plenty oftalents, so how was it exploring
those in that time frame?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You know, as it is you just have to, like, in this
day and age, you, if theopportunity comes and it makes
sense, you have to just stick.
You know, you have to just takethe opportunity.
Um, especially in this day andage, because you never know and
the world is ever changing andevolving.
And it's funny how I brought upthe pandemic, like us doing the
last interview right before thepandemic because life literally
(02:32):
changed.
You know what I mean.
Streaming literally changed, um, how we perceive life.
Tiktok became the number oneapp, like you know what I mean.
Like so much has happened.
So, when you're being presentedwith these opportunities, if
you're good at it, if you'regreat at it, you just need to
take them and you just need torun with them.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Like you know what I mean which one were you was out
of the most, out of your elementfor you I wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I wouldn't, any of them would be out of my element.
Um, I really enjoyed radio.
Um, not only was I a mediapersonality, but I was marketing
.
You know what I mean, because Ihave a marketing background.
I was doing a lot of marketing.
You know what I mean.
Connecting them with a lot ofsponsors, connecting them with a
lot of events.
You know what I mean, given thefact that I've worked with so
(03:16):
many sponsors and, you know,done so many events, like you
know, being the connect.
But, um, I would, I wouldn'tsay either.
Our cooking is a part of myfamily.
My family has restaurants.
Like you know what I mean.
If I couldn't cook with aworthless, I'd be a worthless
woman, like if I couldn't cook,if I couldn't you know what I
mean or have a catering business, like I'd literally be a
worthless person so, in terms ofjust being an artist and being
(03:38):
on the other side of themicrophone, of of interviewing,
how was that for you, like froman immediate experience?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
It was crazy.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I really loved it and I got a chance to ask the
questions that I would ask,because a lot of the time
separate and apart from you anda few others, I don't think you
know people just get these jobsand they're like so you know,
how was it?
What is it like being in amale-dominated business like?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
how do you like they?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
ask you the same questions over and over and I'm
like why am I here?
You know what I mean.
It's a separate part from, likeyou and a couple of other
people that like ask questions,like anthony miller's under you
know what I mean, and winfa'slike I really wanted to sit and
ask the questions that I knowwould challenge artists and that
I know would challengeprominent people and that I know
people would actually want toanswer.
(04:28):
You know what I mean.
Separate and apart from what itis that they sing and how it is
that they started, like, whoare you as a person?
You know what I mean.
What were you going throughwhen you wrote, let's say, for
example, I Want a man.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Like asking those type of questions that me, as an
artist, would sometimes wantother people to ask me.
Well, speaking of, I want a man.
You give me a good, nice segue,so the experience just come in.
Blah, blah, blah.
Um, tell me about your writingprocess from then until till now
.
How has that changed from fiveyears ago to today?
Like, how have you grown as awriter and an artist in that
time frame?
What's crazy.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I have not grown since 15 or 14.
I have not grown as a writer Inthe sense I mean sure, sure,
you know literary devices andyou know you.
You go through high school, yougo through college and you know
what I mean.
You learn about differentthings and different styles or
whatever, but I always justwrote from a place of what I see
(05:37):
and what I feel, and I can't, Ican't necessarily explain it,
but God just has a different wayof expressing through me and
I've always expressed fluentlybut differently.
And ever since I was like 14 or15 and I had this big you
remember those big five subjectbooks and I used to just write,
like write poems, and I remembermy cousins used to be like so
(06:00):
enamored like them used to justtell them one of them teeth the
book.
You know, one of them teeth thebook, but that's another story,
find at that time.
But since then, like, I'vealways just emoted the way how
you know what I mean, I feel.
I just emoted how I thinkpersons feel because a lot of
the times, like they hear a songand because people know that
I'm a writer, they think, oh,it's automatically about me, but
(06:21):
it's not necessarily about me,like kitty police was about a
friend, about a guy that wasstalking my friend's area.
You know what I mean.
Um me to wine was about justgoing to lime key on a sunday
and realizing that it was theside chicks that were on these
yachts.
I'm not necessarily the wife andI'm like what am I live better
(06:43):
life?
You know what I mean.
Right for the woman.
So I just like to explore.
You know what I mean.
Different like I'm notnecessarily the wife and I'm
like what am I live better life?
You know what I mean.
Right for the woman.
So I just like to explore.
You know what I mean.
Different like I'm not afraidto write.
That's another thing, because asa dance hall artist or as an
artist, you know they tend toput you in a box.
You know you dress this way,sing this way.
You know what I mean.
Do things this way, like wear aa little tired, and if you
don't, we're a little tired, youcan't dress like.
(07:04):
You know what I mean.
And a uniform, but um, so Ilike to explore things from not
only my angle, but like howother people see things and how
other people emote things, andso I think, even though, as I
say life has evolved, so you'regonna learn new things.
But ever since I was 15 I don'tknow, god, just give me, maybe
(07:24):
that's why I'm gonna get one inenglish and literature.
And you know, ever since then,god, just from 15, it's been
like this I think that that is Ilike.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
I really like that because the strategy hasn't
changed.
The material has.
As you have, experienced life,but that skill of writing and
continuous writing justnaturally progresses the more
you experience and observe aboutlife, and I think that that is
(07:58):
amazing.
Given your penmanship, have youever and would you write for
other artists?
I actually do um.
I've written for tell me aboutthat tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I can't, unfortunately.
You can't even.
No, I've even no.
Let me tell you the truth.
I've even written for hip-hopartists, but you know you gotta
sign them.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Ndas girl, you have to sign a little envy I need the
20 years for past because it'sin a yabuka minosa, you can't
just write and not gonna writeyour life.
Let's put it this way.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I've written for even men.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I've written for even men just make sure it's in the
biography, please, and thanks, Imean eventually.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
All right, I'm just proving up the business and you
sign those NDAs and you know,just as long as my publishing
good my good.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And that, I think, is key.
But the reason why I askedabout songwriting and
songwriting for others is Ithink Jamaica is full of talent,
caribbean people are full oftalent and I think sometimes, as
we are coming up, we're onlyseeing this one way to be in the
industry.
It's the reason why, you know,I've taken on the stance that I
(09:19):
love the music, I love theindustry, but I am not an artist
.
But there are so many differentavenues beyond being an artist
or even a producer.
I don't hear a lot aboutsongwriter women, songwriters in
the business, and I think thatthat's really why I wasn't
trying to be messy.
I just want, you know, toexpose the, the your talent,
(09:43):
beyond just doing it foryourself an idea because I'd
love to do like a, like awriting workshop.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
It do happen, you know, to me, like every now and
again, I know, um one of thedays, I think, for probably like
two hours, um, when shaggy doeshis emc thingy, um, they have
like a writing workshop, um, butI'd love to, as a woman, I'd
love you you've literally justgiven me an idea to like sit
even with other women because,as I say, we are literally put
(10:09):
in a box when it comes on to,especially if you are a dancer
artist or even if you sing this.
But how many times am I goingto sing about my vagina?
How many times am I going tosing about I can take your man?
How many times am I going tosing about I want to whine on
your mickey and tiktok.
The world know that I alreadyhave a girl, but I need
something good.
Like you can literally pay$10,000 and get vaginal
rejuvenation, like with, likeyou've heard, like you know what
(10:30):
I mean.
So, um, and you find that it'sfunny, and you find that because
you're talking about realtopics, it works, because you're
talking about, you know thesituation behind.
I want a manner because I TanyaStevens is saying these streets
are because you know what Imean.
You're talking about these realtopical things and people can
(10:52):
identify with them.
You find that it lasts longer.
You find that it has a sturdierimpact.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
So tell me about.
I Want a man because the peoplethem want to know.
Is this a personal story or isit inspired by it's not
necessarily a personal story forme.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Big up to Richard Digital One, he literally sent
me a bunch of tracks.
Just picture three months ago,three or two months ago, and
picture Richard sending me afolder of just beats and me
going through these beats andthen, for some reason, this one
in particular, can you know,most I do do the slower type
stuff, but most times it'sdancer.
(11:34):
For some reason, this justconnect with me, like I'm
playing it in the car, I'mplaying it while I'm showering,
like, for some reason, thisparticular beat just connects
with me.
And I'm gonna walk you througha week.
This is the week that, um, theDD trial started and like a
whole bunch of stuff was comingout.
(11:54):
You know, I mean it was crazyto see the dynamic between, like
men and women.
And you know the men saying, oh, she deserved it, she's not a
victim, and the women sayingshe's a victim.
And then the women are saying,oh, these men don't love us,
these men don't love us.
And then, I kid you not, fromthe Monday to Friday, every
single girlfriend that I had wascomplaining about either
situation.
(12:14):
She, our relationship, like thegroup chat, was like, yeah,
dirty man, and this, and thatI'm a camp but I, when I want
make woman, just like what isgoing on, like, like literally
the entire week, like everybodyhad a complaint.
And then I saw something thatsame week that said one in every
four women will remain single.
(12:37):
Wow, this is not good for me.
I think, over this one and thensee, a week there was another
murder suicide in Jamaica.
I know I've been having quite afew of those.
There was another murdersuicide and it's because and
when they get to the root of it,it's always okay, I can cheat
on you as a man, but you can'tcheat on me as a woman.
(12:58):
Like men don't know how toprocess getting born, it's the
end of the world for them.
So you find that there are alot of murder suicides and I
kept seeing in the commentsagain, these men don't love us,
these men don't love us, thesemen don't love women.
That's why I'm staying singleand I was like wow, I said but
and then the friday night, um,somebody that I was trying to
(13:19):
date we were trying to date eachother, I guess um, he literally
just aggravated my soul.
He literally like, just pissedme off and triggered me and he
said the trigger why trigger me?
Like you know, you know when itwas like I said it brought me
back to Monday with my friends.
It brought me back to socialmedia.
It brought me back to the media, brought me back to everything
(13:39):
that I was thinking.
My friends were thinking, thewomen were like, literally the
Friday night I wrote the songand the Saturday morning it was
recorded and the rest is history.
It literally is the voice ofwomen.
So it's not always my personal,it literally is the voice of.
I literally took the differentpieces of what I was seeing.
(14:02):
These men don't love us andthem money.
I want your baby, them.
You know what I mean.
If you listen to the entire song, you hear me talk about even I
can't have a baby.
I'm baby.
Oh, there's so many topicalconversations with it.
We didn't even the song, cuzit's like you find us, a lot of
relationships break up.
I had a during or after thepregnancy because, oh, she know,
she know what I did?
I should have sexy again are alot of these men want to compete
(14:24):
with the baby, because beforethe baby came they were number
one and now it's all about thebaby.
You don't, you don't make timefor me anymore.
Like there's so many things andI'm just like, but, sir, if we
just birth a baby, like what doyou think is going to happen
here?
You know what I mean.
It can't walk, it can't talk,it can't feed itself.
It is going to have to takeprecedence over you.
You know what I mean.
(14:45):
You're gonna have to wait thesix weeks till I'm healed, like
there's so many things toexplore.
And then, even then, I say, yo,what kind of trauma you got you
.
Because a lot of these men haveunhealed trauma from childhood.
You know what I mean.
A lot of these men areprojecting unhealed trauma from
their childhood, from theirparents, from their dads not
(15:06):
being there, from their moms whobabied them for so many topics
within the one song.
It's literally, as I say, thevoice of women.
I literally just tookeverything that I saw, that I
felt that I was hearing, and putit in one song it's almost like
a manifestation, if you will,of like you know the type of
(15:28):
person that you're looking for.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
You put it out there and hope it kind of comes back
to you.
But you mentioned and I wrotedown the word trigger think that
social media and the communitythat women now have.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
That is public, triggers us or do real
situations trigger us to reactcertain ways.
I think both, because a lot oftimes it is real situations you
turn on.
You know.
I mean you open the app andyou're.
We're following the newsoutlets, we're following the
blogs, we're following.
It's not like before where wehad to wait until seven or eight
o'clock at evening to watch thenews, to see what's going on or
the entertainment.
(16:11):
We're literally seeing thethings in real time.
If a man fling a stone and bustsomebody's head, we literally
can't pick up the phone and saywatch that.
You know what I mean.
So I mean, I think a lot of ushave been, some of us have been
desensitized, but a lot of usare still healing from a lot of
things, even the pandemic.
It's funny because I was in NewYork.
(16:32):
I think it was two weeks ago.
I was in New York and my cousinis a nurse and I was just like
yo, this is where it startedLike, and a lot of persons
passed on.
A lot of persons are stilldealing with trauma from five
years ago, from working in thehospitals, from seeing people
buried in nine mark, like lifeliterally over the past five
(16:54):
years has either traumatized youand you're sensitive, or has
either desensitized you andyou're like okay, so that man
food shopper.
Cool, no problem.
Seen it, you know what I mean.
So I think I think it's a.
It's a double-edged sword.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
It just depends on what side you're on what
feedback have you gotten so far,from both men and women?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
listen everybody loves the song um.
As I said, I sparked.
It's viral and it has sparked aconversation.
I have gotten the years as wellas I've gotten there.
Okay, okay, okay, maybe we'regirly, but at least we don't
give jackets.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Jamaican woman give jackets, so you know what I mean
I think I think there was astat that got published in one
of the newspapers about themountain.
Yeah, it's turning them on themoften, I know it's, but it's
really sad.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
It's 70 percent, I think it's over 70 percent, I
think you can't blow the priceof mandible alone.
It's 83.
Paternity fraud, like the kidsdon't belong to the people that.
You know what I mean.
But then it's wrong.
I do not condone it, um, I donot condone you giving, you know
, the wrong child to somebodyelse.
But let's play devil's advocate.
(18:07):
For years women were abused.
For years women get born.
For years women get badtreatment.
For years grandma stayed withgrandpa because it said till
death, do us part.
But then grandpa had threechildren in that house, six
children in that house, and wewere expected to take it.
Because that's what we do weride or die for our men.
You know what I mean and Ithink the dynamic changed and a
(18:29):
lot of women that saw that, thatsaw their mothers and their
grandmothers and their aunts gothrough that, just decided, hey,
I don't want to go through thatanymore.
You know what I mean.
I'd rather be alone than bewith the drama.
Art, sure, you can't handle mesexually.
So them got the bond but then achild end up coming, which you
know I mean.
Give the man where the childcome to.
But you know what I mean.
(18:51):
We've become so liberal that wehave actually become the men,
and it's sad.
A lot of us have become the menthat we want to be and a lot of
us have even become the menthat we don't even want to be,
but you know what I mean.
Like a lot of.
There are a lot of womenplayers out there.
There are lots of women thatdon't have any feelings and okay
(19:11):
, you've seen it, okay, allright.
You Tuesday, never Rasta, youFriday, you Sunday.
Because they don't want to belike the women at them, see,
growing up.
Why is it a beaten and thenstill have a lie down with a man
?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
they become the main that is a whole other it's not
say so many conversations withinthe ones.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah, we could be here all day, all day um me
can't take it today.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Um so, mega, five, mega, rewind the smells.
Um, again, I I'm really glad tosee you in this exciting space,
like even your energy is is sovibrant coming through the
screen.
Um, you were recently on newrules with alkaline's new rules.
(20:11):
Performing, rules, performing.
What is that like for you, justgetting back on stage and
performing in Jamaica?
I'm sure you've done otherstuff before then, but I feel
like that's the one that I'veseen most recently.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Exactly a year ago from New Rules.
I did I think it was Paul of aDays's like 450 them show with
Javi and pretty don't show bigshow, and I had not performed in
Jamaica for a year, had nottouched a mic, had not.
I did.
(20:48):
What's it called?
Excuse me, I did.
I want a man and we had alreadyplanned a promo from Miami to
Jamaica to New York to bury theplan, the promo, like we knew
what we're gonna do, and in themidst of it they called like
would you do it?
I'm like, yeah, it's like up.
You know, it's a good, goodcherry on top, because I already
(21:09):
, I had already planned to be inJamaica that week and I was
just like.
You know, this is anopportunity for me to have fun.
This is an opportunity for meto shut the naysayers up.
This is an opportunity for meto show people that Tifa is a
staple.
Stop listening to those crazypeople that are sending out
(21:30):
their promo girls or that arehiding behind the fake pages.
People that are sending outtheir promo girls or that are
hiding behind the fake pages orthat are trying to block you
know, block Tifa out of stuffbecause they have the
multi-remotes or they have theother artists where they are
pushed.
And I literally just went outthere and, unfortunately, I
didn't get to use the bandbecause, due to conflicts that
we had with the scheduling, Ididn't get to use the band.
(21:52):
But you know, I got togetherwith my DJ, got together with my
dancers, we planned it and weexecuted it and the rest is
history.
For me to be doing this for solong and still receive the love
that I receive, it tells a story.
My break wasn't a normal break.
(22:12):
My break wasn't a normal break.
My break wasn't a social media.
Remember, in our boss, wheninstagram wasn't like, we had to
literally do the grown work.
We had to literally do themschool tours, them, road shows,
them, like.
You know what I mean.
So you find that we're embeddedin the people's hearts and a
lot of people have used socialmedia to manipulate the truth
(22:35):
and to see 15,000 people singingtheir song word for word,
remember, you know I go up onthe stage and I say I cannot
leave here without singingJamaica's second national anthem
and for me, if I go out thereand say me a, the B-A-D-D and
everybody else, you understand,is singing the rest.
It shot down a lot ofmisconceptions that they were
(22:56):
trying to put into people'sbrains, that they were trying to
use social media and the mediato manipulate people, to tell
people, oh, tifa's time is done,or Tifa is this, or she's too
old, mind you, younger than alot of the women that are still
out there.
But so why are you saying youknow?
So I literally just used it asfuel and for it to be that
(23:16):
particular platform, because Iidentify with alkaline in the
sense that you get a whole heapof fight too.
You know what I mean.
And they literallystrategically picked persons,
like literally picked theunderdogs, like they I literally
had that conversation with themlike you were picking all of
the people, that people, notgingthem just do and shine.
And if you if I mean like, ifyou watch my slides, you will
see I put that in there.
(23:37):
That was one of the biggest firethey want me get and I admired
and respected that about themand what they were doing, and I
just literally he is one ofthose people that he respected
the fact that he's a ghost, hehas a huge platform and I just
do what I have to do, like Iknow this was gonna be my sun
face and I just do what I haveto do Black pantheon, all.
(23:59):
But that's God.
They're gonna do what I have todo and whether they like the
black pantheon or not, they'regonna talk.
So it works.
That's what the DEM is.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Performing is going to be what sets the next phase
apart, especially because ai iscut, is here, right, and, and
anyone can be manufactured atthis point in a studio, um, but
(24:30):
live performances are going tobe where the best of the best
really shine, and, and I I don'tmean to cause it, but it's two
things.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, you realize that, literally, like the mother
, so the king and the second upwith, like literally the five
kings, within the space of sixmonths, got my their visas.
Bujo, gatel, beanie, bounty,like, and I don't know if it was
strategic, I don't know butliterally, like, yeah, you had
these people that came out andno disrespect to anybody like I
(25:03):
love a lot of the younger acts,but they didn't like when the
pandemic, when the pandemic,like we never really learned how
to perform and emote withpeople.
You know what I mean, and Ithink that there was a cry for
that in and it and it and it wasit.
It in.
In some way, it kind of killed,kill the thing a little bit,
because we are known for liveperformances.
(25:24):
You know you can't go viral,all I wanted, but if the dj
don't play it in a dance, I willcome from a dance hall culture.
If you don't play outside, itdon't really really count.
It's a good speed.
You know what I mean.
So that's the first thing.
We are in a recession.
People don't have any money, soif I spend my money for a
concert, it doesn't make sense.
That's the next thing.
You know what I mean.
(25:44):
And with AI I think I don'tmean to cut you, but with AI is
a double-edged sword, becausethis week I'm hearing that, well
, from last week, as of thefirst of august, um, videos that
were recorded in ai will nolonger get paid on youtube.
So it might work for some, butit might not.
(26:06):
Grandma don't recognize it.
And um, yeah, I heard thatthey're cutting out trending.
They're putting out a lot ofstuff, so we are coming back to
the we.
They're gonna have no choicebut to come back to the real
world they might have come backat the real world.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Me like that, definitely me like that.
So, in terms of music, you havethis single.
Now what are you?
Are you just having fun,enjoying the moment and seeing
what?
What is coming next?
Are you planning for a EP or analbum like what I have a few
albums she says she have doublealbum.
(26:39):
I've been crazy possible.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I've been working all this time and yeah, as I said,
even do you not pandemicsomebody?
That's somebody else.
What did like me or me did idea, try whatever.
They actually bought me, like alittle studio set up in the
pandemic.
So the whole time you were shutdown, I was literally in my
house recording yeah, I forgetthings.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
You know, I wanted the em so.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
So I was literally in the house recording um, you're
gonna get a reggae album.
Um, you're gonna get quite afew projects.
You're gonna see, I'm workingthe song.
We as germicans we don't worksongs.
We love put out this and putout that I'm working.
I want them.
I want a man has a leg.
We just start with.
I want a man.
So, working the songs, you'regonna hear a couple of remixes,
(27:23):
maybe different genres, whoknows, you're gonna hear a
couple of remixes as well, as Ido have other new music coming
out because we have a fewdifferent.
I want a man is a slower typereggae.
You know what I mean Uno Usto,kranigal Basama, de Barrels,
pelletote.
We know what you're gonna talk,the things there.
We're not gonna get that.
Um, we just dropped the bugleand really just dropped, but we
(27:44):
just re-dropped the bugle andmyself.
That was on his album InsideWarm.
Um, people love that song therebecause they really hear bugle
talk like that.
So I mean they love that.
So there's quite a few projectsto come out Like, yeah, I'm
excited.
I'm excited.
It's the first in a long while.
I'm excited about music andwhat I'm gonna do.
(28:06):
I feel like I'm just startingagain.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
How do you ride that wave of feeling really good
about music, then feeling not sogreat and then coming back?
I think that as consumers, wedon't think about that from the
artist perspective.
How do you ride that wave?
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Sometimes breaks are necessary and I think that a lot
of people get caught up in thefact that, oh my God, iifa, and
because I'm tifa and because Ihave these endorsements and
because I've seen these, peopleexpect this of me and people
expect that of me.
But at the end of the day,you're human and if you are not
good, you're no good to anyoneelse.
You know what I mean.
Breaks are necessary.
Um, hopefully it's a situationwhere you can get to plan, plan
(28:49):
the break.
You know what I mean.
You can plan the break.
Okay, I'm gonna drop this nowand then, you know, probably
take a six months or.
But breaks are necessary.
You can't just keep going,going, going, and that's one of
that's about.
Again, because we are soaccessible now because of social
media, people get tired.
I don't know.
People do get like lord my timeto see her.
Jesus christ, she again on theblog.
(29:11):
They can't make somebody elselike you've seen it in the
comments.
I'm tired of this.
You know what I mean.
You have to know what.
Even what's your name?
It's funny.
You know who's great at this?
Nikki minaj.
She will not post for sixmonths and then, all of a sudden
, there's a challenge withpeople across them foot, and
then she pop out a cute pictureand then, oh my god, queen
(29:32):
mother.
Like you know, what I meanbricks are necessary.
So people pace yourself.
You are not.
You are not a robot, you arenot immortal.
Like, bricks are necessary.
You know what I mean, and eventhough the brick that I took was
not like, it was somewhatforced upon me and I had to
(29:54):
force myself to take it, I'mgrateful for it.
Um, breaks are also necessarybecause sometimes you need to
step back from things.
Sometimes, when you're in thethicker things, you can't really
see what's going on around.
Sometimes you have to take astep outward to see what's going
on inside, and I really need to.
I really needed to do thatbecause your business was
changing and I had to relearn alot of things, even with social
(30:17):
media.
I had to relearn a lot ofthings because I wasn't one of
those people who are posty,posty outside, like you know, my
shows my, but people needpeople, people want that show,
people need.
I mean, it's clearly not likegetting everything, but people
want to see your personality,people want to know who you are,
people want to.
You know what I mean.
I had to relearn social mediaand how people are using social
(30:38):
media, and even even, even yes,a style of writing wasn't even
necessarily the style of writing, but it's the topics I was
never drawn to, like the hip-hoptrap something, because you
know that.
Never did I go.
People expect certain thingsfrom me with regard to dancehall
and reggae.
You know what I mean, but justto see, like you know, you know
(30:59):
what.
What were we singing about?
You know what direction we'regoing to, what's happening.
You know what I mean becauseyou can't.
We grew up on, let's say, forexample, 9-11 and anthrax, and
you know what I mean.
These kids know they're notgonna talk about chopping.
They're not gonna talk aboutchopping.
They're not gonna talk aboutscamming.
They're not gonna talk aboutpills, because that's their
reality.
You know what I mean.
So how do we strike a balancebetween?
(31:21):
So it took a lot of relearningand I'm grateful it happened and
I'm grateful I got theopportunity to recharge, do
other things and slowly fallback in love with music again,
like slowly fall back in lovewith the dancehall and the
reggae again?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
What's the most regular thing that you do that
people don't expect?
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Oh my god, I love to go to the supermarkets, I love
to.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Can you take my list please?
And tags can be 8 black market.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
There's nothing like when it's almost closed and it
empty, aren't just open.
I'm gonna like it.
Sometimes I look for, not nothave no reason.
Listen, you can catch me.
There's this one particularJamaican guys, like you know,
just pass your public's where dothey start target like what you
know by?
No, you know it was a littlewalk up on the, but I just love
(32:11):
you know.
You know you don't have to walkup and down.
Can you leave me alone please?
But I just love.
You know what I mean.
I think I'm becoming my mom,like comparing prices and
especially when it's empty andwe can't think.
I mean I remember nothing atall when I go in there, but I
might just come out with thatcan of soup because I'm like, so
what more?
Speaker 1 (32:31):
I know if the music in a few publics I go on the
music where I play it, but everytime I'm I'm like, I'm in there
like dancing sometimesdefinitely, sometimes definitely
.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
But there's some vibe like and it's funny because
where I chose to live is not thetypical part where you'd expect
, you know.
I mean like like a cowboy tone,like people say Latifah, miss
Brown, nobody says Latifah likewe can just be a regular person.
You know what I mean.
So it's it's like even thatbrought me back to myself, like
just to do the regular things,like cuz, I couldn't do that in
(33:05):
Jamaica, couldn't do it inJamaica, couldn't do it,
couldn't I drive to somewhereand say you that you, that I
just sick do it.
I was driving and someone saidyou that I was just sitting
there.
That time I signed to Minnie, Ihad a car with eyelashes you
that didn't have a lot of shoeson.
They said you didn't have this,you can't hide.
You have to remember I neededthe break.
You have to remember this is awoman that was literally on the
(33:28):
walls in the national airportand every bus stop, on every
billboard and every like wecan't go away on people.
You know, tifa, where's my footthem, care, hide.
We can't have a disguisebecause we can't hide my foot
them.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
So I mean the justice care idea exactly I need, like
I needed the break to just findback me I think that is
necessary and, like, like yousaid, I do think in today's, the
pace at which we consume mediaand our favorite celebrities,
(34:05):
definitely a break is alwaysneeded.
I want to go back to yourwriting.
If you could write for anyartist and be known for writing
for that artist, who would it be?
It could be dance, sorry.
Any genre, any, any, any genrebob coming rich, richer not god
but I'm not gonna.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Let me get a piece of my publisher okay, okay, all
right.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
somebody who's living living Any younger artists?
Speaker 2 (34:35):
that you know, you know, I don't know if I'd like
to sing for Naomi Cohen.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Naomi Cohen.
I can see that.
Alright, naomi, fix it up now,please and thanks.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Naomi Cohen.
I like her.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
She just dropped a song too.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I like it Cherry on.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Top Cherry on Top yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
I do love that Mutsi Nkukuda do like a wow factor,
kind of like wow, but thenpeople kind of still expect it
from her.
But wow, but yomi, like youknow what I mean, mutsi Nk, we
could have something nice and interms of like collaborators
we've had.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
We've seen a lot of collaborations from crossover.
First of all, let me rewindwhat does crossover mean to you
as an artist?
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I'm gonna start there , yeah, cross, cross over.
When I live in america, well, Ican't believe it anyway.
But crossoversover I mean froma Jamaican standpoint means when
your song has hit.
To me, when your song has hitthe Billboard Hot 100 in the 50s
up, that's a crossover to me Inthe 50s, 20s up.
(35:46):
Crossover to me is when yoursong is not only playing on
urban stations but playing onthe stations that people be in
Caucasian.
That's crossover to me.
When you cross to the popmarket, when you're not only
have Shelly and I sing the song,but Miriam is singing the song
also you know what I mean.
(36:07):
Yeah, that's what crossovermeans to me.
Like Sean Paul crossover.
Like Sean, you crossover.
You know what I mean.
Crossover, that's whatcrossover means to me like sean
paul crossed over like shaggycrossover, yes, crossover.
Like only crossed over, likeonly once in a jet with like
taylor swift yes yeah, that'sthat.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
To me that's a crossover now, if you, if you
take like what be has done,crossing over into country from,
from R&B and pop, would you, Ithink a few, quite a few artists
have, I know Romaine Virgo hasdone like a country's album and
(36:45):
songwriting wise.
I think, we've never reallylived in that R&B space.
What's happening?
Who's an R&B artist that youwould collab with?
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Yeah, pause, was my internet.
Hold on, no, is my internet.
Is that my internet?
Speaker 1 (37:23):
So, from an R&B standpoint, have you ever
thought about crossing over that?
In that realm, who is somebody?
Speaker 2 (37:32):
I'd love to.
As I said, I've done quite afew projects.
Some of them come out, some ofthem don't come out, Some of
them are waiting to come out.
As I said, I've written forhip-hop.
I've written for R&B.
Even if I don't sing the song,as long as it boasts caracass,
I'll take it.
I'll take my rights as credit.
But that has always been mydream.
(37:52):
It's like how some peopleaspire to be queen or aspire to
be princess, a dancer.
That was like.
My thing was always just to belike on the billboard.
My thing was always.
I remember seeing patra on ladmega, give me age.
I remember seeing patra on whatwas it?
planet groove, bt b you knowwhat I mean I'm like whoa like,
(38:16):
and I realized that the regularpeople they make their video
saturday and here's, here'spatra in the braids, and you
know what I mean on cable, likethat's what I always wanted to
do and I thought it was so cool.
And then you know, I mean hereshe in the in in in a video with
tupac, with biggie, with.
You know that that that waswhat I always aspired to be,
(38:37):
that's what I always wanted,that was what I always wanted.
So even if I don't get to seeit and go to the top of the
charts, even if my right is I'mgoing to the top of the charts,
I'll be fine.
But as long as I get that, thenwe can't retire.
No, that was always my aim.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Yeah, I love that and I could see that.
I think for me personally, Ithink Dancehall has done,
outside of Bob and familyaffiliated Dancehall has done
what reggae hasn't been able todo is really penetrate that
American market.
I think in Europe reggae isoutside of it.
(39:17):
It's very, very popular butoutside of bob, marley and the
marley family, maybe a few youwant me to tell you.
Speaker 2 (39:26):
I'll say a few like.
Oddly enough, it's women, youknow like I'm shaggy, but I
think shaggy's dead, like Ithink but like, for example,
dawn pen with no, no, no, that'sa reggae track that did really
well um sister we can't forgether bam bam I I was.
I forget how women did that.
I miss me.
Um bam bam, come on in a carticommercial.
(39:49):
I'm like what.
You know what I mean.
So like like them and MarciaGriffiths that did Electric.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Boogie.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
I think you're right, it's mostly Dan Sal.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
So I think you're in a good spot to kind of one foot
over your or one foot over this.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I really, really, that's all I've ever wanted to
do.
This is the command from kingsand that's literally all she's
ever dreamed about.
And I said it in an interview.
Like, listen, when I greedy, Iused to be like, oh, I want, I
want to be the you know, thefemale sean paul.
I shock you.
But listen, just give me acharlie block.
You know, give me a charlieblock, just give me a party
animal.
I'm not greedy, me.
Take that, give me, evenEgyptian, all of you me.
(40:36):
Take that.
You know what I mean Me.
Take that Me, yeah, me, all ofus.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
I say, all right, at least we'll do that, but that's
all I can say, especially as yousay, that I'm like Charlie
Black's, like he's done somereally amazing things, egyptian
same.
But because there's no dramacentered around them, as artists
I feel like they kind of evenlike a Sham or a Sparga Benz.
(41:01):
There's not like a whole lot ofdrama surrounding them and they
are some of the most talentedbecause there's no drama
surrounding them.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
I think that you see, you me like you, Because, as
you know, certain conversationsyou can't really have because
not everybody are gonna get it.
And it's funny because even thesame thing with exploring about
the kings Shamma for inner theconversation Hello, get her
story.
Sprague for inner theconversation with, with, even
(41:32):
when he was signed, and you knoweven the song with F, with Faxi
Brown, and there's so manythings that came up.
You know what I'm saying.
I'm going to cover off theconversation with Flex and with
the remix and then roll it backfor Fresh Trigger.
But they don't like when peopletalk like this.
That's why sometimes I'm apublic enemy, because they don't
like like this industry doesn'tlike real and I am a real
person.
But we have to bring Cabra intothe conversation.
(41:53):
He had a major crossover hitwith Flex and the song Tony
Braxton remix, Making Me High.
You know what I mean.
We have to talk about Capetown.
We have to talk about Tour.
Tour is a huge record.
I'm a music nerd, so okay, wehave to talk about.
Let's not get started on evenShabba and supercats like that.
(42:17):
People tend to forget.
People tend to forget like alot of these men.
Would you like major crossoversuccess and major crossover hits
.
Like people tend to forget thatyou're the money beats.
You know what I mean?
And they it's funny to me howthey're not a part of the
(42:39):
conversation more.
But again, as you said, maybebecause they're not really into
the drama you know what I meanand maybe because a lot of other
persons just know how to.
It's not even drama in and ofitself.
I'm gonna kill it.
Social media and the media willyou know where I from?
And a lot of other people isjust like.
They just want to sing thesongs and make their money and
go home.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
I also think that there is a big difference
between being popular and beingof value.
So I think that they, to yourpoint, do their music, collect
their money, value accordingly,consistently, and just live
(43:19):
their life.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
And you have to remember that they're coming
from a school where legacy iseverything and for them they
want to preserve that legacy.
They don't want, at the end ofthe day, even if I sell 50
million records, I'm known forjumping in a swamp.
Yes, I mean they want topreserve that legacy and hold
(43:41):
their stories written.
But a lot of these men need tobe a part of the conversation,
because even women they did it.
I don't think even people don'ttalk about Diana King enough.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
Yeah, and what she's done, my brother's I'm gonna go
crazy when she hear that oneline, because she always talk
about that, but it's the truth,yeah people don't speak about
these things enough.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
People don't give these people credit enough for
opening doors and championingfor us.
You know what I mean?
It used to be before we knewour history.
No, them people had no issues.
So them talk about anything,but, at the end of the day,
guess what history care about,done, create already, and if you
know, look.
And if you know, google, youknow, we see it, it's there,
it's factual.
(44:21):
But again, people just gravitateto what they see in the present
, what they see in front oftheir face.
So a lot of people can comeonto any foolishness and telling
the data oh, I am this or oh, Ihave this amount of data, or I
sold this or a stream and in abelief and in a dough, in a
dough, fact check.
But a lot of these people, theysold units, a lot of these
people.
It's just.
It's funny because even lastnight I say what I mean world
(44:43):
music, music put up katya is theonly female dancehall artist
with a gold record in the unitedstates, with a gold album, and
that was 32 years ago and I wasjust like this is motivation.
You know what I mean.
But we get caught up in againsocial media and what's put out
there and facts are, they did it, and in a time where they
(45:04):
literally had to sell physicalcopies of music.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
It wasn't about streaming well, it's probably,
if you equate it, value wise,number wise it's going to be
less today because streams arevalued.
Each stream is valued less thanan actual physical sale of
either a single or an album, butthe public, most of the public,
don't understand that they didit, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:30):
They did it in a time where, when they have internet,
like no, we could not do thisLike they literally had to okay,
we have.
We have to go to.
You want to do an interview injapan.
you have to fly to japan, youknow what I mean like they did
it in a time where life wasn'tas accessible and beat when it
did harder, like you know.
I mean, when you suffer, payfor phone calls and I know it,
bungalow, we have unlimitedcalls, yeah, so I mean, a lot of
(45:53):
these people need to be a partof the conversation and we need
to educate, and I think the onusis upon a lot of these.
If you say you're anentertainment blog or you say
you're an entertainmentjournalist or you say you're an
entertainment news outlet, youneed to educate the people about
what has happened inentertainment well, that's also
a whole other podcast.
Tifa, you have to come back, wehave to talk more things,
(46:15):
because that in itself we can'ttell you about that you educate
the people and it shouldn't beonly about the controversy and
who said this and who said thatand who never approved it.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Come on, yeah, I mean controversy sells, it gets
clicks and it gets that.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
But I also think yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm.
Speaker 1 (46:37):
I'm driven by different.
More purpose, more like this isarchival space, right.
So when we are long gone, thisplatform will still exist to
teach somebody something whowant to learn.
That's you.
That is my legacy.
What is your when you thinkabout legacy?
What do you think about yourlegacy?
(47:00):
What do you want people to kindof remember you in the future?
I feel like you're not done, soit's kind of early, too early,
to ask that question, but haveyou thought about it?
Speaker 2 (47:12):
It's funny.
I think about a lot of thingsabout it.
I want.
I want to be known as the onethat never gave up.
I want to be known as the onethat's, despite everything,
still push through.
I want to be known as thewarrior princess literally.
(47:34):
I think.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I want to be known as Well, I'm not going to end it
there because if I go anyfurther, I have about 35 more
minutes and I know I have thingsto do.
I mean, I'll hold up the peoplethem time, but, tifa, you can
come back any time you're ready.
All right, tifa, always love,love.
(47:56):
Thank you so much for being onthe podcast.
I always love having you again.
Welcome anytime, and you guysmake sure you stream.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
I want, I want, I want a man, but the entire
catalog yesterday I wassearching my songstacks and I
realized that I think it'situnes we will go into 10, and
not only was it on the regularus charts, but it was charting
globally at 10 number one please.
I want a man buy.
Speaker 1 (48:26):
Buy the single, please, and thanks, stream it,
yes, and we are looking forwardto whatever you have coming up.
So please make sure you sharewith us and, of course, we're
going to be sharing.
So thank you so much again,tifa, and to all of my listeners
.
Leah Tomepi, thanks forlistening to the latest episode
of the Style and Vibes podcast.
(48:47):
If you like what you hear and Iknow you do share it with your
friends and family.
If you want more, make sure youvisit style stylingvibescom and
follow us on our socialchannels, twitter and Instagram
at stylingvibes.
Until next time, lea tummypeeps.
Welcome to the Style and Vibes podcast with me,
Makayla.
I'll be giving you the insidescoop on music, fashion, culture
and more from Caribbeancelebrities and tastemakers
across the globe pushing ourculture with authenticity and,
of course, style and vibes.
Hello everyone, and welcome toanother edition of the Style and
(00:22):
Vibes podcast with yours trulyMakayla, If you are new here.
Welcome to another edition ofthe style and vibes podcast with
yours truly michaela, if youare new here.
Welcome to the family, if youare returning, like my guest
today.
Welcome back, family.
We have t-i-f-a.
Another building.
I wanted them d-e-m.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I still don't know, years later, and I still don't
know.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
So the last time you and I spoke, you were in New
York promoting the SilentProject with Relay and we got to
chop it up.
So we know your history, butwhat have you been up to since?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I know it's a lot Do you know that since I A lot you
been doing like literally, whenwe spoke it was right before the
pandemic, like literally, right, yeah, it's been.
It's been five years, prettymuch it's been five years.
A lot has happened in the fiveyears.
The pandemic happened um, I'mback in full force being tipa
(01:24):
again.
Um, I got a Grammy with KabakaPyramid on his album from Mr
Raskaman.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
So much has happened in the short space of time it
feels long but it feels short atthe same time, and so I am so
glad that you are doing musicfull force.
You've also kind of done someother things in between,
business wise, like you didradio for a little bit, I feel
(01:53):
like you've been doing like somehosting for party.
Talk to me about exploring allof those other creative elements
about you, because Minos sayyou're gonna perform in art
school, so you have plenty oftalents, so how was it exploring
those in that time frame?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You know, as it is you just have to, like, in this
day and age, you, if theopportunity comes and it makes
sense, you have to just stick.
You know, you have to just takethe opportunity.
Um, especially in this day andage, because you never know and
the world is ever changing andevolving.
And it's funny how I brought upthe pandemic, like us doing the
last interview right before thepandemic because life literally
(02:32):
changed.
You know what I mean.
Streaming literally changed, um, how we perceive life.
Tiktok became the number oneapp, like you know what I mean.
Like so much has happened.
So, when you're being presentedwith these opportunities, if
you're good at it, if you'regreat at it, you just need to
take them and you just need torun with them.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Like you know what I mean which one were you was out
of the most, out of your elementfor you I wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I wouldn't, any of them would be out of my element.
Um, I really enjoyed radio.
Um, not only was I a mediapersonality, but I was marketing
.
You know what I mean, because Ihave a marketing background.
I was doing a lot of marketing.
You know what I mean.
Connecting them with a lot ofsponsors, connecting them with a
lot of events.
You know what I mean, given thefact that I've worked with so
(03:16):
many sponsors and, you know,done so many events, like you
know, being the connect.
But, um, I would, I wouldn'tsay either.
Our cooking is a part of myfamily.
My family has restaurants.
Like you know what I mean.
If I couldn't cook with aworthless, I'd be a worthless
woman, like if I couldn't cook,if I couldn't you know what I
mean or have a catering business, like I'd literally be a
worthless person so, in terms ofjust being an artist and being
(03:38):
on the other side of themicrophone, of of interviewing,
how was that for you, like froman immediate experience?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
It was crazy.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I really loved it and I got a chance to ask the
questions that I would ask,because a lot of the time
separate and apart from you anda few others, I don't think you
know people just get these jobsand they're like so you know,
how was it?
What is it like being in amale-dominated business like?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
how do you like they?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
ask you the same questions over and over and I'm
like why am I here?
You know what I mean.
It's a separate part from, likeyou and a couple of other
people that like ask questions,like anthony miller's under you
know what I mean, and winfa'slike I really wanted to sit and
ask the questions that I knowwould challenge artists and that
I know would challengeprominent people and that I know
people would actually want toanswer.
(04:28):
You know what I mean.
Separate and apart from what itis that they sing and how it is
that they started, like, whoare you as a person?
You know what I mean.
What were you going throughwhen you wrote, let's say, for
example, I Want a man.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Like asking those type of questions that me, as an
artist, would sometimes wantother people to ask me.
Well, speaking of, I want a man.
You give me a good, nice segue,so the experience just come in.
Blah, blah, blah.
Um, tell me about your writingprocess from then until till now
.
How has that changed from fiveyears ago to today?
Like, how have you grown as awriter and an artist in that
time frame?
What's crazy.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I have not grown since 15 or 14.
I have not grown as a writer Inthe sense I mean sure, sure,
you know literary devices andyou know you.
You go through high school, yougo through college and you know
what I mean.
You learn about differentthings and different styles or
whatever, but I always justwrote from a place of what I see
(05:37):
and what I feel, and I can't, Ican't necessarily explain it,
but God just has a different wayof expressing through me and
I've always expressed fluentlybut differently.
And ever since I was like 14 or15 and I had this big you
remember those big five subjectbooks and I used to just write,
like write poems, and I remembermy cousins used to be like so
(06:00):
enamored like them used to justtell them one of them teeth the
book.
You know, one of them teeth thebook, but that's another story,
find at that time.
But since then, like, I'vealways just emoted the way how
you know what I mean, I feel.
I just emoted how I thinkpersons feel because a lot of
the times, like they hear a songand because people know that
I'm a writer, they think, oh,it's automatically about me, but
(06:21):
it's not necessarily about me,like kitty police was about a
friend, about a guy that wasstalking my friend's area.
You know what I mean.
Um me to wine was about justgoing to lime key on a sunday
and realizing that it was theside chicks that were on these
yachts.
I'm not necessarily the wife andI'm like what am I live better
(06:43):
life?
You know what I mean.
Right for the woman.
So I just like to explore.
You know what I mean.
Different like I'm notnecessarily the wife and I'm
like what am I live better life?
You know what I mean.
Right for the woman.
So I just like to explore.
You know what I mean.
Different like I'm not afraidto write.
That's another thing, because asa dance hall artist or as an
artist, you know they tend toput you in a box.
You know you dress this way,sing this way.
You know what I mean.
Do things this way, like wear aa little tired, and if you
don't, we're a little tired, youcan't dress like.
(07:04):
You know what I mean.
And a uniform, but um, so Ilike to explore things from not
only my angle, but like howother people see things and how
other people emote things, andso I think, even though, as I
say life has evolved, so you'regonna learn new things.
But ever since I was 15 I don'tknow, god, just give me, maybe
(07:24):
that's why I'm gonna get one inenglish and literature.
And you know, ever since then,god, just from 15, it's been
like this I think that that is Ilike.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
I really like that because the strategy hasn't
changed.
The material has.
As you have, experienced life,but that skill of writing and
continuous writing justnaturally progresses the more
you experience and observe aboutlife, and I think that that is
(07:58):
amazing.
Given your penmanship, have youever and would you write for
other artists?
I actually do um.
I've written for tell me aboutthat tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I can't, unfortunately.
You can't even.
No, I've even no.
Let me tell you the truth.
I've even written for hip-hopartists, but you know you gotta
sign them.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Ndas girl, you have to sign a little envy I need the
20 years for past because it'sin a yabuka minosa, you can't
just write and not gonna writeyour life.
Let's put it this way.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I've written for even men.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I've written for even men just make sure it's in the
biography, please, and thanks, Imean eventually.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
All right, I'm just proving up the business and you
sign those NDAs and you know,just as long as my publishing
good my good.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And that, I think, is key.
But the reason why I askedabout songwriting and
songwriting for others is Ithink Jamaica is full of talent,
caribbean people are full oftalent and I think sometimes, as
we are coming up, we're onlyseeing this one way to be in the
industry.
It's the reason why, you know,I've taken on the stance that I
(09:19):
love the music, I love theindustry, but I am not an artist
.
But there are so many differentavenues beyond being an artist
or even a producer.
I don't hear a lot aboutsongwriter women, songwriters in
the business, and I think thatthat's really why I wasn't
trying to be messy.
I just want, you know, toexpose the, the your talent,
(09:43):
beyond just doing it foryourself an idea because I'd
love to do like a, like awriting workshop.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
It do happen, you know, to me, like every now and
again, I know, um one of thedays, I think, for probably like
two hours, um, when shaggy doeshis emc thingy, um, they have
like a writing workshop, um, butI'd love to, as a woman, I'd
love you you've literally justgiven me an idea to like sit
even with other women because,as I say, we are literally put
(10:09):
in a box when it comes on to,especially if you are a dancer
artist or even if you sing this.
But how many times am I goingto sing about my vagina?
How many times am I going tosing about I can take your man?
How many times am I going tosing about I want to whine on
your mickey and tiktok.
The world know that I alreadyhave a girl, but I need
something good.
Like you can literally pay$10,000 and get vaginal
rejuvenation, like with, likeyou've heard, like you know what
(10:30):
I mean.
So, um, and you find that it'sfunny, and you find that because
you're talking about realtopics, it works, because you're
talking about, you know thesituation behind.
I want a manner because I TanyaStevens is saying these streets
are because you know what Imean.
You're talking about these realtopical things and people can
(10:52):
identify with them.
You find that it lasts longer.
You find that it has a sturdierimpact.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
So tell me about.
I Want a man because the peoplethem want to know.
Is this a personal story or isit inspired by it's not
necessarily a personal story forme.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Big up to Richard Digital One, he literally sent
me a bunch of tracks.
Just picture three months ago,three or two months ago, and
picture Richard sending me afolder of just beats and me
going through these beats andthen, for some reason, this one
in particular, can you know,most I do do the slower type
stuff, but most times it'sdancer.
(11:34):
For some reason, this justconnect with me, like I'm
playing it in the car, I'mplaying it while I'm showering,
like, for some reason, thisparticular beat just connects
with me.
And I'm gonna walk you througha week.
This is the week that, um, theDD trial started and like a
whole bunch of stuff was comingout.
(11:54):
You know, I mean it was crazyto see the dynamic between, like
men and women.
And you know the men saying, oh, she deserved it, she's not a
victim, and the women sayingshe's a victim.
And then the women are saying,oh, these men don't love us,
these men don't love us.
And then, I kid you not, fromthe Monday to Friday, every
single girlfriend that I had wascomplaining about either
situation.
(12:14):
She, our relationship, like thegroup chat, was like, yeah,
dirty man, and this, and thatI'm a camp but I, when I want
make woman, just like what isgoing on, like, like literally
the entire week, like everybodyhad a complaint.
And then I saw something thatsame week that said one in every
four women will remain single.
(12:37):
Wow, this is not good for me.
I think, over this one and thensee, a week there was another
murder suicide in Jamaica.
I know I've been having quite afew of those.
There was another murdersuicide and it's because and
when they get to the root of it,it's always okay, I can cheat
on you as a man, but you can'tcheat on me as a woman.
(12:58):
Like men don't know how toprocess getting born, it's the
end of the world for them.
So you find that there are alot of murder suicides and I
kept seeing in the commentsagain, these men don't love us,
these men don't love us, thesemen don't love women.
That's why I'm staying singleand I was like wow, I said but
and then the friday night, um,somebody that I was trying to
(13:19):
date we were trying to date eachother, I guess um, he literally
just aggravated my soul.
He literally like, just pissedme off and triggered me and he
said the trigger why trigger me?
Like you know, you know when itwas like I said it brought me
back to Monday with my friends.
It brought me back to socialmedia.
It brought me back to the media, brought me back to everything
(13:39):
that I was thinking.
My friends were thinking, thewomen were like, literally the
Friday night I wrote the songand the Saturday morning it was
recorded and the rest is history.
It literally is the voice ofwomen.
So it's not always my personal,it literally is the voice of.
I literally took the differentpieces of what I was seeing.
(14:02):
These men don't love us andthem money.
I want your baby, them.
You know what I mean.
If you listen to the entire song, you hear me talk about even I
can't have a baby.
I'm baby.
Oh, there's so many topicalconversations with it.
We didn't even the song, cuzit's like you find us, a lot of
relationships break up.
I had a during or after thepregnancy because, oh, she know,
she know what I did?
I should have sexy again are alot of these men want to compete
(14:24):
with the baby, because beforethe baby came they were number
one and now it's all about thebaby.
You don't, you don't make timefor me anymore.
Like there's so many things andI'm just like, but, sir, if we
just birth a baby, like what doyou think is going to happen
here?
You know what I mean.
It can't walk, it can't talk,it can't feed itself.
It is going to have to takeprecedence over you.
You know what I mean.
(14:45):
You're gonna have to wait thesix weeks till I'm healed, like
there's so many things toexplore.
And then, even then, I say, yo,what kind of trauma you got you
.
Because a lot of these men haveunhealed trauma from childhood.
You know what I mean.
A lot of these men areprojecting unhealed trauma from
their childhood, from theirparents, from their dads not
(15:06):
being there, from their moms whobabied them for so many topics
within the one song.
It's literally, as I say, thevoice of women.
I literally just tookeverything that I saw, that I
felt that I was hearing, and putit in one song it's almost like
a manifestation, if you will,of like you know the type of
(15:28):
person that you're looking for.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
You put it out there and hope it kind of comes back
to you.
But you mentioned and I wrotedown the word trigger think that
social media and the communitythat women now have.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
That is public, triggers us or do real
situations trigger us to reactcertain ways.
I think both, because a lot oftimes it is real situations you
turn on.
You know.
I mean you open the app andyou're.
We're following the newsoutlets, we're following the
blogs, we're following.
It's not like before where wehad to wait until seven or eight
o'clock at evening to watch thenews, to see what's going on or
the entertainment.
(16:11):
We're literally seeing thethings in real time.
If a man fling a stone and bustsomebody's head, we literally
can't pick up the phone and saywatch that.
You know what I mean.
So I mean, I think a lot of ushave been, some of us have been
desensitized, but a lot of usare still healing from a lot of
things, even the pandemic.
It's funny because I was in NewYork.
(16:32):
I think it was two weeks ago.
I was in New York and my cousinis a nurse and I was just like
yo, this is where it startedLike, and a lot of persons
passed on.
A lot of persons are stilldealing with trauma from five
years ago, from working in thehospitals, from seeing people
buried in nine mark, like lifeliterally over the past five
(16:54):
years has either traumatized youand you're sensitive, or has
either desensitized you andyou're like okay, so that man
food shopper.
Cool, no problem.
Seen it, you know what I mean.
So I think I think it's a.
It's a double-edged sword.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
It just depends on what side you're on what
feedback have you gotten so far,from both men and women?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
listen everybody loves the song um.
As I said, I sparked.
It's viral and it has sparked aconversation.
I have gotten the years as wellas I've gotten there.
Okay, okay, okay, maybe we'regirly, but at least we don't
give jackets.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Jamaican woman give jackets, so you know what I mean
I think I think there was astat that got published in one
of the newspapers about themountain.
Yeah, it's turning them on themoften, I know it's, but it's
really sad.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
It's 70 percent, I think it's over 70 percent, I
think you can't blow the priceof mandible alone.
It's 83.
Paternity fraud, like the kidsdon't belong to the people that.
You know what I mean.
But then it's wrong.
I do not condone it, um, I donot condone you giving, you know
, the wrong child to somebodyelse.
But let's play devil's advocate.
(18:07):
For years women were abused.
For years women get born.
For years women get badtreatment.
For years grandma stayed withgrandpa because it said till
death, do us part.
But then grandpa had threechildren in that house, six
children in that house, and wewere expected to take it.
Because that's what we do weride or die for our men.
You know what I mean and Ithink the dynamic changed and a
(18:29):
lot of women that saw that, thatsaw their mothers and their
grandmothers and their aunts gothrough that, just decided, hey,
I don't want to go through thatanymore.
You know what I mean.
I'd rather be alone than bewith the drama.
Art, sure, you can't handle mesexually.
So them got the bond but then achild end up coming, which you
know I mean.
Give the man where the childcome to.
But you know what I mean.
(18:51):
We've become so liberal that wehave actually become the men,
and it's sad.
A lot of us have become the menthat we want to be and a lot of
us have even become the menthat we don't even want to be,
but you know what I mean.
Like a lot of.
There are a lot of womenplayers out there.
There are lots of women thatdon't have any feelings and okay
(19:11):
, you've seen it, okay, allright.
You Tuesday, never Rasta, youFriday, you Sunday.
Because they don't want to belike the women at them, see,
growing up.
Why is it a beaten and thenstill have a lie down with a man
?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
they become the main that is a whole other it's not
say so many conversations withinthe ones.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah, we could be here all day, all day um me
can't take it today.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Um so, mega, five, mega, rewind the smells.
Um, again, I I'm really glad tosee you in this exciting space,
like even your energy is is sovibrant coming through the
screen.
Um, you were recently on newrules with alkaline's new rules.
(20:11):
Performing, rules, performing.
What is that like for you, justgetting back on stage and
performing in Jamaica?
I'm sure you've done otherstuff before then, but I feel
like that's the one that I'veseen most recently.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Exactly a year ago from New Rules.
I did I think it was Paul of aDays's like 450 them show with
Javi and pretty don't show bigshow, and I had not performed in
Jamaica for a year, had nottouched a mic, had not.
I did.
(20:48):
What's it called?
Excuse me, I did.
I want a man and we had alreadyplanned a promo from Miami to
Jamaica to New York to bury theplan, the promo, like we knew
what we're gonna do, and in themidst of it they called like
would you do it?
I'm like, yeah, it's like up.
You know, it's a good, goodcherry on top, because I already
(21:09):
, I had already planned to be inJamaica that week and I was
just like.
You know, this is anopportunity for me to have fun.
This is an opportunity for meto shut the naysayers up.
This is an opportunity for meto show people that Tifa is a
staple.
Stop listening to those crazypeople that are sending out
(21:30):
their promo girls or that arehiding behind the fake pages.
People that are sending outtheir promo girls or that are
hiding behind the fake pages orthat are trying to block you
know, block Tifa out of stuffbecause they have the
multi-remotes or they have theother artists where they are
pushed.
And I literally just went outthere and, unfortunately, I
didn't get to use the bandbecause, due to conflicts that
we had with the scheduling, Ididn't get to use the band.
(21:52):
But you know, I got togetherwith my DJ, got together with my
dancers, we planned it and weexecuted it and the rest is
history.
For me to be doing this for solong and still receive the love
that I receive, it tells a story.
My break wasn't a normal break.
(22:12):
My break wasn't a normal break.
My break wasn't a social media.
Remember, in our boss, wheninstagram wasn't like, we had to
literally do the grown work.
We had to literally do themschool tours, them, road shows,
them, like.
You know what I mean.
So you find that we're embeddedin the people's hearts and a
lot of people have used socialmedia to manipulate the truth
(22:35):
and to see 15,000 people singingtheir song word for word,
remember, you know I go up onthe stage and I say I cannot
leave here without singingJamaica's second national anthem
and for me, if I go out thereand say me a, the B-A-D-D and
everybody else, you understand,is singing the rest.
It shot down a lot ofmisconceptions that they were
(22:56):
trying to put into people'sbrains, that they were trying to
use social media and the mediato manipulate people, to tell
people, oh, tifa's time is done,or Tifa is this, or she's too
old, mind you, younger than alot of the women that are still
out there.
But so why are you saying youknow?
So I literally just used it asfuel and for it to be that
(23:16):
particular platform, because Iidentify with alkaline in the
sense that you get a whole heapof fight too.
You know what I mean.
And they literallystrategically picked persons,
like literally picked theunderdogs, like they I literally
had that conversation with themlike you were picking all of
the people, that people, notgingthem just do and shine.
And if you if I mean like, ifyou watch my slides, you will
see I put that in there.
(23:37):
That was one of the biggest firethey want me get and I admired
and respected that about themand what they were doing, and I
just literally he is one ofthose people that he respected
the fact that he's a ghost, hehas a huge platform and I just
do what I have to do, like Iknow this was gonna be my sun
face and I just do what I haveto do Black pantheon, all.
(23:59):
But that's God.
They're gonna do what I have todo and whether they like the
black pantheon or not, they'regonna talk.
So it works.
That's what the DEM is.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Performing is going to be what sets the next phase
apart, especially because ai iscut, is here, right, and, and
anyone can be manufactured atthis point in a studio, um, but
(24:30):
live performances are going tobe where the best of the best
really shine, and, and I I don'tmean to cause it, but it's two
things.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, you realize that, literally, like the mother
, so the king and the second upwith, like literally the five
kings, within the space of sixmonths, got my their visas.
Bujo, gatel, beanie, bounty,like, and I don't know if it was
strategic, I don't know butliterally, like, yeah, you had
these people that came out andno disrespect to anybody like I
(25:03):
love a lot of the younger acts,but they didn't like when the
pandemic, when the pandemic,like we never really learned how
to perform and emote withpeople.
You know what I mean, and Ithink that there was a cry for
that in and it and it and it wasit.
It in.
In some way, it kind of killed,kill the thing a little bit,
because we are known for liveperformances.
(25:24):
You know you can't go viral,all I wanted, but if the dj
don't play it in a dance, I willcome from a dance hall culture.
If you don't play outside, itdon't really really count.
It's a good speed.
You know what I mean.
So that's the first thing.
We are in a recession.
People don't have any money, soif I spend my money for a
concert, it doesn't make sense.
That's the next thing.
You know what I mean.
(25:44):
And with AI I think I don'tmean to cut you, but with AI is
a double-edged sword, becausethis week I'm hearing that, well
, from last week, as of thefirst of august, um, videos that
were recorded in ai will nolonger get paid on youtube.
So it might work for some, butit might not.
(26:06):
Grandma don't recognize it.
And um, yeah, I heard thatthey're cutting out trending.
They're putting out a lot ofstuff, so we are coming back to
the we.
They're gonna have no choicebut to come back to the real
world they might have come backat the real world.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Me like that, definitely me like that.
So, in terms of music, you havethis single.
Now what are you?
Are you just having fun,enjoying the moment and seeing
what?
What is coming next?
Are you planning for a EP or analbum like what I have a few
albums she says she have doublealbum.
(26:39):
I've been crazy possible.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I've been working all this time and yeah, as I said,
even do you not pandemicsomebody?
That's somebody else.
What did like me or me did idea, try whatever.
They actually bought me, like alittle studio set up in the
pandemic.
So the whole time you were shutdown, I was literally in my
house recording yeah, I forgetthings.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
You know, I wanted the em so.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
So I was literally in the house recording um, you're
gonna get a reggae album.
Um, you're gonna get quite afew projects.
You're gonna see, I'm workingthe song.
We as germicans we don't worksongs.
We love put out this and putout that I'm working.
I want them.
I want a man has a leg.
We just start with.
I want a man.
So, working the songs, you'regonna hear a couple of remixes,
(27:23):
maybe different genres, whoknows, you're gonna hear a
couple of remixes as well, as Ido have other new music coming
out because we have a fewdifferent.
I want a man is a slower typereggae.
You know what I mean Uno Usto,kranigal Basama, de Barrels,
pelletote.
We know what you're gonna talk,the things there.
We're not gonna get that.
Um, we just dropped the bugleand really just dropped, but we
(27:44):
just re-dropped the bugle andmyself.
That was on his album InsideWarm.
Um, people love that song therebecause they really hear bugle
talk like that.
So I mean they love that.
So there's quite a few projectsto come out Like, yeah, I'm
excited.
I'm excited.
It's the first in a long while.
I'm excited about music andwhat I'm gonna do.
(28:06):
I feel like I'm just startingagain.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
How do you ride that wave of feeling really good
about music, then feeling not sogreat and then coming back?
I think that as consumers, wedon't think about that from the
artist perspective.
How do you ride that wave?
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Sometimes breaks are necessary and I think that a lot
of people get caught up in thefact that, oh my God, iifa, and
because I'm tifa and because Ihave these endorsements and
because I've seen these, peopleexpect this of me and people
expect that of me.
But at the end of the day,you're human and if you are not
good, you're no good to anyoneelse.
You know what I mean.
Breaks are necessary.
Um, hopefully it's a situationwhere you can get to plan, plan
(28:49):
the break.
You know what I mean.
You can plan the break.
Okay, I'm gonna drop this nowand then, you know, probably
take a six months or.
But breaks are necessary.
You can't just keep going,going, going, and that's one of
that's about.
Again, because we are soaccessible now because of social
media, people get tired.
I don't know.
People do get like lord my timeto see her.
Jesus christ, she again on theblog.
(29:11):
They can't make somebody elselike you've seen it in the
comments.
I'm tired of this.
You know what I mean.
You have to know what.
Even what's your name?
It's funny.
You know who's great at this?
Nikki minaj.
She will not post for sixmonths and then, all of a sudden
, there's a challenge withpeople across them foot, and
then she pop out a cute pictureand then, oh my god, queen
(29:32):
mother.
Like you know, what I meanbricks are necessary.
So people pace yourself.
You are not.
You are not a robot, you arenot immortal.
Like, bricks are necessary.
You know what I mean, and eventhough the brick that I took was
not like, it was somewhatforced upon me and I had to
(29:54):
force myself to take it, I'mgrateful for it.
Um, breaks are also necessarybecause sometimes you need to
step back from things.
Sometimes, when you're in thethicker things, you can't really
see what's going on around.
Sometimes you have to take astep outward to see what's going
on inside, and I really need to.
I really needed to do thatbecause your business was
changing and I had to relearn alot of things, even with social
(30:17):
media.
I had to relearn a lot ofthings because I wasn't one of
those people who are posty,posty outside, like you know, my
shows my, but people needpeople, people want that show,
people need.
I mean, it's clearly not likegetting everything, but people
want to see your personality,people want to know who you are,
people want to.
You know what I mean.
I had to relearn social mediaand how people are using social
(30:38):
media, and even even, even yes,a style of writing wasn't even
necessarily the style of writing, but it's the topics I was
never drawn to, like the hip-hoptrap something, because you
know that.
Never did I go.
People expect certain thingsfrom me with regard to dancehall
and reggae.
You know what I mean, but justto see, like you know, you know
(30:59):
what.
What were we singing about?
You know what direction we'regoing to, what's happening.
You know what I mean becauseyou can't.
We grew up on, let's say, forexample, 9-11 and anthrax, and
you know what I mean.
These kids know they're notgonna talk about chopping.
They're not gonna talk aboutchopping.
They're not gonna talk aboutscamming.
They're not gonna talk aboutpills, because that's their
reality.
You know what I mean.
So how do we strike a balancebetween?
(31:21):
So it took a lot of relearningand I'm grateful it happened and
I'm grateful I got theopportunity to recharge, do
other things and slowly fallback in love with music again,
like slowly fall back in lovewith the dancehall and the
reggae again?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
What's the most regular thing that you do that
people don't expect?
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Oh my god, I love to go to the supermarkets, I love
to.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Can you take my list please?
And tags can be 8 black market.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
There's nothing like when it's almost closed and it
empty, aren't just open.
I'm gonna like it.
Sometimes I look for, not nothave no reason.
Listen, you can catch me.
There's this one particularJamaican guys, like you know,
just pass your public's where dothey start target like what you
know by?
No, you know it was a littlewalk up on the, but I just love
(32:11):
you know.
You know you don't have to walkup and down.
Can you leave me alone please?
But I just love.
You know what I mean.
I think I'm becoming my mom,like comparing prices and
especially when it's empty andwe can't think.
I mean I remember nothing atall when I go in there, but I
might just come out with thatcan of soup because I'm like, so
what more?
Speaker 1 (32:31):
I know if the music in a few publics I go on the
music where I play it, but everytime I'm I'm like, I'm in there
like dancing sometimesdefinitely, sometimes definitely
.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
But there's some vibe like and it's funny because
where I chose to live is not thetypical part where you'd expect
, you know.
I mean like like a cowboy tone,like people say Latifah, miss
Brown, nobody says Latifah likewe can just be a regular person.
You know what I mean.
So it's it's like even thatbrought me back to myself, like
just to do the regular things,like cuz, I couldn't do that in
(33:05):
Jamaica, couldn't do it inJamaica, couldn't do it,
couldn't I drive to somewhereand say you that you, that I
just sick do it.
I was driving and someone saidyou that I was just sitting
there.
That time I signed to Minnie, Ihad a car with eyelashes you
that didn't have a lot of shoeson.
They said you didn't have this,you can't hide.
You have to remember I neededthe break.
You have to remember this is awoman that was literally on the
(33:28):
walls in the national airportand every bus stop, on every
billboard and every like wecan't go away on people.
You know, tifa, where's my footthem, care, hide.
We can't have a disguisebecause we can't hide my foot
them.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
So I mean the justice care idea exactly I need, like
I needed the break to just findback me I think that is
necessary and, like, like yousaid, I do think in today's, the
pace at which we consume mediaand our favorite celebrities,
(34:05):
definitely a break is alwaysneeded.
I want to go back to yourwriting.
If you could write for anyartist and be known for writing
for that artist, who would it be?
It could be dance, sorry.
Any genre, any, any, any genrebob coming rich, richer not god
but I'm not gonna.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Let me get a piece of my publisher okay, okay, all
right.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
somebody who's living living Any younger artists?
Speaker 2 (34:35):
that you know, you know, I don't know if I'd like
to sing for Naomi Cohen.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Naomi Cohen.
I can see that.
Alright, naomi, fix it up now,please and thanks.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Naomi Cohen.
I like her.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
She just dropped a song too.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I like it Cherry on.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Top Cherry on Top yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
I do love that Mutsi Nkukuda do like a wow factor,
kind of like wow, but thenpeople kind of still expect it
from her.
But wow, but yomi, like youknow what I mean, mutsi Nk, we
could have something nice and interms of like collaborators
we've had.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
We've seen a lot of collaborations from crossover.
First of all, let me rewindwhat does crossover mean to you
as an artist?
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I'm gonna start there , yeah, cross, cross over.
When I live in america, well, Ican't believe it anyway.
But crossoversover I mean froma Jamaican standpoint means when
your song has hit.
To me, when your song has hitthe Billboard Hot 100 in the 50s
up, that's a crossover to me Inthe 50s, 20s up.
(35:46):
Crossover to me is when yoursong is not only playing on
urban stations but playing onthe stations that people be in
Caucasian.
That's crossover to me.
When you cross to the popmarket, when you're not only
have Shelly and I sing the song,but Miriam is singing the song
also you know what I mean.
(36:07):
Yeah, that's what crossovermeans to me.
Like Sean Paul crossover.
Like Sean, you crossover.
You know what I mean.
Crossover, that's whatcrossover means to me like sean
paul crossed over like shaggycrossover, yes, crossover.
Like only crossed over, likeonly once in a jet with like
taylor swift yes yeah, that'sthat.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
To me that's a crossover now, if you, if you
take like what be has done,crossing over into country from,
from R&B and pop, would you, Ithink a few, quite a few artists
have, I know Romaine Virgo hasdone like a country's album and
(36:45):
songwriting wise.
I think, we've never reallylived in that R&B space.
What's happening?
Who's an R&B artist that youwould collab with?
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Yeah, pause, was my internet.
Hold on, no, is my internet.
Is that my internet?
Speaker 1 (37:23):
So, from an R&B standpoint, have you ever
thought about crossing over that?
In that realm, who is somebody?
Speaker 2 (37:32):
I'd love to.
As I said, I've done quite afew projects.
Some of them come out, some ofthem don't come out, Some of
them are waiting to come out.
As I said, I've written forhip-hop.
I've written for R&B.
Even if I don't sing the song,as long as it boasts caracass,
I'll take it.
I'll take my rights as credit.
But that has always been mydream.
(37:52):
It's like how some peopleaspire to be queen or aspire to
be princess, a dancer.
That was like.
My thing was always just to belike on the billboard.
My thing was always.
I remember seeing patra on ladmega, give me age.
I remember seeing patra on whatwas it?
planet groove, bt b you knowwhat I mean I'm like whoa like,
(38:16):
and I realized that the regularpeople they make their video
saturday and here's, here'spatra in the braids, and you
know what I mean on cable, likethat's what I always wanted to
do and I thought it was so cool.
And then you know, I mean hereshe in the in in in a video with
tupac, with biggie, with.
You know that that that waswhat I always aspired to be,
(38:37):
that's what I always wanted,that was what I always wanted.
So even if I don't get to seeit and go to the top of the
charts, even if my right is I'mgoing to the top of the charts,
I'll be fine.
But as long as I get that, thenwe can't retire.
No, that was always my aim.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Yeah, I love that and I could see that.
I think for me personally, Ithink Dancehall has done,
outside of Bob and familyaffiliated Dancehall has done
what reggae hasn't been able todo is really penetrate that
American market.
I think in Europe reggae isoutside of it.
(39:17):
It's very, very popular butoutside of bob, marley and the
marley family, maybe a few youwant me to tell you.
Speaker 2 (39:26):
I'll say a few like.
Oddly enough, it's women, youknow like I'm shaggy, but I
think shaggy's dead, like Ithink but like, for example,
dawn pen with no, no, no, that'sa reggae track that did really
well um sister we can't forgether bam bam I I was.
I forget how women did that.
I miss me.
Um bam bam, come on in a carticommercial.
(39:49):
I'm like what.
You know what I mean.
So like like them and MarciaGriffiths that did Electric.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Boogie.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
I think you're right, it's mostly Dan Sal.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
So I think you're in a good spot to kind of one foot
over your or one foot over this.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I really, really, that's all I've ever wanted to
do.
This is the command from kingsand that's literally all she's
ever dreamed about.
And I said it in an interview.
Like, listen, when I greedy, Iused to be like, oh, I want, I
want to be the you know, thefemale sean paul.
I shock you.
But listen, just give me acharlie block.
You know, give me a charlieblock, just give me a party
animal.
I'm not greedy, me.
Take that, give me, evenEgyptian, all of you me.
(40:36):
Take that.
You know what I mean Me.
Take that Me, yeah, me, all ofus.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
I say, all right, at least we'll do that, but that's
all I can say, especially as yousay, that I'm like Charlie
Black's, like he's done somereally amazing things, egyptian
same.
But because there's no dramacentered around them, as artists
I feel like they kind of evenlike a Sham or a Sparga Benz.
(41:01):
There's not like a whole lot ofdrama surrounding them and they
are some of the most talentedbecause there's no drama
surrounding them.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
I think that you see, you me like you, Because, as
you know, certain conversationsyou can't really have because
not everybody are gonna get it.
And it's funny because even thesame thing with exploring about
the kings Shamma for inner theconversation Hello, get her
story.
Sprague for inner theconversation with, with, even
(41:32):
when he was signed, and you knoweven the song with F, with Faxi
Brown, and there's so manythings that came up.
You know what I'm saying.
I'm going to cover off theconversation with Flex and with
the remix and then roll it backfor Fresh Trigger.
But they don't like when peopletalk like this.
That's why sometimes I'm apublic enemy, because they don't
like like this industry doesn'tlike real and I am a real
person.
But we have to bring Cabra intothe conversation.
(41:53):
He had a major crossover hitwith Flex and the song Tony
Braxton remix, Making Me High.
You know what I mean.
We have to talk about Capetown.
We have to talk about Tour.
Tour is a huge record.
I'm a music nerd, so okay, wehave to talk about.
Let's not get started on evenShabba and supercats like that.
(42:17):
People tend to forget.
People tend to forget like alot of these men.
Would you like major crossoversuccess and major crossover hits
.
Like people tend to forget thatyou're the money beats.
You know what I mean?
And they it's funny to me howthey're not a part of the
(42:39):
conversation more.
But again, as you said, maybebecause they're not really into
the drama you know what I meanand maybe because a lot of other
persons just know how to.
It's not even drama in and ofitself.
I'm gonna kill it.
Social media and the media willyou know where I from?
And a lot of other people isjust like.
They just want to sing thesongs and make their money and
go home.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
I also think that there is a big difference
between being popular and beingof value.
So I think that they, to yourpoint, do their music, collect
their money, value accordingly,consistently, and just live
(43:19):
their life.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
And you have to remember that they're coming
from a school where legacy iseverything and for them they
want to preserve that legacy.
They don't want, at the end ofthe day, even if I sell 50
million records, I'm known forjumping in a swamp.
Yes, I mean they want topreserve that legacy and hold
(43:41):
their stories written.
But a lot of these men need tobe a part of the conversation,
because even women they did it.
I don't think even people don'ttalk about Diana King enough.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
Yeah, and what she's done, my brother's I'm gonna go
crazy when she hear that oneline, because she always talk
about that, but it's the truth,yeah people don't speak about
these things enough.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
People don't give these people credit enough for
opening doors and championingfor us.
You know what I mean?
It used to be before we knewour history.
No, them people had no issues.
So them talk about anything,but, at the end of the day,
guess what history care about,done, create already, and if you
know, look.
And if you know, google, youknow, we see it, it's there,
it's factual.
(44:21):
But again, people just gravitateto what they see in the present
, what they see in front oftheir face.
So a lot of people can comeonto any foolishness and telling
the data oh, I am this or oh, Ihave this amount of data, or I
sold this or a stream and in abelief and in a dough, in a
dough, fact check.
But a lot of these people, theysold units, a lot of these
people.
It's just.
It's funny because even lastnight I say what I mean world
(44:43):
music, music put up katya is theonly female dancehall artist
with a gold record in the unitedstates, with a gold album, and
that was 32 years ago and I wasjust like this is motivation.
You know what I mean.
But we get caught up in againsocial media and what's put out
there and facts are, they did it, and in a time where they
(45:04):
literally had to sell physicalcopies of music.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
It wasn't about streaming well, it's probably,
if you equate it, value wise,number wise it's going to be
less today because streams arevalued.
Each stream is valued less thanan actual physical sale of
either a single or an album, butthe public, most of the public,
don't understand that they didit, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:30):
They did it in a time where, when they have internet,
like no, we could not do thisLike they literally had to okay,
we have.
We have to go to.
You want to do an interview injapan.
you have to fly to japan, youknow what I mean like they did
it in a time where life wasn'tas accessible and beat when it
did harder, like you know.
I mean, when you suffer, payfor phone calls and I know it,
bungalow, we have unlimitedcalls, yeah, so I mean, a lot of
(45:53):
these people need to be a partof the conversation and we need
to educate, and I think the onusis upon a lot of these.
If you say you're anentertainment blog or you say
you're an entertainmentjournalist or you say you're an
entertainment news outlet, youneed to educate the people about
what has happened inentertainment well, that's also
a whole other podcast.
Tifa, you have to come back, wehave to talk more things,
(46:15):
because that in itself we can'ttell you about that you educate
the people and it shouldn't beonly about the controversy and
who said this and who said thatand who never approved it.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Come on, yeah, I mean controversy sells, it gets
clicks and it gets that.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
But I also think yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm.
Speaker 1 (46:37):
I'm driven by different.
More purpose, more like this isarchival space, right.
So when we are long gone, thisplatform will still exist to
teach somebody something whowant to learn.
That's you.
That is my legacy.
What is your when you thinkabout legacy?
What do you think about yourlegacy?
(47:00):
What do you want people to kindof remember you in the future?
I feel like you're not done, soit's kind of early, too early,
to ask that question, but haveyou thought about it?
Speaker 2 (47:12):
It's funny.
I think about a lot of thingsabout it.
I want.
I want to be known as the onethat never gave up.
I want to be known as the onethat's, despite everything,
still push through.
I want to be known as thewarrior princess literally.
(47:34):
I think.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I want to be known as Well, I'm not going to end it
there because if I go anyfurther, I have about 35 more
minutes and I know I have thingsto do.
I mean, I'll hold up the peoplethem time, but, tifa, you can
come back any time you're ready.
All right, tifa, always love,love.
(47:56):
Thank you so much for being onthe podcast.
I always love having you again.
Welcome anytime, and you guysmake sure you stream.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
I want, I want, I want a man, but the entire
catalog yesterday I wassearching my songstacks and I
realized that I think it'situnes we will go into 10, and
not only was it on the regularus charts, but it was charting
globally at 10 number one please.
I want a man buy.
Speaker 1 (48:26):
Buy the single, please, and thanks, stream it,
yes, and we are looking forwardto whatever you have coming up.
So please make sure you sharewith us and, of course, we're
going to be sharing.
So thank you so much again,tifa, and to all of my listeners
.
Leah Tomepi, thanks forlistening to the latest episode
of the Style and Vibes podcast.
(48:47):
If you like what you hear and Iknow you do share it with your
friends and family.
If you want more, make sure youvisit style stylingvibescom and
follow us on our socialchannels, twitter and Instagram
at stylingvibes.
Until next time, lea tummypeeps.
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