11 months ago
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Internationally acclaimed dancehall artiste Harry Toddler says celebrating his 50th birthday is a show of pure gratitude to the Creator and an extension of love and appreciation to the various personnel who have propelled his career to where it is today.
With this being the first time the entertainer will host a birthday party for himself, he shared what he is mostly looking forward to achieving from this grand celebration.
“I’m more like a ‘Harry Adult’ now,” he joked “[But] it really surprise mi soul and mi mind cause mi not even know mi woulda live fi see 50. Suh mi just waah celebrate life and thank God seh mi live fi see dis age [and] send praises and thanks to the Almighty,” he shared. “This is not even nutten weh sponsor, mi just waah put supm together outta mi hard earn sweat to say thank God and celebrate Patrick Jackson [given name] and put the focus on me and do supm fi misself for di first time dis year. Mi just waah serve God right there suh and thank Him in that moment,” Toddler told The Gleaner, while adding that, “Mi just a look forward fi have mi kids dem around me and any one a mi loved ones dem – the people dem who appreciate me”.
Despite Hurricane Beryl’s impact on the event venue and the delay or cancellation of flights for some family members, the deejay remains thankful for life and a “praying nation”, which he believes spared the island from further catastrophic damage.
The celebration which bears the name of Toddler’s single and 2023 one-drop reggae album, God and Good Road, is set to take place today at 4 Central Road, Kencot.
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The deejay, whose birthday is officially on July 14, said the pre-birthday celebration will be a special moment filled with surprises. He promised that the event will feature special guest entertainers throughout the night, and will be hosted by the dancehall general Bounty Killer.
In a twist of how this collaboration came about, Toddler revealed that it was Bounty Killer who orchestrated taking on the hosting duties.
“Mi mek di flyers and send it out to a circle of artistes and deejays and [Bounty] Killer phone mi and seh ‘Toddler, 50? 50 affi host by Bounty – Rodney Price’, because he never see any host pon it, it jus dida guh be entertained by the selectors. Suh him seh him waah dweet and dat just mek mi heart feel good also fi know seh Bounty acknowledge me like that and a remind mi seh a 34 years now mi and him a friend. Suh, it’s just a moment I want to create that the world can remember,” shared Toddler, who said he is notorious for “creating moments and memories in dancehall”.
Following in the spirit of extending his gratitude, Toddler said the show was also initially planned to personally highlight players such as selectors, the media, and others who have always been giving him the highlight throughout his career.
“Because it’s a major milestone I’m celebrating, mi did just waah seh cheers to di deejays dem who represent me from back den and send mi song dem a road. Suh mi did a focus pon presenters/deejay dem, di journalist dem fi show dem seh wi appreciate dem. Suh di sound system weh a string up will be provided by Vybz 13 Music and you’ll have selectors representing from Team Shella, featuring Ikel Marvlus and the crew, DJ Johnny Kool, Stone Love, T and R Entertainment, DJ Dotcom, Game Changaz [among several others]” he shared.
Toddler has been a household deejay with his ‘90s to early 2000s dancehall hits such as Don’t Run In, Watch Your Friends, Bare Gal, and the popular Middle East single featuring Ikel Marvlus. With his first professional recording having been done in the year 1990 at the King Jammy’s studio, the dancehall giant is still dropping ‘dancehall bangers’ with his recent single, 90s Badness, creating a number of positive reviews and gaining traction on YouTube. He said the song which was produced by Javaire Records is a recognition of the “bad artistes from di ‘90s who still remain relevant”.
The artiste said, though the aim is no longer to seek a career in music but “to stay relevant” in the industry, he supports the move, current pace and flow of the new-generation artistes.
“Mi nuh deal wid career, mi deal wid survival because, right through mi life, all mi know is music and di whole a mi soul, mi slangs is [aligned] with music. Mi contribute so much to dancehall, some of which is not even recognised but dat don’t move mi because I’m not seeking for a career anymore,” said the deejay while stating his alliance and achievements as a former member of the popular music group ‘Scare Dem Crew’, which comprised Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Nitty Kutchie and the late Boom Dandimite.
“All mi affi do now is maintain the game and try to fit into a relevant space. Don’t try to fight for a career because I’ve been there – mi a dancehall heritage, any weh dancehall play, a Harry Toddler has to play [because], even if mi nuh have a song, mi have a slang. And, with this new genre a music, mi learn fi accept because the new youths dem a dem deh pon di field now,” shared Toddler.
The Dance The Angel artiste is currently working on releasing his nine-track album, titled Dance Music, which will comprise Toddler’s previous ‘gold-certified’ dancing songs. The tentative release date is set for November 2024.
English (US) ·