Charly Black: "I'm a multi-talented artist, I do reggae too."

I try and keep out of the animosity and all the excitement of the capital city. I try to keep out of trouble and mix up.

Why do you call yourself the countryboy?

How do you then organize your studio sessions and concerts ? Whenever I get a chance to go to Kingston, I'll spend the whole day and schedule all the jobs and contacts I have to do. The when I'm finished with that, I go back to my place. Does your town have a studio too ? They do not really have a decent studio but there are some plans to build one. A crew called Platinum Wire Records is setting up one, they're the first ones in Trelawny and I did record a song for them and I do encourage them too. How did you feel about music when you was a youth ? I've always wanted to do music; but I wasn't sure if I could be a good Deejay or a good selector or a good radio announcer. Anyhow I wanted to play a role in the music. So now I give thanks to be recognized as an artist. Did you start deejaying on sound systems ? In my side of the country in Jamaica, there isn't so much sounds as in Kingston. I actually started in the music as a selector in some go-go club, some exotic dancing club with female dancers. That's where I learned to play as a selector and MC. Later on I moved to a sound called Lone Star, then WarLord Sound, some friends of Bounty Killer, and finally ended up to play for Bass Odissey. I had recorded a song in 2004 already but it never hit anywhere, it was not even promoted. How did you get recruited by Bass Odissey? They knew me from Lone Star already. Then when I was with WarLord Sound, we had a clash with Bass Odissey. We played in their town but still managed to gain some good response from the crew. Later on they called me to be a selector on their sound. Do you still play with them ? I actually focus on my career. So I don't follow everything that Bass Odissey does, the link is a bit fragile between us because it's so hard for me to have time to play the sound. I still do it occasionally. Tell us about your recording career ? My second trial in studio in 2007. I recorded a track called "Gal a request me" for Champagne Records and it was played by GT Taylor on Irie FM. It was the first time to hear one of my tunes on the radio. Then I recorded the Buddy Buddy song that was my first hit. Then a lot of other tracks followed, like Rich This Year that was a hit in 2009 and Too Blessed, that also a hit in 2011. Are you planning to do an album? Well it's not really the main focus now. I'm letting my career and my fan base grow first. I have enough songs to do an album. But still time have to be ripe… There are other things that are more important to me like touring through Europe for example. I'm very grateful tonite in Antwerp to see such a crowd coming to see the show. Some artists have released an album but gather only 20 people. At first, I want to showcase myself and show the people what I got. Japan Is calling too. When people will get used to my music and looking forward to an album, things will fall in place and I can release one. Do you do exclusively dancehall ? I'm a multi-talented artist, I do reggae too. The first song I did record was a reggae song. And my own first production, that was released in 2012 on my birthday is also a reggae song. I'm surely going to drop more reggae songs in the future. You are making several references to Bounty Killer. Is he a kind of mentor ? I'm a fan of him before I'm a friend of him. He knew me from long, knowing that I'm a good selector. Then when I release the song Buddy Buddy, in 2007, he embraced me as a big artists and told me he never knew that I could write. Later on we became friends. He also came to perform on my birthday bash two times. In 2012, some other artists line-up for the anniversary bash and this is showing me that the majority of them start to recognize me : Elephant Man, Aidonia, Capleton…Why do you call yourself the country boy ?

I come up with that topic personally. Most of the artists like to represent where they come from. And most of them come from Kingston. I'm one of the very rare dancehall artists still living in the country. And I'm proud of it. I live in Duncans, in Trelawny. If you drive fast, it's about one and a half hour. But I'm a slow driver and always have some stops on the way so I'll spend like three and a half hours. I try and keep out of the animosity and all the excitement of the capital city. I try to keep out of trouble and mix up.

How do you organize your studio time and concerts then?

Whenever I get a chance to go to Kingston, I'll spend the whole day and schedule all the jobs and contacts I have to do. Then when I'm finished with that, I go back to my place

Does your town have a studio too?

They do not really have a decent studio but there are some plans to build one. A crew called Platinum Wire Records is setting up one, they're the first ones in Trelawny and I did record a song for them and I do encourage them too.

How did you feel about music when you were still a youth?

I've always wanted to do music but I wasn't sure if I could be a good Deejay or a good selector or a good radio announcer. Anyhow I wanted to play a role in the music. So now I give thanks to be recognized as an artist.

Did you start deejaying on sound systems?

In my side of the country in Jamaica, there isn't so much sounds as in Kingston. I actually started in the music as a selector in some go-go club, some exotic dancing club with female dancers. That's where I learned to play as a selector and MC. Later on I moved to a sound called Lone Star, then WarLord Sound, some friends of Bounty Killer and finally ended up to play for Bass Odyssey. I had recorded a song in 2004 already but it never hit anywhere, it was not even promoted.

How did you get recruited by Bass Odyssey?

They knew me from Lone Star already. Then when I was with WarLord Sound, we had a clash with Bass Odyssey. We played in their town but still managed to gain some good response from the crew. Later on they called me to be a selector on their sound.

Do you still play with them?

I actually focus on my career. So I don't follow everything that Bass Odyssey does, the link is a bit fragile between us because it's so hard for me to have time to play the sound. I still do it occasionally.

Tell us about your recording career...

My second trial in studio was in 2007. I recorded a track called 'Gal a request me' for Champagne Records and it was played by GT Taylor on Irie FM. It was the first time to hear one of my tunes on the radio. Then I recorded the 'Buddy Buddy' song that was my first hit. Then a lot of other tracks followed, like 'Rich This Year' that was a hit in 2009 and 'Too Blessed', that also was a hit in 2011.

Are you planning to do an album?

Well it's not really the main focus now. I'm letting my career and my fan base grow first. I have enough songs to do an album. But still time have to be ripe… There are other things that are more important to me like touring through Europe for example. I'm very grateful tonight in Antwerp to see such a crowd coming to see the show. Some artists have released an album but gather only 20 people. At first, I want to showcase myself and show the people what I got. Japan is calling too. When people will get used to my music and looking forward to an album, things will fall in place and I can release one.

Do you do exclusively dancehall?

I'm a multi-talented artist, I do reggae too. The first song I did record was a reggae song. And my own first production, that was released in 2012 on my birthday is also a reggae song. I'm surely going to drop more reggae songs in the future.

You are making several references to Bounty Killer. Is he a kind of mentor?

I'm a fan of him before I'm a friend of him. He knew me from long, knowing that I'm a good selector. Then when I release the song Buddy Buddy, in 2007, he embraced me as a big artists and told me he never knew that I could write. Later on we became friends. He also came to perform on my birthday bash two times. In 2012, some other artists line-up for the anniversary bash and this is showing me that the majority of them start to recognize me: Elephant Man, Aidonia, Capleton…