Jahshii says he’s moving away from violent content to ‘songs that touch people’s hearts’

First Nations artist Jahshii says he steers his music away from violent content because not only is there a void in Dancehall created by a lack of conscious new songs, he’s found his true fan base gravitates towards his most uplifting pieces.

According to Jahshii, when it comes to his upcoming generation of artists, there is a dire lack of wholesome songs, even though they are in high demand, and he was preparing to fill the void.

“Yeah when you sing a gun song and you slack bro, if a man come tomorrow and sing crazier, a dem yuh fans dem gone. But when you have a song that touches people’s hearts, a heart dem you win and not just their brain, or dem jump or dem snap or dem follow, yuh nuh bro, yuh win dem heart,” Jahshii said in a recent interview with YouTuber/producer Terro Don.

“Jamaica needs dem ting deh. Yuh haffi understands that music and entertainment is a feeling and a mood. Yuh put people in a certain feeling and a certain energy, you understand bro. Das why yuh haffi know dat dawg and motivate people through music and dem ting deh… It’s us if a needed place inna Dancehall, caw if I don’t there ain’t nobody who guh do dat” , he said.

He added: “Mi a deal wid dat becaw it’s weh me si a lane weh nobaddy naw too do right now… Yuh affi memba seh Jahmiel and Vershon dem forward mighty and guh tun off enuh dawg. Because they lose their fanbase, that they are real, that their fanbase is built in people’s hearts, they lose it and start liking and commenting on fans.

According to Jahshii, currently only Masicka and Popcaan, who had many songs in their catalogs, could be played for the general public at any event, including church services.

“Yuh haffi can represent anywhere dawg…pree artist weh buss long time. Das why mi seh Popcaan, even if some men even understand why mi seh Popcaan enuh. Pree artist inna Popcaan era and pree our era: a me an Masicka and Popcaan can guh now and perform a di church, a di school, a di Sumfest, a di wedding and everythingting fi a hour, TV. Mi nuh cuss no badwud a Sumfest yuh know bro,” he said.

“But if I keep fi falla dem yah young artist yah and mad bro, dem a guh just keep seh: ‘yow, di whole di young artist dem a mad man’, enuh dawg. Suh me haffi try to stay focused, not matta weh people a seh,” he added.

According to Jahshii, he has long acknowledged that it was his conscious songs such as born fighterwhich have won him a growing number of ardent fans, and not the bellicose content of songs such as Change of team.

“Yuh know when yuh got a fanbase bro and dem a seh ‘that dude yah is my favorite artist’ and dem a seh ‘yow, yuh just got a new yute fan, cause a song dah deh weh yuh sing ‘Memba sees my real fanbase growing on Unruly Clash needs… my real fanbase growing on Shift Change an dem chune deh,” he said.

“I could leave Sumfest without even coming back on stage, singing dem deh… yeah, because my real fanbase is all about real music bro. Suh me haffi has keep my real fan base which means seh can disappoint me…mi caan let deh old people dem shit. All the people weh mi si inna VIP a gi mi di standing ovation dem,” he said.

The old boy from Excelsior High School said he knows his approach has resonated with people as he hasn’t had a major hit song since. born fighter which was released over six months ago, but was received everywhere he went as if the song was “released yesterday”.

“After Change of teamwhen was the last time i sang a gun chune? Change of team a chune dawg from last year, uh you understand? If yuh check di stats a di ting bro. I didn’t even put that on my platform bro,” he pointed out.

“Memba seh a nuh every house a man song can play inna yuh nuh dawg. A nuh every house shock can gwaan inna yuh nuh bro. All di killa, murder house conscious chune can play inna, caw di murdered and hold conscious drug the same way,” he argued.

According to the Grants Pen native, he thinks he is already a staple name in Dancehall music, but his intention is to become a household name in Jamaica.

“Memba is a household name that will be in Dancehall. If I stop making music in the next 10 years, bro, you’re still a guh memba Jahshii. Maybe it’s international in a way , but in Dancehall music, as Dancehall lovers, they know Jahshii,” he said.

Jahshii’s latest song is Strongerreleased on July 23 and produced by Zinc House Music.