2011 - The year for comebacks

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

A swarm of schoolchildren surrounded deejay Mr G during a Christmas charity appearance for the Claro mobile phone company in Trench Town.

Clarorific, the company's spin on his hit song Swagarific, blared in the background as he participated in the afternoon function.

The Claro partnership completed a remarkable year for the 36 year-old Mr G who had his first hit song 14 years ago as Goofy with Fudgie for Main Street Records. During a break from promotional activities, he told The Gleaner Swagarific has the legs to go even further.

"It don't reach it full potential yet 'cause wi looking at Europe an' Hot 97 in New York. Wi hoping it can move from strength to strength," he said.

Swagarific was produced by Sean 'Seanizzle' Reid on the One Day beat that also yielded another chart rider in Beenie Man's Rum and Red Bull.

Reid is Mr G's former engineer who has fast developed a reputation as one of the dancehall's hottest producers.

Last hit

Released last May, Swagarific has revived Mr G's career at an age when most deejays' best days are behind them. His last hit songs came five years ago when he scored a double for producers Steely and Clevie with Old Crook and Pocket Money.

When the hits stopped coming, Mr G went into production with his Young Blood Records which produced songs by Jah Cure (Love You) and Beenie Man (Hundred Dollar Bag).

Having returned to local charts a decade after Fudgie with Old Crook and Pocket Money, Mr G is not overly surprised at his latest comeback.

"Mi neva doubt myself, even when yuh is a bad artiste yuh haffi step back and gi yuhself some breathing space," he said.

The Trench Town area is not unfamiliar territory for Mr G who was born Chad Simpson in the Jones Town section of that community. His start in the music business came in 1991 when he recorded songs for Chris Meredith, bass player with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, while he was still a student at St Catherine High School.

He cut a series of songs as Goofy for producers including Lloyd 'King Jammys' James, Jack Scorpio and Junior Reid before hitting the jackpot in 1996 with Fudgie, a comical tribute to the bicycle-riding ice cream man.

Fudgie was produced by Danny Browne, co-founder of the Bloodfire Posse band and head of Main Street Records. That label was one of the hottest in dancehall in the 1990s, releasing a string of hits by Richie Stephens, Red Rat, Buccaneer, Hawkeye and Degree.

Career downturn

As Goofy, Mr G did one album (I Don't Give a Damn) for Main Street. But when Browne became a Christian and the label changed direction, most of its artistes experienced a career downturn.

Looking back, Mr G credits Main Street with his development as an artiste and a person.

"It was a family unit. There was a lotta good vibes in the air and the music," he said.

There have been renewed good vibes this year for Mr G who is currently working with Seanizzle on an album, his third, which he expects to be released soon.