Recording artiste Jhennelle Barclay, more popularly known as Clymaxx, took Badda Tuesday to its highest peak with a high energy performance, as patrons rocked and sang along to some of the 2016 Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall latest songs on Tuesday.
Following Clymaxx’s performance at Badda Tuesday, Our Mckoy’s News team caught up with the 2016 Magnum Queen, who said that the energy and motivation she receives from her supporters are mostly positive and tonight’s reception from her Portmore fans, has proven this to be true.
“It’s a great experience, loving the reception from the crowd and yuh done know we represent fi Portmore and anything gwaan inna Portmore, wi willing fi come out and share the love;” said Clymaxx, while beaming with a smile.
The artiste further encouraged persons to make this event a part of their weekly schedule to attend because she boasts that this event hosts some of the best deejays in the area and is definitely the event to look forward to due to its unique package.
“Wi have di baddest selector dem which is ‘Di Unit and Badda Bling’ from Portmore suh yuh know it affi active. It’s a every Tuesday thing so if it’s a case where you have nothing to do on a Tuesday or yuh just looking for the perfect vibe, Badda Tuesday is the place to be;” she added.
In agreement, Badda Bling’s Manager and the event’s host, Koymoy ‘Purple’ Palmer, also weighed in on the sentiments expressed by Clymaxx and emphasized why Badda Tuesday is indeed the event to attend.
“Listen, every week a Badda Tuesday, suh if yuh can’t badda Sunday…or Monday, yuh affi ‘Badda Tuesday!’ It’s the vibe, it’s the connection with the crowd; everybody here knows they’re under one order, there’s no violence taking place, everybody comes to just enjoy the music and who’s best than Di Unit to turn up the place!? We can’t question Di Unit’s reputation! So, I look forward to Badda Tuesday every week because every week it’s a different thing, a different kind of vibe. Even though the songs repeat, it’s a different type of juggling every week!” The excited host expressed.
However, despite Clymaxx’s joy and love as expressed, to perform for her local supporters as a Portmore native, she has been featured at several other major shows including the annual event, Reggae Sumfest, Dream Weekend and many others.
“I’ve been on a lot of major events island wide…Sumfest, St. Mary Mi Come From, Dream Weekend and so on and we are looking to go on a lot more big events, going forward;” Clymaxx declared.
Following her rise to fame as the female winner of the Magnum competition, Barclay said she has been on a steady career path writing and crafting very witty lyrics that depicts everyday lifestyle, as her dream was always destined to be an artiste.
“I actually started out doing dub poetry so the writing skills has always been something mi enjoy doing to express myself inna words. I’ve always wanted to be an artiste but mi neva expect fi tek it this far but thanks be to God it a gwaan good suh far;” she expressed.
She further revealed that the inspiration behind her lyrics stems from “everyday activities, we live it so wi affi sing ‘bout it and wi affi express wiself in a way where everybody else can relate…suh wi affi sing fi everybody;” the ‘Puff and Roll up’ artiste added.
While being consistent, Clymaxx has been dropping a blend of singles surrounding various topics and revealed to Mckoy’s News the latest project she has been working on, under the music label, Prime Time Music.
“I have a couple new singles out with music videos for example, High Tonight, Stand Alone and Maddest Vibe. I just want to encourage the people to check those out on my Vevo and look out for more to come;” Clymaxx told Mckoy’s News as she also warned fans to brace themselves for a ‘hot EP (Extended Play)’ that is set to be released soon.
“I have some new music coming with Prime Time who is also one of the major participants in this event [Badda Tuesday] …Wi have an EP coming with Prime Time as well so you guys can look out for that. It’s gonna consist of new elements, new sides of Clymaxx that people have not yet been exposed to;” the excited artiste concluded.
Clymaxx appealed to all her fans to subscribe to her YouTube channel @ClymaxxVevo, on Instagram @Clymaxxthedon and on all her other socials as Clymaxx.
The phrase “Team work makes the dream work,” is what most organizations use to keep reaping successful results from their workers as they achieve a set goal as a group. Similarly, recording artiste and promoter of Badda Tuesday, Matthew Mothersill, popularly known as ‘Badda Bling,’ said in addition to the unique activities that Badda Tuesday is known for, the aforementioned phrase in relation to team work, is the same principle that he and his team applied throughout all their events to maintain its weekly upkeep.
“It’s just the determination of the team, (team Di Unit), because even though it’s a Badda Tuesday its not a Badda Bling only concept. It is a concept of the team which consist of Tallboss, Likkle Rich, Keno Russian and miself. What we’re trying to do is to create a party space suh people can just come and party and enjoy themselves; give a little joke…a little gimmick,” Badda Bling revealed.
“As you can see earlier on stage, sometimes we have competitions, just different stuffs that builds a different type of vibes and add to the creativity that the event is known for and people love it;” the promoter added.
The Portmore-based promoter said the area’s population is occupied by a diverse race and colour of people with various lifestyles who are always seeking somewhere and based on the size of this ‘city,’ it is still hard for everyone to have a night that is dedicated to ‘clean and fun’ entertainment; and that’s how the idea of Badda Tuesday was conceptualized.
“The idea with the event is that Portmore is a big space…it is also a space where a lot of people over here is looking for somewhere to go and enjoy themselves. The culture of Portmore is one of people from different races, different places and garrisons. It’s a big city and wi can’t have a big city and wi don’t have a nightly life in entertainment; so, the nightly life that we decided to add to what is already there, is what we are giving to people now: entertainment, vibes, party, it’s not a dance…from yuh step in, energy!” expressed Badda Bling.
Mothersill further stated that despite his love and the energy he puts into his weekly event to make it a success, an additional ‘talk-about’ feature which no other party does to keep his patrons returning weekly, is building and empowering established and up-and-coming artistes by inviting them to perform live during the hosting of Badda Tuesday. Our reporter asked him to zoom in on the reason behind his selection of female artiste, Clymaxx, as this week featured artiste.
“Every week we have a special guest artiste because what we are trying to do is not just to build ourselves or build the party but also help to build other persons because it is about togetherness and without togetherness, yuh can’t accomplish nutten! So, teamwork mek di dream work. Wi always have male artistes as the special guest and Clymaxx is a female artiste inna Portmore who needs the strength too! So what better way than to add a female artiste? Next week you might never know who it could be;” said Mothersill as he also highlighted that established artiste, ‘Bugle,’ also made an appearance at the venue last Tuesday.
Additionally, Badda Tuesday, despite being a weekly event, has been in existence for several years and due to its longevity, has gained the respect and credent from many other established artistes who Badda Bling said will randomly show up and even sometimes perform without a cost. Also, other party promoters, who show their weekly support could also be seen actively interacting with patrons and members of our media group to help boost Badda Tuesday and also their personal events. Due to this community and collectively support, Bling delved a little into the history of this weekly spectacle and tells the reasons behind its tenure.
“Badda Tuesday has been going on for several years. It started out as ‘Sexy Tuesday’ and then we changed the name to ‘Badda Tuesday’ because Badda Bling being the face of Di Unit sound needs to capitalize on the “popularity” and to also use what I possess, which is the energy. So, the party is a energy party, Badda Bling is a energy yout’ so once you come to Badda Tuesday, a energy!” The energetic Dancin’ Dynamites co-host told Mckoy’s News.
“Wi a duh Badda Tuesday from before social media get so popular! The other day when we did some dumpling eating and banana peeling [during Badda Tuesday], everybody got excited and social media [erupted], [but] we’ve been doing that long time. In February, on one of them special days deh [Valentine’s Day], we had an activity where couples had to kiss for money…a jus’ vibe and the people dem like it so we just deliver;” he further added.
Overall, the Badda Tuesday promoter said the magnetic pull that this weekly event has on its’ patrons is embedded in the weekly unique activities which keep them engaged along with the level of determination from the Portmore’s top sound system, “Di Unit.”
“Wi eva a gi weh things, wi sometimes all gi weh wah wi nuh have!” But we are determined to continue and grow the nightlife in Portmore. A lot of time Portmore doesn’t get the credit [it deserves], a lot of sponsors don’t normally turn their eyes on this side of the city but we are determined to build our ting and when it reaches a point where sponsors want to come in, I guess we’ll sit down and talk a little business;” he humourously expressed.
On that note of business, our Mckoy’s News reporter drifted slightly from the focus of the event and delved a little deeper into the business and cultural aspects of music. Badda Bling shared his thoughts on whether he thinks these now-a-days artistes are doing enough to maintain the predominantly strong, culturally rooted nature of dancehall and all the musical genres Jamaicans produce in general.
“Dancehall can’t stall and dancehall nuh stop a no one man foot…I tend to stay away from pointing out any one individual artiste because no one individual artiste controls or run dancehall; it’s a collective effort. Suh yuh still have artiste within dancehall who is doing it daily and nightly, big up to those artistes; and for those who are not doing it, they have their reasons, so I guess we just have to leave them until they decide to come on board and be a part of it pon a nightly vibe: pop up, give back the patrons dem some fun and excitement…and when a big show when unu fi get pay, yuh get pay;” Badda Bling strongly stated while imploring artistes.
As a recording artiste for which Badda Bling is well known, the entertainer has been managing to ‘Stay True’ to his craft and keep ahead of many other rising artistes, as he drops hits after hits which emphasize the level of ‘Focus’ he used to maintain being relevant. He shared with our news team how his journey has been going.
“It has been good. When I decided to start out in the music thing, I just tell myself seh I want it to be energy-based, I don’t want to force anything, I don’t want to get up every day and decide seh mi affi sing a song. I just want to work with the energy that comes on to me and dah way deh, I can enjoy and feel it more and di music affi clean…Its healthy music;” said Badda Bling who is recognized world wide for the popular 2021 hit singles, ‘Blue Print,’ ‘Focus’ and more recent tracks such as ‘Clean Everyday’ ‘Stay True’ and ‘Stages;’ all recorded under the music label, Prime Time Music.
The entertainer further expressed that he is willing and open to all entertainment opportunities as “the sky is the limit” and he is willing and ready to make mistakes in his field while he learns from them through his work.
Badda Bling’s Manager, Purple, also took this opportunity to expound on the importance of being guided by a manager despite entertainers’ openness and desire to work independently and also highlighted what the role entails.
“I would advise every artiste to get a manager, you can’t do everything. You can’t manage the business side of it and the talent side of it, and for anybody who knows the music business, it’s 1% talent and 99% business. So, if you really don’t know how to get the business straight, you really won’t reap, what you’re supposed to;” she advised.
“I am an artiste Manager…so, anything to do with managing the flights, the business side of the music, for bookings, upselling a show, I’m into that! I would say the best part of it for me is doing those work permits because giving artiste and entertainers that exposure and to know that I’m the person who “opened the gateway for them” by structuring the application the way that they should, I’m really delighted for that pleasure;” the excited Purple shared with Mckoy’s News.
Badda Tuesday which is now hosted at its new venue at Sexy Ren’s Place (behind Ken’s Wild Flower) in Portmore, St. Catherine, is a weekly high energy event featuring a variety of special guest artistes, competitions and giveaways every week and is one of the major events in the city which patrons from all over Kingston and St. Andrew also make their weekly event to attend.
See full interviews on Dancehall Hub’s official YouTube page @: https://youtube.com/@dancehallhub.
Mckoy’s News Staff Writer | Natasha Williams