INTERVIEW : ELEPHANT MAN
Interview by : Benoit Collin & Sébastien Jobart
Pictures by : Benoit Collin
on Thursday, October 12th 2006 - 12 910 views
An eccentric character, apart on the Jamaican dancehall scene, Elephant Man fits typically into island folklore. Coming from the Scare Dem Crew alongside Bounty Killer, Harry Toddler and Nitty Kutchie, Elephant Man has since pursued a solo career rich in successes. After months of postponements and contradictory announcements, his new album lands on Bad Boy Records, Puff Daddy's label, placing Elephant Man on the threshold of a new international career.
He receives us at his home, in one of the many villas he owns in Kingston. We enter a superb property with a swimming pool, whose terrace overlooks the whole of Kingston. His three phones ring constantly: girls, of course, whom he shuffles around the capital in a series of meetings like a treasure hunt. On top of that, we have to get past the din of the R&B pouring from his stereo and his talkative parrot to begin the interview.
Reggaefrance / Who gave you your stage name?
Elephant Man / The name Elephant man dates from when I was young, growing up in Seaview Garden. Shabba Ranks and my friend Crack Skull gave me that name. When I was even younger, they called me Dumbo, because of my big ears. And then afterwards they called me Elephant Man.
Bounty Killer played a big role in your career. How did you meet him?
All the members of the Scare Dem Crew lived in Seaview Garden. Me, Bounty Killer, Nitty Kutchie... We all went to King Jammy. Then Bounty Killer broke through, and he decided to set up the Scare Dem Crew. The idea was that it would be harder to break through individually than as a crew. So we decided to launch together. That was in 1993.
Your style was heavily influenced by Bounty. What did you learn from him?
We learned a lot by opening for big events, like Reggae Bash, Sting, Champion in Action... All those shows.
When did you realise you could have a solo career?
I knew it... The way I sing, and my personality, appealed to the audience. I knew I could steer my own boat. When the Scare Dem Crew broke up, Harry Toddler said he was leaving. That's when I knew I had to fend for myself. I already had songs, singles. I knew I could start out without fear. When I was in the Scare Dem, we did shows without fear of failure.
Do you still work with the members of the crew?
Yeah.
In 1999, you exploded onto the dancehall scene with a new style. How would you define it?
I'd say my style is... "catchy". I'm a deejay with infectious melodies, catchy choruses. I make fun music that makes people happy. I'm versatile: I do gangsta tracks, one drop, songs for the women, Christian songs, bad mind songs, hip hop... I do all kinds of songs.
You've worked with a lot of producers. Who influenced your career the most?
I'd say Jammy's, and Steelie & Cleevie. Jammy's because he was the first producer we met, in his studio. And then Steelie & Cleevie. And Sly & Robbie.
Many of your songs are about dancing.
Music and dance, that's what makes people happy. That's what keeps the party going, what makes the girls strip off... Gangsters don't want to use their guns, they just want to dance, like everybody else. It's good to see everyone dancing, the girls, the gangsters... Everybody has fun. Those people come out of work, they've had a hard day, and they're set on partying. They don't want to go to parties where you hear "gun songs", they want to "get jiggy". Everybody just wants to have fun. As long as the music is fun, it's all good.
You talk a lot about women in your lyrics, but you also tackle more serious subjects.
The best kind of song, for me, is about dancing, girls and gangsters. When I explain myself on a subject, I explain it really well. There are many subjects: you have the gangsters, the girls, and reality, everything around you. So you have more than one subject to tackle, the suffering, all that. I won't lie to you and say that Elephant man is a "reality deejay". Making fun music, that's my thing.
On stage, you're bursting with energy.
When I get on stage, I like to get the people involved in the show. If you don't do that, people just stand there watching you. People have to see you sweat, see that you're grafting, that you're working hard. I'm Elephant Man, I climb the scaffolding, I jump, I throw myself on the floor, I lift big ladies... : I do a lot of things on stage!
You toured Japan last year with Mighty Crown.
That tour was a huge success. I love Japan, the people there show me a lot of love. They like crazy people. They like artists who hold nothing back and come to put on a mad show. When I went there for the first time, that's what I did. So I go back regularly. Every Japanese person wants to buy your record when it's in the racks. So you have to keep putting out hits.
It's been two years since we last saw you in France.
You know, when I started to break through, when I did "Pon the river", I didn't much like travelling. At that time I was more focused on the United States, with Lil' Jon, Janet Jackson and all of them... I was trying to take advantage of that opportunity because I did the BET Awards, I did the MTV Awards... I was nominated for the Source Awards, which I won. So I was turned towards the United States. Going to Europe, at that time, wasn't possible, because I was very busy in the United States, and I could only have freed myself for a few days. But I don't want to go to Europe for two days, I'd rather go for two weeks. Because I love Europeans. Europeans are like the Japanese. They love Elephant. Give me a crowd of a million people and I'll move that damn crowd! When I come back to Europe, it's going to be mad.
Let's talk about your new album, on Bad Boy Records.
With Puff Daddy and the Pussycat Dolls girls, we've just finished the remix of the first single. Now I still have two tracks to finish, including one with me and Puffy, which will be the first single.
When the album comes out in February or March it's going to be crazy. We're going to change the name of the album. It was supposed to be called "Over The Wall", but that was when I'd signed with Def Jam. In the end I'm with Bad Boy. I haven't found the title yet, but I'd like to call it "Global" or "Globally" or something like that. It'll come. There are plenty of people around us in the music industry who know music. Willie Daniel took care of my affairs in the United States. He knows what he's doing, he'll find a title for the album. I need a name that Jamaicans know and use. Like Good to go, bullett, sick mad, one of those expressions you use all the time.
Do you have other projects?
I have a lot of projects, a lot of songs. It's madness at the moment. 2007 will be crazy. I'll have a lot of work too. I'll be all over the world to promote the album's release: in Europe, in Japan... Because you know, Puff Daddy, the only thing he keeps repeating is "Elephant, I hope you're ready to work". I'd better get to work right now, in Jamaica, because I'm going to have a lot of work for a very long time.
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