Merciless: - dj -

Interview © December 2002
2004 Jamaica Way Productions

Listen to an audio interview with Merciless:
 

Q: Tell me the first time you pick up the mic inna dance.

A: The first time I pick up a mic, People’s Choice playin’ an’ Yellowman and Ninja Man at a place call Blackwood Brown Lawn in Clarendon. Them say, “Yeah yout!” Yellowman seh, “Come check me – ya wicked star!” I did come check him.

Q: Did ya have to wait for the mic?

A: Nah! Them time deh, nuff lickle young artistes, so me jus get up deh an do me thing.

Q: What kind of lyrics did you have at that time?

A: Them time me have some more culture lyrics. One or two girls tune, but mostly, mostly culture tune me did have dem time deh.

Q: You worked as Sugar Demus early. How did you get that name?

A: That was when I was livin’ in the country. Used to go to club in Ocho Rios. One day one a mi bredren say, “Yo star, you have Nicodemus an Junior Demus, ah Sugar Demus yu fe name.” An mi just tek the name an’ just start work with it.

Q: In “Mavis” days no real clash competition?

A: No, “Mavis” was jus’ for the ladies.

Q: It was Sting that start it all?

A: Yeah. Sting – the real war a gwaan. Even Sting in Miami.

Q: were you prepped for that? Were you aware that that was gonna happen that day?

A: Mi dunn know any show with mi an’ (Bounty) Killer – people look and expect certain things a gwaan. So, you can’t back from it. You jus’ give it to them. Nuff people pay them money to see a real show. Bounty Killer was really surprise because a beer new ting reel off when mi say: “Me real name a Leonard ‘new tune’ Bartley. Tune smartly. Them jus’ exit shortly! Seckle!”

Q: Clash lyrics. Is it something you can’t go back from?

A: Let me tell unno this. Mi have a different segment inna mi career. Three different segment mi have. Mi have mi culture segment, mi have mi girls segment, mi have mi reality segment, an’ jus have mi war career different. So when people come against mi, mi jus prepare for that time deh. Mi don’t back from no war. Mi no label miself as a clash dj.

Q: You have lyrics in “Ghetto Anthem,” “I remember when I was in school…” That’s a good image. Tell me about that tune.

A: Mi ah say, “One coconut jelly and piece ah cornmeal…” Them lyrics ah jus a ghetto ting where you know say you can’t forget how you grow up. Certain things you live by. Becaw when mi go ah school back in the days, mi parents never have it. Moretime I always a bulla.mi get fe mi lunch. Mi just hole dat an still try a learn. A guh so! Dem ting a just haffe jus come out in a music. Mi cyaan hold it now fada. Yeah!

Right now a jus beer hard works. In a studio every day. Mi live in ah de studio. It’s my time now, my world, my life. So it jus dat! 

Q: Tell me about Sting 2000 – classique story.

A: It was really billed for a clash with merciless and Ninja Man, but during the time mi an’ Ninja Man the feud goin’ on – Bounty Killer was kinda flarin’ up an try to buy-out my war. So I just invite him in fe come taste some of the war bickle.

Q: Lots of planin’ for that? What made it work so good? Ninja Man had been incarcerated for so long. I was under the impression he would have lyrics galore.

A: Dat mi ah tink too! Ca, mi cyaan believe say the big man “Sting God” – him come unprepared. Ca mi a say the shot him a fire after mi them cold man.

Q: Did the audience pick up on him at all?

A: Yeah definitely! Him get him forward and everything ca it was ah fair clash. No buyout. Think like them try fi do last year (Sting 2001).

Q: At Sting 2000, did you have to call Ninja Man a crackhead!? Was it really necessary? [laughs]

A: Because inna war y’know fada, anything goes. [laughs] All type a shot a fire!

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