Seven Takeaways From Jahmiel’s Engrossing Interview With ‘Teach Dem’

Reggae crooner Jahmiel always knew he’d one day be a role model and great man in the genre. He’d already written his first song at 4, started high school with a music video to his name, and he fills in the details of his rise to fame in a recent Teach Dem interview on YouTube. 

Pursuing his path fully after high school, the young vanguard affirmed “mi bright when it come to music” and listed the philosophies, achievements and aspirations that guided his riveting journey.

Here are 7 takeaways from Teach Dem’s engrossing two-hour chat with the Strongest Soldier.

All his songs are inspired by true events. 

The youngster has seen his fair share of strife and successes, most of which have made it to the airwaves through his prodigious flow.

“Me is a man me always put my pain inna music bredda. Anyting weh me ah go tru mi jus put dat inna music. Who di cap fit mek dem wear it, yuh zimme,” Jahmiel said.

He explained that Real Father was an apology after a spat with his keen and supportive dad, U Me Luv was a reassuring anthem for the “cute likkle ting” he was dating at the time, and Where Were U?  was a clapback at wagonists who “never make a call” until his career took off in 2016.

Who is Jahmiel’s favourite artist?  

Though he’s been blessed to be in the company of reggae giants from an early age, Jahmiel doesn’t consider any one musician his favourite.

“Mi nuh have a favourite artist, mi just love music. Mi love di conscious side ah music, mi love soulful music an ting. Kinda hard fi mi pick out a favourite artist still.” 

He does however, credit a few foundation artists and projects with his conscious ethos.  “Sizzla and Buju Banton, my artist dem dat. Buju Banton have a album name Til Shiloh, bredda mi love da album deh. Bob Marley same way an Junior Gong, we get influence by dem kind a music deh.”

Jahmiel nearly gave up on music.

The singjay’s patience was tested in the many hungry years before his big break. “Mi did feel one ah di time dem mi ah give up. Mi see mi family ah struggle an a seh Jah know star. Di music ting, ah it mi wah use an tek mi family outta certain situation an it come een like it nah go work. But at di end of di day bredda, Jah timing and our timing ah two different time,” the artist said.

“Right as mi feel like mi waah give up bredda, mi hit, no joke. Mi memba one time mi ah cry to di almighty an a seh Fada God, when you ah go mek dis happen? Weh mi ah do wrong? Mi ah follow di commandments dem, me nah do nuttn wrong. Mi neva give up stil,l mi jus continue ah do wah me a do an it end up pay off .”

His views on switching lanes from his conscious catalogue to clash songs.

“Ah jus di ego did ah play it role,” he said of the war of words between himself and dancehall cohorts Vershon, Chronic Law and Tommy Lee in recent years.

“Mi feel like mi get distracted, but mi nuh regret it cause di path weh mi deh pon right now, come een like if me neva go tru certain tings, mi wouldn ah see di bigger picture bredda,  and ah nuh weak fence ting, a jus music so we keep it desso.” 

What has he been up to during the pandemic?

Now back to his righteous roots, Jahmiel dropped Revamp, a 5 track EP, this year and admits he’s been doing plenty of that in 2020. Speaking on a harrowing experience of “spiritual warfare”, Jahmiel said, “All mi can seh bredda, God real. Mi go tru a spiritual warfare where nuh physical weapon couldn’t help mi.” When the host jokingly asked ‘how it sound like ah obeah dem obeah Jahmiel so?’ the crooner casually responded, “yuh can call it dat”.

His latest music video, Guide My Steps, is an account of the events and the singer’s life-changing assertion that “unseen forces exist”. Calling the experience a “rebirth”, he sees a silver lining in the situation as it has only strengthened his faith, helping him live without limits.

Where’s Jahmiel’s favourite place to perform?

Jahmiel gained the world in more ways than one when he catapulted to success in 2015. Since then, he’s headlined a European tour and received a hero’s welcome in the reggae music mecca, Africa. He excitedly recounted his visit to Gambia, where fans rushed the stage as well as followed him all the way back to his hotel for photo ops. “So far mi greatest experience, mi best experience is in Gambia, he said. 

He said he even considered migrating after the outpouring of love and appreciation, adding that he’d love to visit Ghana next, as it holds his biggest fanbase.

Jahmiel freestyles all his lyrics.

“Mi nuh write, mi jus sing how it really go,” he joked, referencing the summary of real life struggles with friends ‘Boysie’ and ‘Mario’ that sparked the hit single Gain The World.  

Jahmiel’s commanding cadence and spiritual resonance will surely make him a genre mainstay for years to come.

Check out the interview for more of this layered reasoning, including what he considers his single greatest achievement and which Jamaican artist he’d most like to work with.