Khago Talks New “One More Time” Album, Mr. G, And Suing Dancehall Producers
Two months after declaring that he would be suing a slew of Dancehall music producers in his second round of copyrights litigation, Khago has had somewhat of a change of heart, and now says he will be only suing the “facety” ones.
Khago was participating in an interview with host Sanjay of Television Jamaica’s entertainment programme Intense, regarding his future plans, and successes over the last year, when he was asked about the recent “controversy” with the producers and the impending lawsuits.
“Mi naw sue di whola dem enuh; mi just a sue di facety one dem,” Khago declared flatly.
In March during an interview with The Entertainment Report, from his Manchester-based ranch, Khago, whose given name is Ricardo Gayle, said that among the extensive list of Dancehall producers on whom he haul before the courts were Notnice, Seanizzle, Jordan McClure, DJ Frass, DJ Sunshine and GT Taylor.
In a later interview with The Fix Podcast, he also added Downsound executive Cordell Skatta Burrell to the list.
However, now Khago says after suing the producers whom he regards as ill-mannered, he would be focusing on getting his long-deserved acclaim and accolades, as he was the one who broke down the barrier which resulted from the Mavado–Vybz Kartel reign which made it almost impossible for any new artist to get a big break in Dancehall.
“Dem need fi gi mi props enuh. A mi props mi go fight fah yah now. 2007 to 2010, nobaddy caan bus because a Mavado and Vybz Kartel….Who coulda buss? 2007 when Mavado come out and hot den him and Vybz Kartel start war, who coulda buss inna di industry? A me come rise 2010. A Germaine, Bankey bring mi to, and seh a dis yah yute yah a guh open it,” Khago declared.
Khago in the meantime, says he is gearing up to release a new album, which is aimed at stamping his Dancehall authority, and propelling his resurgence from the ashes.
“Mi a guh put out mi album now…One More Time…caw mi a shot dem again one more time; mi a jet of one more time,” he explained.
Last week Khago started posting snippets of two songs – Fight Back and Waiting for You, from the new album, including a video of himself performing on a cul-de-sac in in his community, surrounded by his friends.
“Naw run again! Fight Back! Album dropping soon!” he wrote on one post.
“Dawg, mi naw duck again mi a fight back/Mi naw duck again/Mi a shoot back,” as he danced and pranced in the street.
In terms of bookings, things seem to be looking upwards, as the Blood a Boil artiste is also booked for what appears to be his first overseas show of the year, slated for the Jamaica Taste Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia on July 31.
Khago told the host that he was feeling highly blessed, as 2020 was his greatest year in music in terms of reaping monetary rewards, a situation that occurred immediately after an incident which brought him to tears.
In his usual dramatic, rural storyteller fashion, Khago outlined the circumstances which led to what was his most momentous windfall in his 11 year career.
“Last year a mi best year inna music. The pandemic month was mi best year ever. God send a piece a ‘crop’ come gi mi massa,” Khado started.
“Di way how di crop nice, a wish pandemic start ova,” he continued.
Khago then outlined how he was cash-strapped in the United States for six years, and was being maintained by his wife Francine, as he was collecting nothing from his hit songs, was getting no bookings for shows, nor being voiced by producers.
“A deh up a America six years, nuttn naw gwaan, nobody naw book yuh, nobaddy naw voice yuh an mi stress out. A jus mi wife a work, a teck care a mi,” he said.
According to the Manchester native, on one fateful day, he went to the supermarket with his son and the child took up an item that cost $1, and so impecunious was he that he could not afford to pay for it.
‘Mi teck it put it back down an nuh meck him see it. An is a white man see it an just carry it an come pay fi it and carry it come gi mi. And mi ride off mi bicycle and mi cry and mi bawl like a baby an seh ‘yow, how mi sing so much big song inna music an caan afford suppm fi dollar fi m son’”, Khago relayed.
He said following that incident, Francine doubled down and encouraged him to push himself, reminding him that he had earning power as he was author and singer of one of the biggest, most timeless songs in Jamaica. Khago, whose given name is Racardo Gayle, said described what he did next as using “Chiney man style” and his voice to rake in the cash.
“Mi jus tun mi phone pon myself and just guh inna mi studio and mi seh: ‘hundred and fifty dolla fi three Khago dubplate’. An mi a tell you seh mi neva si so much money inna mi life!” he said.
“Chiney man style bredda. If dem naw voice yuh fi di $250, mi tell dem and seh 150 fi three and when mi check a stock, people from Zimbabwe – all Jeezas want dub,” he quipped.
“Now mi up it to 250 fi six. Lord Jeezas Christ… trust mi. Mi voice more dan 500,000 dub from last year,” Khago revealed.
During the interview, Khago was asked about the recent warning aimed at him by fellow artiste, Mr. G, who among other things, labelled him the most disliked artiste in Jamaica. Khago seized the opportunity then and there to publicly mock and simultaneously praise the Fudgie artiste.
“Missa Girl,” he said teasingly, then added: “Yuh know seh mi nuh know why dis man tek u mi argument pon him head. Yuh know seh, as mi seh again, mi neva diss him, caw if a neva him mi woulda neva voice Naw sell out mi fren dem.”