Early this month, the Enemies hitmaker Jupitar released a dancehall song titled ‘Smile Again’ produced by the award-winning producer Mix Masta Garzy which became a topic for discussion.
Few hours after unleashing the song female blogger and reggae dancehall promoter popularly Known as Jullie Jay Kanz, took to her facebook platform saying; Jupitar sounds like Jamaica’s dancehall artiste Alkaline on that song.
The post saw many comments from dancehall fans and music pundits who accorded with the point she made whiles a few opposed.
Jullie added that there are also a few Ghanaian dancehall artistes who also try to sound like their colleague Jamaicans. Pointing out names like Rashid Metal who sings exactly as Sean Paul, the lady dancehall critic insisted that she saw no reason to keep mute if Jupitar is "styling" Alkaline when some fans of the artiste tried reacting negatively to her statement.
She said: " Rashid Mettal is copying Sean Paul and every man jack could boldly say it so why should we keep quiet if Jupi is copying Alkaline? Is it because its Alkaline he is trying to style?!!
Jupitar, speaking to Ghana-based entertainment Flex newspaper in an exclusive interview a few weeks ago with reference to the fact Jullie proved that the dancehall general sounds like Alkaline, he unveiled in his own words saying:
“There are countless number of artistes with different vocal delivery on the songs, so I don’t know why people start to compare me to other artistes anytime I release.”
Vybz Kartel has different voices as well as Elephant Man, Demarco, Busy Signal and many others, sound alike though they all have individual style in their delivery.
“I started blending Vybz Kartel and Movado and my own style on my first hit single Money Box,” he disclosed. He said he was mostly doing Vybz Kartel’s style and everybody knows all of a sudden there was Alkaline who also has Vybz Kartel’s style.
“I started with Vybz Kartel’s style before Alkaline was known, is it because he is known globally and Vybz Kartel is no more?” he asked. “Mention any Ghanaian dancehall artiste and I will tell you who they all sound like. The same thing was said when I released Dream. Who is alkaline and what made him alkaline, apart from his tatoo?” he quizzed.
Jupitar added that when he started, that was the same thing they said that he sounded like Vybz Kartel and now they are likening him to Alkaline. He said he was a multiple style artiste and nobody has it like me.
Speaking on the latest song ‘Smile Again’ and the inspirations behind it, he said: “We are in serious times. Frustration and disappointment make the youth of today go astray. My message is to empower them to still stand and fight, they shouldn’t give up because success is near and life is full of ups and downs. Also, regardless the situations they get into, they shouldn’t stop praying and God shall certainly make them smile again.”
Restating him, Jupitar said if he were a Jamaican or an artiste based outside Ghana, he would have been a big star before Alkaline and people will rather say he sounds like me because he started Vybz Kartel’s style before him.