Entertainment

Diamond cut - Macka Diamond makes big comeback

CHARMAINE MUNROE'S TIME seems to have come.

After years of limited recognition by the public of her dancehall career, Macka Diamond has spun the tables and is a female act in growing demand by producers and promoters.

Not bad for a comeback.

She hit the business in the '80s under the name Lady Mackerel, but that did not cook too well, hence the re-birth late last year as Macka Diamond. Since then, with a string of tracks which the dancehalls have endorsed and a dramatic lyrical loss to Queen Paula at 'Magnum Sting' last year, the ball has started rolling. Business is picking up now with more show dates and producers who scramble to get her on their rhythms.

"I take energy tablets, eat raisins, and drink Red Bull to keep up," she jokingly explains.

For her, the typical day is just not typical anymore.

"The typical day for me, the work gets harder now. Sometimes I have to record four tunes for one day at four different locations in the country and added to that I may have four shows on the same night now."

Suggestive lyrics

People have said that Macka's lyrics border on encouraging prostitution, and bash men into a pulp for falling below women's sexual expectations. Tunes like Tek Con arguably encourages craftiness by the female in relationships.

She defends these lyrics however, arguing that she only wants to improve female consciousness, which is lacking in Jamaica.

"I am just here to wise up the women and let them think differently. It's not about materialism," she notes. "Even the man dem who I say pop down, these tunes should help them to do better with their women if they listen. It has helped even my man improve himself."

Despite her apparent pleasant demeanour, her life stories describe sadder times, when her career seemed like a dying flower. The disappointments, she notes were many, and often overpowering. "When I could not get a tune to play on the radio, that was hurtful," she said. "Even when I recorded a tune which I knew was good it did not get played. Sometimes when it got to me I did not go to the studio for months, I was just disappointed."

These setbacks apparently forced her to push harder. "I think it was because I was not serious enough. I used to just say in my mind that one day I will bus' but I did not show it. In this business you have to show determination in your thing."

Now that she is more in the public eye, her disagreements with other female artistes have not escaped public scrutiny. Her publicised feud with Queen Paula does not seem to bother her. As she told THE STAR, that is nothing to remain bitter about.

"I always wish them (her detractors) the best. Even Paula as much as people think we hate each other. We are women so we should all be out there doing our thing and being successful."

For the future, she adds, the focus to be independent enough to get into production. "I don't (plan) to just die out like that I want to graduate off the stage and into the studio."