BY TEINO EVANS, Staff Reporter
Left Side of the group Left Side and Esco. - IAN ALLEN, Red Rat - FILE
IT HAS LONG been known that international artistes have encounters with groupies but, according to local entertainers things are no different here.
Enthusiastic female fans, labelled as groupies, follow the artistes around most times looking for the chance to get intimate or really personal with them.
While some persons would feel intimidated by persons following them around and attempting to get involved with them, the local artistes say that they have learnt how to deal with them.
Oneil of Voice Mail says he always tries to treat them well, as they are "just a different type of fans ..."Wi deal wid dem good, 'cause a fans same way and at the end of the day, sometimes the groupies dem wi more loyal to you, but sometimes the fans dem fickle an wi nuh tek to a song weh yuh sing today."
The singer told THE STAR that he knows as soon as he is approached that a fan is a groupie and knows how to deal with her. "Dem step to yuh all di time, dem wi seh things like, yuh know seh mi like yuh an mi woulda waan fi get fi know yuh better; can I get your number or you can take my number and call me," Oneil said.
Red Rat says for him, after being in the music business for so long he has learnt to appreciate the groupies but he does not mislead himself into seeing them all as dedicated fans. "... Mi nuh really mek dem ting deh fly up in a mi head. Yuh mus show yuh fans dem love, but yuh fans dem fi always want yuh, but a nuh all a dem mus be able fi get yuh pon dem exclusive level deh," Red Rat explained.
FAMILY MAN
As a matter of fact, Red Rat says he is a family man and is not interested in being involved with his fans on that level. The deejay who has a six year old daughter declined to say whether he was currently in a serious relationship.
Left Side, of the duo Left Side and Esco, says they deal with groupies like regular fans as getting involved with fans on a personal level only causes harm.
"I jus deal wid dem on a level of them being fans, you have some a dem come seh some crazy stuff, like dem waan guh back a hotel wid wi an dem ting deh, but wi nuh really entertain dem too tough. Some a dem jus come roun' 'cause dem waan guh back guh talk yuh business out a road, suh, like if yuh tek on some a dem, yuh can get inna trouble wid dem, all when yuh innocent, an mi si too much people get in trouble dem way deh fi guh deh suh," Left Side said.
Where maintaining a serious relationship was concerned, Left Side said he had no problems in that department. "Honestly, it depends, yuh have some girl out deh weh know how fi hold it, an know what the work is about, but mi picky who me really talk to an' I know how fi deal wid people out there so my spouse will not be uncomfortable. Once yuh keep yourself exclusive then I think that will keep the interest of your fans," he said.
For singer Wayne Marshall he believes groupies come with the territory but artistes have to choose whether they are comfortable entertaining their offers or not.
"Groupies a guh always a throw demself at you as a artiste, suh if you as a artiste can control yuhself den yuh nuh have a problem," he said.
He said that while there are some artistes who are single and don't mind having them, for those persons in committed relationships they have to be careful. "... Artistes weh inna relationship haffi jus know seh dem haffi keep dem fans as friends, and in that case yuh woman haffi be under-standing, yuh can't have a girl weh a guh be touchy, cause as a artiste, girls will always a pass numbers to yuh an dem way deh," he said.
The deejay concluded: "Yuh haffi have a girl weh believe inna you an trus' you, cause di groupies will always be coming, groupies will come and go, but she will always be there."
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