By Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Reggae artiste Sean Paul poses backstage with his pop/rock favourite male artiste award at the 2006 American Music Awards on November 21, in Los Angeles. - reuters

Misunderstood in many ways, dancehall artiste Sean Paul has had to forge his own unique image in the local and international arena. At the end of the day, all Sean Paul wants is to be heard.

Sean Paul seems to have the whole package, a pretty face, snappy lyrics accompanied by good beats. Yet he has fought long and hard to get respect in the music industry. Not your typical dancehall act, Sean Paul has far exceeded the expectations of many of his peers. Coming from the uptown yet doing 'downtown' music, growing up in a place that wasn't the ghetto, has been one of the biggest stereotypes Sean Paul has had to face in his career. One that has plagued him outside of Jamaica where persons have long criticised the authenticity of his music.

However Paul has proved that while dancehall arose form the ghetto, it doesn't have to stay there. Ironically even though Sean Paul has won international acclaim, local persons are always quick to play the 'colour card'. Assuming that since Sean is an uptown 'browning', he has been more accepted by fans across the globe. Speaking on the issue, Sean Paul claimed "those things have to do with the perception of the general public, some people call it the system, some people say it's the way things are. I call it an injustice of society, and it just shows you where we are still. Cause if someone can be a great artiste and put out many songs and people feel that he's reached there because of this or he didn't reach there because of that- it is a bias that people have. I don't have it, I just do music".

According to Paul, the issue is not where the music came from, but that it sounds good. However that doesn't mean he won't use the system to his advantage.

"Listen to the music, the image is a bias thing, but we use it in the industry, just like you use a car to go to the pharmacy we use dat, we use dem likkle picture deh, I use that image to sell records it's a bias in the world I mek use of it, sorry bout it."

Real authentic

While Sean has learnt to sell his image, its selling the music that is problematic. After the journey of Dutty Rock which pivoted Sean Paul on the cusp of superstardom, how to market the artiste the second time around with The Trinity should have been easy. However Sean claims that some of the same problems kept arising, this time around communication was still a problem.

Sean Paul elaborates about his journey with The Trinity, "you haffi understand dese companies are big and these people want to keep their jobs. So whatever is selling at a time that's what they're working on. I had to prove to everybody back that this was real authentic, this is also something that is of standard of voice, song, vibe that you're gonna get from the artiste cause its Sean. I had to prove it back to them cause they didn't believe and I think its gonna be the same way next time. Not only for me, from the industry there's a lot of artistes coming from Jamaica. I'm seen as 'I don't really know what he is'," Sean says.

This fact was clearly shown at the American Music Awards where Sean Paul won 'best male pop act'. While Sean Paul admitted it was mind blowing to have won, he used the award as an example of what his music is classed as in the United States. "Right now I'm up for an American music award, pop award and I can't believe, I'm not a pop artiste. I know I'm popular but I don't think of myself like that. To me Micheal Jackson is pop and Britney Spears, I don't think I'm like that.

"Its suppose to be dancehall. There's so many dancehall artistes and everyone needs a chance. It just happens like that, people just don't know where to put this music" he said. The advent of reggaeton has added more confusion to the mix. Sean attests that there are instances where people assume he speaks Spanish because he does dancehall music, obviously confusing dancehall with reggaeton.

Despite all the things that have been said about Sean Paul the artiste, no one can now deny his success and he plans to keep on bringing his music to the fore.

Since coming back from tour Paul has been working with numerous young producers, voicing riddims for his local fans to enjoy. For him music isn't about record sales or music videos but voicing songs for people to hear. The Middle East and Africa will soon be hearing the DJ as he embarks on a tour there in December. "Come January I'll be taking three months to heal from a knee surgery, do some records, I've been doing some lately, working with Renaissance, working with producer Stephen McGregor, looking for hot riddims otherwise," Paul says.
Sean Paul, in performance at 'Party With The Stars', held at Palisadoes Go-Kart Track on Friday, December 23, 2005. - Winston Sill