Mavado - file

Newcomer to the dancehall game, Mavado, was voted 'The Best New Artiste' for 2006, beating Erup, Munga Honorebel, Tessanne Chin and others. As such, he had a few things to say.

"It is a great feeling. I work hard to get paid. Me just waah big up all di gangsters and me love di girls dem. Me waah thank all the fans who vote fi me. Right now di gangster inna di studio and di album Gangster Fi Life a drop di end of March. It a go have crazy exclusives; yuh have one wid me and Wyclef and me and a next rapper and song like Wha Dem a Do and Top Shotta," he told THE STAR.

Mavado, who was introduced to the game in early 2006, says he is surprised how quickly the fans received him.

"Fi tell yuh di truth, me neva definitely see it, but me did feel di vibes because me definitely put een the work. The journey just began - is music over war, oneness over war...Me and Jah Cure link up and is a youth wha me rate over di years like Killa, Tupac and dem man deh. Mi just waah big up all a di artiste dem - Kartel, Beenie Man, mi dads Bounty, Flexx, Buju, Chino," he said.