Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Alozade - file

Dancehall artiste Alozade has put his msuic on hold to mourn the death of his father.

The Deejay, whose real name is Michael Sterling, was rumoured to be dead recently, but he spoke to The STAR yesterday about the rumours and the fact that he is the one in mourning.

"A di first mi a hear bout dat (the rumours)," Alozade said

Alozade's father, Clarence Sterling, died last Tuesday morning at around 10:30 a.m. and according to Alozade, it is now a difficult time for himself and his family.

"Mi nuh fraid fi talk, a mi father suh di tears dem near an di memories dem linger but wi haffi strong fi mummy. Suh wi nah show nuh signs of weakness fi she guh break down, wi haffi jus be strong fi ar. An they (his parents) have been together for so long, so is like a part of you has died," Alozade said.

He also said, "everybody have a different way of mourning the death of you father. Mi born come si father and mother married fi 40 years. The only time mi away from them a when mi gone do a show, I am very family oriented."

Alozade says his father showed signs of illness last Sunday, "but by Monday he looked back bright, but we still took him to the doctor on Tuesday and by we take him in the doctor came out and said he was gone."

Alozade says his father had Parkinson's disease and diabetes.

Now, Alozade says his music will have to be put on hold for the time being, as he has to be strong for his mother, three brothers and two sisters.

Alozade says, "the funeral service will be this Sunday at the Seventh-day church on Hagley Park Road and he (his father) will be buried at the family plot in St. Ann."

Alozade says he had been working on his new album "independently before I shop it around, but I kinda paused for a while because my father dropped out."

But as soon as Alozade gets past his period of mourning, he says he definitely plans to pay tribute to his father by doing a song. "Even nuff time mi a talk to him mi refer to him as 'mi dads of all times," he said. Alozade said the relationship between he and his father was a close one.