THE TRIALS OF HARRY TODDLER

The trials of Harry Toddler, The Artist

From a far , with his blond braids, a skeptic like me wanted no parts of the man. For one I didn’t know who was Toddler, I glimpsed him at Passa-Passa and he was dj-ing or singing on the mic I am not sure, because my eyes were focussed on the short blond stubbs on his head.I kept staring at his head so much  I really wanted him off the mic and fast too. His funny looking hair and clothes  made me push aside my memory of him with the ”Scaredem Crew”.

My introduction comes somewhat, from a personal place as I have learnt again, never to judge a book by its cover. I saw Harry Toddler at parties and wondered , really what was the business coming to, with this freak looking hair and all these loud colors he wore.

One day I saw a friend request pop up on facebook and I saw it was a facebook page belonging to him, I wanted to ask him so bad what he was doing on my facebook page , after all he was ”rinsed” thoroughly on JMG. A few months later I saw a video of his on my facebook wall , I rolled my eyes and sucked my teeth so hard because I really wondered where he was going because I would not be listening to his song. I didn’t.

A year later, I got an email from someone saying that they wanted a feed back on one of his songs, something in me typed ”no  problem” before I thought about it. I put the video up and was so proud because I truly liked the song and  everyone who commented loved the song too. I went on youtube to hear more of his music because I wanted to know what else I had missed  as I had felt elated that no one had anything bad to say particularly about the song. You know you guys are the toughest crowd out there.  I decided to contact the person who sent the video in and ask how did they feel about the feed back. I was proud. It is funny how sometimes the things that we may think are the smallest things, but they bring us so much joy. The person was his producer, Skatta Burrell. Skatta felt the same way I did, as you know, JMG finds the needle in the hay sack.  Our interview/narrative is as follows :-

Hi how are you doing?

Di Artist : I’m good mummy how you?

I’m good thanks.

Di Artist: Cool

How long have you been in the business?

Di Artist: Twenty years.

What is your real name ?

Di Artist: Patrick Jackson.

Are you a singer or a DJ?

Di Artist: I started off as a singer, I was first called ”Fatta Bolo” a name they gave me because they said my voice was similar to ”Yami Bolo”.  DJ-ing paid and that caused the cross over.

I listened to your music and I do like some of your songs but I am shocked to know you have been in the business this long, why haven’t I heard you more,even though I am guilty for not looking pass your hair but why?

Di Artist: Boy sis, I have gotten a lot of fight in the business, but my I am my music I will always continue to sing.

What fight, explain because this sounds interesting?

Di Artist :  (hesitates) Nothing Mum, they just keep giving me a fight.

Okay , okay, I listen to some of your songs and you sound quite similar to Elephant man, why is that?

Di Artist : I don’t sound like Elephant man, he sounds like me as he had to sing my songs for close to five years.

Five years! Explain how that happened?

Di Artist:  We were in a group called ”The Scare Dem Crew” , managed by Bounty Killer at first.

How was that ?

Di Artist : It was good but after a while Bounty was unable to manage us because the group’s schedule became demanding and he was neglecting his own career. So he choose to step aside. After him we had Louise Frazer-Bennett.

Oh ok, but you still haven’t explained why Elephant Man sang your songs?

Di Artist: Poor choices made it impossible for me to travel with the group. I was the first Lead Singer and because I was unable to travel Ele had to perform my songs. After a while he began to sound like me.

How was working with the group?

Di Artist: It was ok, we had our ups and downs but the experience was good.

How did they work and how did you remain in the group based on the fact that you were unable to travel with them?

Di Artist: Not good for a while because I didn’t make money if they toured at first, and a lot of times some of the guys would not want to do certain shows, they would say no they wouldn’t do it because I was unable to come. That was just their excuse

Did that cause a problem?

Di Artist: Yeah , it did, at one point Louise Frazer-Bennette thought that it was my fault  that they wouldn’t do some things, that is where some of problems started.

You said some of the problems, what problems and what are the others, clear that up?

Di Artist: Well , you know rumors started going around that I was crazy all because of that.

Did you change management after this, what did you  guys do?

Di Artist : Yes we were without a manager after that.

Ok, but how did you feel about not being able to travel with the group, you must have felt jealous?

Di Artist : I felt bad I could not travel with them and perform and I did not make any money when they toured.

Who managed you after that?

Di Artist : After that, I was approached by (Name with-held), who told me that she wanted to manage the group, she promised to help me get a visa. I was excited, I called Elephant Man and the other guys together and we had a meeting in which we agreed for her to become our manager.

How was that, was it good?

Di Artist: Yes it was at first, she was the one who stood up for me  and made sure that I was paid when the group toured. Things became a little tense after a while because months turned into  years  and I still did not get the visa she promised to help me with. I wanted to tour and perform like the other guys.

What did you do about not getting your visa?

Di Artist : Nothing really, I started to drift away from the group a little and went into church, that caused problems too.

Problems, church caused problems?

Di Artist: No, church didn’t cause problems, rumors started going around again, saying that I was going crazy but I went into church because I had a plan.

What was the plan, you keep stopping and I really want the details ..lol

Di Artist : I cannot say in detail but it was a plan to get my visa back because the guys in the group were arguing about paying me when they toured. The fight at Fullyloaded between two of the members  of the group happened because they quarreled about paying me, they were complaining that the money was not shared properly. I was blamed for that fight too.

Blamed, why?

Di Artist: Management thought I should have gotten involved and I didn’t.

Why?

Di Artist: At first I was told by one of the men about the argument overseas, he said that the other member of the group was arguing about money. He did not tell me that the argument started because they were upset about me being paid and that the other guy wanted more money and felt the money was not shared right. Some one told me what happened , I felt bad mum.

I understand that you must have felt bad, but tell me who won the fight?

Di Artist: Mum your’e not easy. It wasn’t really a big fight one of the guys shot the other guy a box in his face on stage.

So you didn’t try to separate or stop them since it was in public, I don’t understand why explain that very clearly for me?

Di Artist: I won’t name names but the one who got the ”box” was the one blaming me, he told the other guy that because they had to pay me , that was the reason his money was less, that same guy came to me with another story so when the argument started  I ignored them.

Oh ok what happened after the fight?

Di Artist: After the fight that was the end of my career and the group really.

How come and you were the lead singer, let me say this, before I did this interview I mentioned you to an artiste and he said I was to ask you why after being the best of ”Scare dem” why didn’t you go further, and I am now asking you for him and myself, why didn’t you have a career?

Di Artist: Mum as I told you, I have always been getting a fight. When everything was going well for me, the mother of an artiste gave me a paper with instructions to go to a man in Spanish town and I feel my luck changed after that.

A man, what kind of man and how would that affect your luck and by the way which artiste’s mom is this?

Di Artist: I am not going to say who but till this day I regret going there and this was in 1995, my mother is a christian, I should not have gone there.

Well why did you go, and was it a guy in the group, many of us have heard about him?

Di Artist: No Mum, it wasnt him, I went because she was an older lady and her son was in the business so when she told me to go get checked out I went.

This is HISTRIE as we would say on JMG, explain what is was like there?

Di Artist: I don’t know how to explain it and I don’t want to talk about it, I feel bad even after so many years . My mother is a Deacon in church , I knew better but I would like to tell people , never to indulge in those things. If you have a faith, stick to it. Those things bring bad luck to you.

I get what you are saying and it is true, those things bring bad luck and some of them are evil to say the least, but do you really believe that is what caused it?

Di Artist: Yes I do Mum, because I knew about church and God, even though I was young at the time I should not have gone. I was not raised like that. It was after that , our new manager and a member plotted against me and started spreading viscious rumors that still affect me today.

Do you still feel even now that you have no luck or bad luck I should say?

Di Artist: Well things have change a little, I have a good manager, Joe, he is a good person to me , he has allowed me to be the artiste I want to be firstly.

”Be the artiste you want to be”, explain that what artiste were you all this time?

Di Artist: Well before I had to do more DJ-ing, and I really preferred singing. With Joe I sing the way I want and my music now comes from the heart. I sing when I want to sing and DJ when I want to. I feel better like this.

So , now you have changed your name and your look, do you think you are ready for the world out there, and by the way, why the new look and the new name?

Di Artist: I have transformed, I am not the man I was before, I am older and more mature, I just love my music so much I want the world to really  see me for what I am inside. And  that is an Artist