Elephant Man’s Pretty Baby remix may have opened the floodgates for bookings with his return to the forefront of the music scene.
But as the song gains momentum it has also been met with harsh criticism. For some, the deejay’s quirky spin on the late Connie Francis’s 1962 classic was unnecessary. But as Elephant Man tells it, his decision to remix the track was based on the need for lighter, more fun songs in dancehall.
Highlighting that everything has its place in the music industry, the deejay said his quirky remix was strictly to allow listeners to dance and let loose again.
“There is a time and place for everything, but fun, because people wah have fun right through. If you’re tired and stressed out and yah go pay your money for a show, you want to leave knowing you had fun,” he said. “People come out to see Elephant Man do something special when him reach the stage for that song. For me, it’s fun entertaining the fans and making sure that everybody is happy.”
The entertainer went on to say that dancehall today could benefit from more of what he dubbed “happy music”. He expressed that as a people who pride themselves on enjoyment, the entertainment space needs more artistes who will prioritise fun over guns.
“Yes, there’s a place for every kind of music, but I have always been about fun and enjoyment. Me waan people go home from a Ele show and say, ‘That was fun, and that’s why we love Ele and love when him have hit songs or remix songs, because dancehall fun and nice,’ ” he said. “We need more happy music. Check from 2003 going into 2004 when mi do Pan Di River and check how long dancehall did nice. Everybody did a dance and a have fun. You go party, dancehall was crazy because Elephant Man was all about fun. When dancehall happy, everybody happy.”
Outlining that the same music that is sometimes met with negativity is what has allowed him to rub shoulders with the likes of Michael and Janet Jackson, Elephant Man says he will continue to do music as he sees fit.
The deejay says he is proud of where his career has taken him and will continue representing Jamaica with the best of his abilities.
“When Michael Jackson call me and me a talk to Janet Jackson, that was one of the biggest moments for me to see a likkle youth from Jamaica up there with icons. That is dancehall, and it was fun music that got me there,” he said.
