Dancehall artiste Masicka, whose real name is Javaun Fearon, has opened up about his lyrical clash with fellow entertainer Tommy Lee Sparta, explaining that while he was not actively seeking a clash, he felt compelled to respond after fans began demanding a clash between the two artistes.
In a interview on All Angles with Dionne Jackson Miller, Masicka said the competition has been good for dancehall and that lyrical clashes remain an important part of the culture.
According to the artiste, his decision to respond to Tommy Lee was largely influenced by the demand from his supporters, who wanted to see him participate in a clash.
“My fans eagerly wanted to see me in a clash, so when Tommy Lee came at me, I had to respond. I wasn’t looking for a clash with Tommy Lee, but I’m not going to back down either,” Masicka said.
He added that he believes healthy competition can benefit the genre.
“Competition is good for the music. Clash is good for dancehall. It keeps people talking, it creates excitement and it pushes artistes to be creative,” he said.
Masicka also addressed the backlash surrounding his decision to take shots at Dancehall King Vybz Kartel during the lyrical exchanges.
The artiste explained that Kartel was not initially his target, but circumstances surrounding Tommy Lee Sparta’s association with the Gaza camp influenced his decision to respond.
“I disrespected Vybz Kartel in the clash, but he wasn’t the target. Tommy Lee is a part of Gaza and Vybz Kartel is the leader of Gaza. Vybz Kartel liked Tommy Lee’s diss song to me on Instagram, so when I saw that he’s supporting Tommy Lee disrespecting me, that’s how I decided to also disrespect him and go at everybody in the songs,” Masicka said.
Masicka further revealed that despite their collaborations, he and Kartel are not close friends and have only spoken directly on two occasions. “Vybz Kartel is not my friend, and most people probably don’t know that. Me and him talk only twice in my entire life. Me and his producer, TJ, are friends. So that’s how me and Vybz Kartel really got to collaborate and connect,” he said.
The artiste also pushed back against suggestions that going against one of dancehall’s biggest names could have negatively affected his career. According to Masicka, the controversy surrounding the clash has instead helped bring more attention to his music and contributed to his continued growth.
“The clash didn’t affect my career. Me going against Vybz Kartel didn’t affect my career. In fact, my career has grown tremendously from the clash,” he said.
Masicka maintained that his focus remains on making music and competing at the highest level, while insisting that lyrical warfare has always been an important element of dancehall culture.
WATCH FULL INTERVIEW BELOW
