Elephant man - "I didn’t make no clash start"

Elephant Man’s music is fun.  Not only is the music enjoyable to listen to, but Elephant Man himself is enjoying his music.  The music is usually not too serious, it has some form of gimmick, and it’s packed with energy.  Add a energetic live performance and the formula is complete.  As a modern day Dancehall artist, Elephant Man has used this formula to bridge his work from the late 90’s and has made continued to make himself viable. 

In the arena of gimmickry, Elephant Man is a force.  He walked onto the scene with orange hair alongside Harry Toddler, Nitty Kutchie, Boom Dandimite as The Scare Dem Crew.  Elephant developed catch phrases like “Good To Go,” “Shizzle Mi Nizzle,” and was known by the nickname of Energy God.  The nickname relates to Elephant’s well known stage performances.  In a 2002 interview, Elephant Man comments,

“Mi is a man, so ya see me, ya see energy.  Mi nah put on.  Is just me dat.  From mi a lickle yout it just deh ya in mi.  The fans, they give me the name “Energy God.”  They see mi climb pon de box, mi go up pon the speaker, mi go up pon the iron, mi jump in a de crowd, mi up pon de wire, up pon de fence.  Sugar Minott, and Ken Boothe.  Ken Boothe say, “Elephant, you a the ungo dj mi see who used to go like me in my time.  Fit and physical.”  Tiger and Lieutenant Stitchie used to jump too.  We ah the young generation, so we take it pon the next level.  It jus’ the vibe of the people, them enjoy themself.”     

Elephant can also chat slackness and was involved in a August 2001 SumFest event where the Jamaican government shutdown artists chatting slackness, while the artists were performing on stage.  Elephant comments,

“Jamaica the land of bad word y’know.  Some people them ah try use we now fe make an example a what dem do wrong.  Artists clash. When dem clash, bottle fling, people get lick.  Then the promoter turn it over pon we an’ lef we inna everyting.  I didn’t make no clash start.  I jus’ curse one bad word, yes.  Memba, a beer elder there inna a de show.  It depends on how I cuss the badword, because I was just expressing my feeling when I was saying that Malcolm shouldn’t dead.  Mi just a vex that Malcolm was dead an’ curse the badword.  They just come up pon this profanity thing and everybody try to use the entertainer for bad example.”     

Elephant has been riding a path of prolific single recordings as well as popular tunes that are related to his slang and various dances that have been created.  Some of the specific dance related “Ele” songs include:  “Shaka Shaka,”  “Limbo,” “Ova Di Wall,” “Wine for Me” etc.

Beenie Man has described his own style as, “I ‘m like water, I can fill any space.”  Elephant Man has that same quality with a lot to offer.  Elephant has been able to maintain his value for Dancehall fans while making it seem natural and effortless, except when he’s holding a fat girl up in the air and grinding in front of 1,000 Dancehall fans.           


Selected Singles Discography: 
(Song Title, Record Label, Notes)
1.  Bun Bad Mind,   Stone Love     
2.  Jamaica,   Stone Love     
3.  Deh Dem Bad, Renaissance, Distributed by in The Streetz   
4.  Pakistan,   Renaissance, Stepz Riddim   
5.  Dead Over It, Renaissance     
6.  Rapid,  John John,  Jammy's Son, Target diddim 
7.  The Ride,   John John, Chikita Riddim   
8.  Sorrow To the World, Q45     
9.  Higher Level, Q45     
10. Afraid A We, Q45     
11. Over Di Wall, King of Kings          
12. Long Story, King of Kings         
13. Propella, King of Kings     
14. Dirt Bed, Daseca     
15. Get On Up, Echo, Christpher "Birch" Production      
16. Jamaica, Black Shadow, 2002   
17. Do Yuh Thing, In The Music, Distributed by in the Streetz, Party Time Riddim 
18. Hypocrites, In the Streetz, Free Up Riddim 
19. Waste Man, Big Neck,  Dist by Fat Eyes   
20. Down, Big Ship, Stephen McGregor,  Outbreak Riddim 
21. Let Them Drown, Builders     
22. Enemy, Fire Ball, 2003,  Foot Step Riddim 
23. Hands Dem High, Mac Dada,   Mac Dada Production     
24. Dance, Birch,   Christpher "Birch"   
25. Wine For Me,  VP     
26. It In Deh,  Black House, Dist by In The Streetz, Middle East Riddim
27. Ghetto Youths, Mentally Disturbed, Prod by Ward 21   
28. Somebody, Massive B, Bobby Konders Production     
29. Shaka Shaka, Maverick, Prod by Wayne Wonder   
30. Gully Creepa, SR,  Creepa Riddim   
31. Shake Up Yuh Body, Chiney K Riddim, 2007 
32. Wine Up Pan me, Daybreak Riddim   
33. Gal Wan More, Summer Bubble Riddim   
34. Gal Set Away,  Global diddim   
35. Wild Shot,  Greensleeves     
36. Ready Fi Di Video, Gully Slime Riddim   
37. Limbo, Limbo Riddim   
38. Nuh Linga, Look Gal riddim   
39. Nah Put Nuh Man, Me Mumma Riddim   
40. More       
41. Put Down The Gun, Statement Riddim   
42. How We Do It       
43. Man A bad Man 
44.  There I Go - Reggae Vibes 7", Produced by Jah Mike (Nude Riddim)
45.  Father Elephant - Black Chiney Records (Kopa Riddim)
46.  Chiney Thing - RMC Promotion (Blank Label)      
47.  Krazy - Don Corleon, Distributed by in The Streetz
48. Bad Man - Mad House (Fiesta Riddim)    

Rich Lowe, June, 2014   

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