ZJ Liquid more than a disc jockey - Aiming to make his mark as artiste
Published:Saturday | November 14, 2020 | 12:05 AMShereita Grizzle/Staff Reporter
Still on a high after going Gold in Canada for his work as a producer on Kranium’s Can’t Believe, ZJ Liquid says he is on a mission to prove that he is more than just a popular radio personality. The entertainer, who has been actively pursuing a music career since 2003, says not enough people recognise his talent as an artiste, as they still mostly see him as ZJ Liquid, the disc jock.
“Most people used to seeing me as the deejay or radio personality, and so some a dem nuh wah leggo dat. Some even say, ‘weh Liquid gone deejay fah?’ But at this point in my artiste career, I just want to show that I am capable of doing this on huge scales like any other artiste,” he told The Gleaner.
“People ago have weh dem affi say and dem ago say it, but me can’t make that detour me from weh mi want to be and the dreams and plans weh mi have fi myself. The journey has been hard, but nothing comes easy. I believe in myself and in my dreams, because the world may nuh recognise it yet, but I know what I am capable of, and so I just keep the focus and do weh mi know me affi do.”
Speaking of doing what he must to ensure he makes his mark as an artiste, Liquid recently released his first full-length studio album. The compilation titled Point Of View was released this summer and, according to Liquid, has been the gateway to proving he is more than what meets the eye.
“ Point Of View was inspired by me just wanting to put a body of work out there. Other than just some singles and me being on [the] riddim, I wanted a complete project out so that people can vibe to Liquid the real way and to keep people in a zone where they can listen to me continuously. The expectation for the album was that people would really take me serious and say ‘Yow, Liquid really a go into him artiste thing pan a different level’,” he said.
“I dropped my first project which was an EP called Mobay Son in 2018, and it got me some attention, but I needed something more if I was going to get people to really pay attention to me in this business. A full-length studio album is no joke thing, plus the production on the album was on point and all a dat das people really a praise the project.”
“Since its release in August, the reception for the album has been great. People weh a review the album, mi not even know dem woulda a listen mi music. One of the things that people are saying is that it sounds like I put a lot of time into this album, and definitely I did. I wanted it to be quality and would reflect the best of me,” Liquid continued.
Point Of View features collaborations with the likes of American Grammy-winning songwriter, Verse Simmonds; dancehall artistes Konshens, Vershon, Beenie Man, I-Octane, Kemar Highcon , and more.
Liquid says, now that the album is out and garnering the attention he needed, he is looking to capitalise on the buzz as he gets ready to release even more music.
“Me have some videos weh mi working on, a couple of remixes for some of the songs from the album, and I also have an unfinished EP which I will be completing and getting out to the people very soon. It will feature Gyptian and a few more artistes and will be a different vibe from Point Of View. Liquid just a work and a do di thing. Mi deh pan the ball because the mission nuh complete yet,” he said.