Entertainer Ijahmar tired of the ‘Sad Story’

Dancehall artiste Ijahmar is concerned about the way crime and violence has permeated social media in recent years and created a situation where it is impossible to escape ‘negative news’, hence the name of his latest song, Sad Story.

“Everywhere you turn, is just a sad story,” he said.

“Just imagine taking up your phone one day and seeing one of your close friend on someone status ah seh RIP, to that friend gone too soon or SIP and that was how you often received the sad news of a death, especially during the pandemic when social media usage skyrocketed,” he explained.

“So after going to a funeral one day, and seeing the images on my friend’s phones and media accounts, and that day, there were about five murders all over the news, I started to acknowledge that on social media, especially in a small place like our island, that the sad story is everywhere now, you can’t escape it, people are dying younger and younger, and more frequently,” he said.

The single was released last month on all digital download platforms.

“The response has been good so far, the real feedback is that people want me to continue to raise social awareness with my music,” he said.

He released a seven-song album titled Victory a few years ago.

Co-produced by New York-based 100 Degrees Records and Rural Area Productions, it features the title track, as well as Let Me Inside, Dreamy Eyes, Motion, Why, Unstoppable and Chilling Time.

His songs tackle social issues and matters of the heart. He believes versatility helps ensure a long career.

“I draw my inspiration from everyday living and activities in my surroundings or from a good story that I can relate to,” he said.

Ijahmar, whose real name is Omar Robertson, was born on December 2, 1992. He grew up in Rockfort, east Kingston. He was educated at the Norman Garden Primary and Junior High School and later graduated to the Edith Dalton James High School, where he discovered a love for music and started building his talent by the age of 15.

He signed to New York-based record label One Hundred Degrees Records in 2018, and got some incredible buzz in 2021 with Thousand Reasons, a track that received major play locally, in the Caribbean and countries, such as Ghana and Nigeria in the African continent.