5 Questions With Di Genius

Stephen ‘Di Genius’ McGregor was born on January 6, 1990 in Kingston, Jamaica. As part of the McGregor family, Stephen’s musical proclivities were nurtured by his famous father, reggae icon Freddie McGregor and his record label Big Ship. Known primarily for his audacious leaps with dancehall music production Di Genius has worked with a myriad of dancehall greats like Movada, Vybz Kartel, Shabba Ranks, Masicka, Jada Kingdom and Shenseea. With decades of work and material like the Peppa Riddim, the Armagiddion, Labwork Vol 2, the Animal Instinct Riddim and Ragga Ragga Ragga, Di Genius has cemented himself as a mainstay of the dancehall identity. Now as he undertakes a new era in his musical and creative journey he caught up with The Gleaner in 5 Questions With....

1. You have been a producer for a very long time. What was the first memory you have of feeling like you needed to be in the music industry?

The first memory I had of feeling like I needed to be in the industry is being in here (Big Ship Recording Studio). My father built this studio when he was like five [years old] and I just remember being in the environment and watching all the legendary musicians, different producers and seeing my father make music. Seeing the process really inspired me. From seeing them make a beat to them writing the song [then] hearing the song on the radio and going on tour with him to see him perform it for thousands of people. The process was so fascinating to see, [from] the inception of it to where it could lead to. From dem time deh I was like ‘I wah do something in music. I just wah be a part of it’. I never know what specifically but I just wanted to be involved.

2. You had a legendary run in the mid to late 2010s in Jamaican dancehall music. How do you remember that time?

A lot of that time was a blur because it was just so much work. I remember just always being in here, always working. Constantly finding the next thing. It was a good vibe but I was just more focused on the creative side so I wasn’t really looking at the score to see what was happening. I was just putting out music and getting all of the creativity out. Those things kind of shaped a lot of the future sound of the music, so I’m grateful for that.

3. What artistes are you most excited or even nervous to collaborate with next?

I don’t know, I don’t really have a bucket list like that. I just wanna work with really dope people. There’s so many good people now, so many new, talented people. Like you said, I’ve had the opportunity to work with people that I’ve looked up to before and that’s always exciting. I’m just really open to making amazing music with good people.

4. Outside of collaborating with artistes, is there anything as a producer or musician that is a bucket list line item for you?

I’m a fan of just creating in general. So I think just using my creativity to lean into other things, whether that’s art or fashion and dem kind a thing deh. But just more to lean into that side of things, but with the influence of where the music is coming from. It just not a one specific thing.

5. What’s on your playlist right now?

My playlist right now is all over the place. I have a lot of country music, a lot of dancehall. Old school dancehall too, like stuff that I didn’t produce. I don’t want people to think me just a listen to myself every day. Just music in general because I listen to everything to get inspired. I don’t get a lot of time to listen to music outside of when I’m working on it, maybe when I’m working out or something but a nuff things on the playlist, random things too.

BRAWTA

What project are you currently working on?

I’m working on a lot of music right now, a lot of dancehall stuff. I have new ridders finally so people can stop asking me about that. I have a lot of singles that I am about to start dropping and projects. There are albums in the works, stuff overseas too, but more on the pop side and hip-hop side that’s coming out soon. But there is a lot of focus on dancehall in the coming weeks.

shanel.lemmie@gleanerjm.com