FT. LAUDERDALE – International award winning Reggae Dancehall superstar Mr Vegas aka Clifford Smith has made the major decision to do Gospel music.
The Jamaican star that has had Dancehall and pop hits since the mid-90s until now has joined the world of making music that serves the purpose of GOD. Ever since his first hit “Nike Air” Mr. Vegas has enjoyed worldwide fame and success.
Even before this major decision, he already had songs that Christians had already shown appreciation for. Songs like “I am Blessed”, “Up Deh, Up Deh” and “Give Thanks for Life” would find themselves in Gospel rotations. These songs and the persona of Vegas have prepared his fans around the world for this new career decision.
Mr Vegas is releasing his next musical contribution, the album “Soul Therapy”.
The album is very diverse in music forms, from Dancehall to Classical Reggae to Gospel both contemporary and foundation in structure, amongst other music forms. The album also features the various artistic styles that Mr Vegas has mastered over the past 2 decades as an accomplished award winning performer.
Vegas states that, “I grew up in the church like many Jamaicans, so this is just me devoting myself 100 percent to the Gospel. The moment I decided to continue my Christian journey, was when I felt that I had not kept my side of the deal with God. I had made a lot of promises in difficult life threatening situations and I was just ready to surrender.”
Vegas asserts that he wants “to spread the gospel throughout the whole world”. Vegas’ album is a powerful tool in that aspiration. The album has something for everyone. The accomplished artist says that “there is something on there for believers and nonbelievers. Nonbelievers are going to be believers after they have listened”.
As an artist who has a fan base from various walks of life, Vegas would understand how to make music that does just that. Soul Therapy will be enjoyable for all and it is an audio experience being released in a time when healing is needed in a powerful way.
Mr Vegas’ album will be available everywhere.
Join this amazing journey with Mr Vegas, the journey that begins with Soul Therapy. Vegas says it best: “I am embraced by true believers that welcomed me to the gospel fraternity. I am now letting my light shine, so others can see and come along.”
A Gospel star is reborn.
In the mid-nineties Jamaican music saw the explosion of new artists such as Mr Vegas (Clifford Smith) that would later shape the next couple decades of Jamaican music direction.
Hip Hop which had evolved from Dancehall in the 70s was at that point becoming a huge world-wide force.
The new producers in Jamaica were now being influenced by that music form. One of those producers was Jeremy Harding who had a new riddim he was releasing called the Playground. The riddim was Dancehall, yet hip hop laced, and there were several stars on it, Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Spragga Benz, Wyclef amongst others.
A relatively new artist that had success on it was Mr. Vegas. The success Vegas had on this is the stuff that makes legends. Mr. Vegas at this point was an artist that had a vocal style that could be compared to a soul silky voice artist like Sanchez, unfortunately due to an incident, Vegas broke his jaw and Harding had to release the riddim and he needed Vegas to do his song before Vegas was able to fully heal. Vegas had the wires taken out of his mouth and he did his song.
As such the smash enduring “Nike Air” was born and a new singjay style for Vegas was born. The song had such an impact both in style, riddim and sound it helped to spark a very successful career that was filled with top charting hits, album sales outdoing some of the best and most famous in the Jamaican music business, several Jamaican and international awards such as the MOBO awards.
The song would also highlight a theme that would be seen throughout the course of Vegas’ career, the theme reflects women empowerment.
Whether it be Nike Air, Heads High, Hands Up, Jack It Up and several more Vegas stormed to the top of the charts which were followed by International pop success in the early 2000s that saw collaborations in diverse forms of music with songs like “Tek Whey yuhself” & “Pull Up”.
After 2010 we started to get exposed to a more mellow and mature Mr Vegas that started to feature music that drew from the past & more classic era. Vegas saw more success in the album Sweet Jamaica that celebrated Jamaica’s 50 years of Independence.
The arc of Vegas’ career put Mr Vegas in not just the area of artist but also producer, label owner, writer, and composer. It has brought a fully experienced, talented and developed individual to this point. So when this spiritual man decided to take his career into the direction of Gospel it is major.
As we witness a major star going into the Christian music world some might wonder how this had come about, according to Mr Vegas, “Gospel is a part of our West Indian culture. I grew up in the church like many Jamaicans, so this is just me devoting myself 100 percent to the Gospel. The moment I decided to continue my Christian journey, was when I felt that I had not kept my side of the deal with God. I had made a lot of promises in difficult life threatening situations and I was just ready to surrender. The song “I give myself away”, says exactly how I was feeling. I was ready for God to use me in any way he wanted to.”
The inspiration comes from very close quarters though “My inspiration comes from how great God has been to me. I grew up very poor in a board house, with my mom and younger brother. My mom used to wash people’s clothes for us to eat and go to school. I prayed asking God for a break in music, so I could take care of my mom and He granted me that wish. I was able to provide for her before she passed away a few years ago. With that said, I am now keeping my side of the deal I made with God.”
A core of Vegas’ decision of course is the Church. Vegas reminisces that, “The Church played a role in the discipline it still has, when it comes onto worshiping God. My mom instilled the importance of assembling us from an early age. She taught us that there was a time and place for everything, so church on a Sunday had its place in our lives. Therefore, I always felt like a part of me was missing, until I returned to my first love, praise and worship.”
Jamaican Gospel music has been growing since the 70s when the legendary Grace Thrillers started their anointed work. And over the past 15 years there are Dancehall stars who have converted to Gospel and several new voices that have come out of the Jamaica Gospel scene. It is with no surprise that this announcement has been roundly embraced.
According to Vegas “The response from artists is good all around. I am close to a handful of dancehall artists and they are good people. There are gospel artists like Glacia Robinson, Stitchie, Omari, Jason Edmond that I am really close with. We enjoy this journey and we embrace the good times with the ruff times.”
Due to the popularity the songs that have that unique singjay style that we first heard in “Nike Air”, his fans are not used to his more silky style, which begs the question which style will we hear in his Gospel music which will be in display on his next album Soul Therapy. Vegas shares that, “It is a combination of both style of singing. I have a fan base world-wide that I still intend to cater to and I am trying to gain new fans who are more into the modern sound of Gospel music. I personally have been dreaming to do this silky vocalist style of singing and I am so overwhelmed with the outcome.” He also adds that, “My fans for over 20 years are now grown up. I think the new fans and the fans from then, will appreciate my album “Soul Therapy.” There is something on there for believers and non believers. Non believers are going to be believers after they listen.”
From here Vegas is turning himself into a true instrument for God and God’s work. As Vegas states he is keeping his side of the deal he made with God. Vegas will be involved in multiple areas of God’s work, “I want to spread the gospel throughout the whole world, so if that is ministering, then yes I want to be a minister. I want to sing and speak with conviction. I am embraced by true believers that welcomed me to the gospel fraternity. I am now letting my light shine, so others can see and come along.”
It all starts with the new album, so all Vegas fans, Gospel music lovers, believers and non-believers get ready to allow Soul Therapy to take you on a divine journey of healing.
Soul Therapy will be released on iTunes and all other leading online music platforms and on CD on the 24th of February, 2017.
