Venomus moves on from 'One Drop'

Reggae artiste Venomus knows a thing or two about rebranding. Three years ago, he vaulted into the spotlight with a cameo on the dancehall hit, 'One Drop', alongside QQ.

Now, he has rebranded himself as a reggae artiste, singing about consciousness and spirituality, with songs like Rise Again on the Sasaine Music label and Complicated on the Dejavu Label.

"Well, I think it's really important to rebrand one's image because as artistes and human beings, we change over time. It's really necessary because it is a process of clarifying who you are as an artiste and what your goals are. A strong brand can capture a potential fan or patron's attention and have them remember you and connect with your work," Venomus said.

Sentiments expressed

While rebranding might have its challenges, this was not so for Venomus.

"I would not say it was hard for me. But being a writer, it wasn't hard to move from a style of a One Drop to the sentiments expressed in a song like Rise Again."

This new buzz has generated bookings, and Venomus has landed a gig to appear at a show on July 1 in Stewart Town, St Mary.

"Rise Again and Complicated are getting massive love, both locally and internationally, and it's a joy to get the love from the streets and the radio. I have just finished up a lot of dubplate sessions for some of the biggest stations over the world like Bbc1extra, Capital, Buzz FM. Rise Again is one of the hottest reggae songs in rotation in the UK," said the artiste, whose real name is Ishmael Thompson.

The Complicated single was played at the recent Jack Ruby Festival where it got a huge response from the audience.

Meanwhile, Venomus recently signed a deal with the Dejavu Lifestyle Music Limited. He is currently working on his first album, Complicated, slated to be released early next year.

Venomus grew up in the community of Waterhouse, Kingston 11, and was raised along with his siblings in a single-parent home. His passion for music started at an early age when he played the drums in church. He lists Bob Marley and Sizzla Kalonji as his biggest musical influences.