Manager says Mackerel will fit among top female artistes

If there was any question as to whether social media personality Mackerel could compete in the dancehall arena, that was put to rest on Thursday when her third single, A So Mi, caused many critics to drop their jaws, retract some scepticism, then proceed to twerk in the comments section of the song's teaser.

Staying true to her 'man-tekking' style, the song offers a sexually egotistic argument, with Mackerel also throwing shade to the clout-chasers and trolls who have persisted since her career catapulted in April.

One such troll, Candy, made it known that she wanted to "rub out her career and give her a run for her money", which some fans encouraged. Instead of clapping back, Mackerel's manger, Dwayne 'Lava' Beswick, had a better idea.

"When Candy come about, I thought it was a good thing cause me see it as one more person from the ghetto a rise, but me never like the idea of them sending Candy fi attack her, so I told Mackerel not to answer and let her work speak for itself," he told The STAR.

Beswick, producer of Mackerel's debut single Tek Weh People Man, had the idea for a new song, and went bigger this time by recruiting dancehall hitmaker Shane O and producer Red Boom.

"We just seh alright, me link Shane O and tell him mi want something weh a go mek the girls wine but me waan fi touch a likkle corn inna it at the same time. Him seh 'Don't worry, me have it' and after him finish the song him tell me how it bad but me did haffi listen to it first."

Impressed, it was on to Red Boom for mixing, and Beswick completed the production on his Burn Dem Record label, which operates in the United States. Though the full single is scheduled for release on Friday, the teaser-clip reaped more than 120,000 views in just 24 hours, and saw entertainers like Jada Kingdom and the account of incarcerated deejay Vybz Kartel giving their stamp of approval.

Me really grateful

"Me know how music and social media are so when me see the Ishawna and Dovey Magnum situation a run social media, me see it as the right opportunity fi drop it," he said.

"Mackerel seh her phone never go off like that before, it's like she don't even know weh fi do right now, she's confused. Me really grateful for everybody weh post it, and it's a pleasure fi see Kartel post it cause him a di number one dancehall artiste and him recognise it."

With the success stories of manger-artiste duos like Romeich Major and Shenseea, Beswick envisions Mackerel riding with the best of the lot through their continued efforts.

"She will fit in among all the other top female artistes, dem feel like she is not that qualified with the beauty or looks but she has her own style and her own image," he said.

"Not because me live in America, me still deh by her side as her manager. All the bookings you see with Mackerel going to Cayman Islands, Antigua, Canada and United Kingdom, everybody haffi come through me. The first time we ever spoke we got in an argument because she was upset that she wasn't paid after I posted a video of her on my page, I didn't even know who she was as someone sent me the video. The cussing turned to laughing, and me tell her mi like her attitude and mi a go put her to the world. The rest is history."