Where and how am I a criminal? – I-Octane

Dancehall artiste I-Octane came out swinging yesterday in the midst of allegations in court that members of a Spanish Town-based gang would accompany him to a studio on Dunrobin Ave, St Andrew.

"Where and how am I a criminal?" is the question that the entertainer posted on his social media page, alongside a screenshot of an article that stated that Clansman gangsters went to recording sessions with a popular dancehall artiste. During testimony on Tuesday in the Home Circuit Court, a former gang member also said that I-Octane's daughter was present at some of those recording sessions.

"More than one time we went to the studio," the gangster-turned-prosecution-witness said.

In a lengthy post, I-Octane, whose given name is Byiome Muir, emphasised that no one escorts him to studio and noted that he has his own recording outfit.

"Next thing, why would I doing crime and have my little daughter at a crime scene? So, if having my daughter who loves music at my studio when I am recording so she can learn more plus voicing for a known recording company, where is the crime? Ok then, that means that the majority of Jamaican artistes a criminal then... I am one of the biggest Jamaican superstars fi years now ... so mek mi tell unnu this... I have come across (over my 15 years) nuff yute who inna badness because of their background but come to me and say 'DJ help take me out of badness'. Note, I don't know nothing about dem badness, but dem ask for help - just to record a song on a riddim so they can get into producing and me nah go tell no lies, me record fi dem over and over because I want to show dem say life nuh stop a badness," the Lose A Friend artiste said in the post.

He pointed out that Jones Avenue Records, which has the same name as the road on which the headquarters of the gang is based, is an established label and admitted that he, like many other artistes, has voiced for it.

"Jones Avenue records is big recording label and multiple artistes have done recording for them so how I-OCTANE is a criminal fi do the same thing?" he quizzed.

The artiste added that when he does dubs for politicians during election time, that does not mean he's into politics.

"When police a keep dem party at the station and me go sing free, that don't mean me a carry info to them and when badman keep dem ghetto shows and nuff artistes including myself go, that don't mean mi inna badness."Calls to I-Octane from THE STAR went unanswered.