10Tik credits hard work for his success

Music critics are not surprised by the massive success of his 2021 street banger Roll Deep. With a strong support team beside him, dancehall artiste 10Tik has emerged out of pack and is ready to start some musical fires.

The former fireman, who traded his uniform for the glitz of the dancehall five years ago, is still at the stage where he speaks about gratitude and other such virtues. He made his UK debut last November -- with the first leg of his Roll Deep tour -- and recently returned from Canada, where he performed in Toronto and Ottawa.

"Canada was a great experience .. the people came out even though it was snowing and I am really grateful for that. I was well received. Oh yes, and we visited Drake at his home. He welcomed us to Toronto and showed me some good vibes, listening to music and interacting with some big-name producers," 10Tik shared.

The visit, he said, had nothing to do with any possible record deal or any signing. "We were just reasoning," he said.

His next overseas engagements will see the Roll Deep tour making its way to the United States and also the Caribbean and while he is anticipating those shows, there is one in Jamaica that is his immediate focus.

The IRIE FM Song of the Year winner is now in rehearsals for an acoustic performance next Thursday at Bamboo Splash Lawn in Barbican.

"It will be a symbolic performance with me and Yaksta. He is more of a diplomat and I am the street person, but we both have a demanding presence. It is going to be something special," 10Tik, whose real name is Carlton Nembhard, said.

He is happy that the entertainment industry has reopened and already he is eyeing events such as Dream Weekend and Marco Polo "and Reggae Sumfest keeping this year".

Also on his calendar for 2022 is the release of his five-song EP, Soul of the City, which will be released by Lenky Records and his own 10 Tik City Inc.

"I chose that name from the early stages of my career. It embodies how we as youths keep the city moving. We see ourselves as part of that frequency," the former deCarteret College student, who has a distinction in English language, stated.

With his career path on an upward trajectory, 10Tik expressed delight that the dream is coming alive.

"We did see it a play out and knew that with the level of work we could expect a few things, but it end up more than what we expected at this stage," he said.