I’ve paid a heavy price’ - D’Angel tired of bearing the Beenie-Bounty cross

Michelle 'D'Angel' Downer has grown weary of enduring judgement based on her history. She asserts that individuals have persistently fixated on her involvement in intimate relationships with two of Jamaica's most prominent deejays - Bounty Killer and Beenie Man - while deliberately overlooking her substantial achievements in establishing her own identity as an entertainer.

The Stronger hitmaker tied the knot with Beenie Man in 2006, following a period of romance with his former adversary, Bounty Killer, which had concluded a few years earlier. Although the marriage lasted four years before culminating in divorce, it yielded a son named Marco Dean.

Now, in a bid to consign the past to oblivion, and in a tone far from resentment or despondency, D'Angel is politely requesting to be spared inquiries concerning Beenie Man and Bounty Killer during her forthcoming interviews.

"I think it's overshadowing the hard work I've been putting in. I had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that I'm talented, but I notice [that] every interview they tend to bring them up," D'Angel told THE STAR.

She continued: "I've already paid a heavy price by my marriage to Beenie as the ex-girl of Bounty. I've been working over 10 years now to prove to the world that I have my own identity. I am D'Angel ... a great talent and with hit songs and an excellent performer, so I really want people to allow me to be great."

Highlighting her 10 years of dedicated brand-building, D'Angel expressed her frustration over what she considers to be the unjust treatment she has endured within the music industry due to her connection with the two prominent figures in the dancehall scene.

"I have even been blacklisted. I have to be fighting for everything 10 times as hard as any other artiste. No matter how many shows mi shell dung and get best performer dem still a try deny my greatness. All I'm saying ... dem need fi leggo mi shirt so I can go and make life for my son and family ... in Jesus name uno low mi mek mi prosper and guh mek money like anyone else."

Confident in her skills and the unrelenting dedication she has poured in, D'Angel has issued a challenge to ambitious event organisers: to orchestrate a stage performance that would allow her to showcase her lyrical prowess alongside Beenie Man and Bounty Killer.

"You wouldn't have hands to sell tickets. We a three bad artiste. If nuh promoter don't want to approach Beenie or Bounty with the idea then any one of them can keep it. Mi a call dem out. Enough is enough! Let the world see how bad mi is. I learnt from both of them," said the self-styled Lady of the Dancehall.