Topmann opens up about dad’s death

Dancehall artiste Topmann has broken his silence following the loss of his father, reggae artiste Iyah Syte, who died on October 5 when the bus he was travelling in plunged into a ravine off the Long Hill main road in St James.

Topmann, who has three younger siblings on his father's side, shared that he has had to find strength at a time when many persons are usually weak. He said that one of the most difficult things he was asked to do was to identify his father's body. He revealed that he also attended the post-mortem examination last Friday and was informed that his dad died from a broken neck.

"I have two little brothers on my father's side, one is 10 and the other is three. I have a sister too and she is 15. I am just mentally preparing myself for that [raising them]. I have to be a father figure for my siblings. It is not easy, but it is a task I have to take on. I am still in disbelief, but I know he would have wanted me to be strong," he said.

"Breaking down the news to my siblings, [especially] my sister was one of the most difficult [things] because she was waiting on him. So when she called me I had already heard the news and identified him at the hospital already. But she didn't know, so she called asking me if I heard from daddy because there was an accident on Long Hill and she doesn't know what to do," he said.

Topmann shared that his father was integral in him doing music professionally .

"He was the foundation. From mi likkle mi deh round him a studio but him never, ever pressure me to do anything if I wasn't comfortable with it. At first I had chosen football and him support me right through," he said.

He has recorded multiple tracks expressing his pain and grief since his dad died. One of them, still untitled, is inspired by a voice note his dad sent to him at least an hour before he died.

"Him send me the message and say 'Deejay link me as soon as you get this'. Mi a wonder what and what him wudda say to me now if he got the chance to call me," Topmann reasoned. As he reminisced on special moments he shared with his dad, he recalled two.

"One of his proudest moments was when I appeared on my first Reggae Sumfest when Govana called me out on the stage. That was one of his proudest moments. He was also very proud when I graduated from Cornwall College," he said.

Despite his grief, Topmann said he is still working and recording music. He is promoting his latest track Running and is fully booked for December. He is also focused on working on an album and putting out more tracks for his female fans.

Iyah Syte, given name Dillon Hines, will be laid to rest in January.