Kyodi ready for any lyrical battles in 2025

Rising from the ashes of Sting 2023, talented 'Clash Boss' Kyodi said, with a potential lyrical war between Vybz Kartel and Beenie Man brewing, he has to 'up his game' and is ready to battle any artiste of a high calibre.

"Anybody weh mi a clash wid dis year a muss smaddy weh can help mi fi guh fawud ... because, from dem time deh til now, mi nuh see di work weh dem [dancehall acts Fully Bad and Honormsity] a do. Suh dat naah drain my energy right now," Kyodi told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The singjay said he was not given a fair chance to prove his lyrical potency at the 2023 Sting clash between himself and Fully Bad because his opponent and Honormosity got into a tussle after the latter made a surprise entrance onstage. The brawl brought an abrupt end to the show. However, in rebranding that tainted image from being a part of that brawl, Kyodi said he was known as the 'Clash Boss' from a tender age and has honed his craft. He said he is ready to overthrow any big-named artistes who wish to engage him in a lyrical face-off.

"Right now, mi wudda guh up against like a Chronic Law, Silk Boss, Rytikal or even Vybz Kartel if it come to di test. No joke about it - mi 100 per cent serious," said Kyodi.

However, with plans to eliminate clashes from Sting for its next staging, Kyodi said clashes are the "backbone of Sting" that he wished to see live on. He further noted that Sting's cancellation has left him with mixed emotions.

"Mi just neva waah Sting fi flop, being that it a come from suh far. Suh dem postponing it a one a di best decision. Sting a one a di main backbone inna dancehall ... it a part a di culture. If dem waah guh back to di drawing board and rebuild and come back and mek it bigger and better, wi always deh yah open and ready fi perform again," he said.

When asked if he believes the 2023 confrontation he was implicated in affected Sting negatively, Kyodia opined that it brought a "revival" of the 2003 Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman fight.

"Suh our clash is one weh fi definitely guh dung inna Sting history books," Kyodi opined with a chuckle.

Weighing in on the current 'dancehall king' debate which pits Vybz Kartel against Beenie Man, Kyodi said it's a hard choice, as records and accolades favour Beenie Man.

"But Kartel and Mavado's music grow mi," the Gratitude artiste shared, adding that he would not encourage a clash between the dancehall giants.

"Beenie Man cyaah clash Vybz Kartel. Kartel brain quicker dan di whole a dem brain. Kartel has a musical flow all when him naah duh music, suh him ago have a edge. Vybz Kartel live, eat and sleep music, suh it ago be up to who fa brain faster at the time [of the clash] ... and dat is what clash is about. Beenie brain quick too, enuh, but not as quick as fi Kartel, and him a di crowd's favourite right now too, and dat is a next plus," Kyodi reasoned.

Kyodi is set to release a "mini-album" with 12 tracks - a dedication to his late mom titled 146 - symbolising June 14, 2024 when she passed. He said he always wanted to do a tribute project, but had to pause while he visited her daily in hospital.

"A she used to run a likkle shop and give me a money when mi waah fi go studio. Suh a mi mother a di real general weh mek mi have a face inna music. Suh dis album a some conscious music weh explain di fight weh mi affi guh through and never give up ... and is also supmn fi remember her," Kyodi said.