Numba’Z has the formula to gain international fame

Dancehall rising sensation Numba'Z said that with a rebranding and evolution of his career, he plans to create more content that will command and attract an international market.

The Angels Cry artiste, who hails from Bogwalk, St Catherine, said with his determination and dedication to his craft, the "streets" know his name and his drive to see his craft excel beyond local shores.

"You have to be dedicated in everything that you're doing. In order to gain knowledge and experience, you have to dedicate yourself fully to everything you want to do, and mi apply it inna mi music career, and mi get di results dem weh mi deh right now," said Numba'Z.

The artiste, who tragically lost his dad at a tender age, said while being one of his greatest losses, it helped to shape his career, as he inherited the passion for music from his father.

"To know that I'm carrying on a baton that my father already started, is a legacy I really want to see happen, suh dat a weh di dedication come back in," he said. In carrying on this legacy as a new persona in his dad's unfished footsteps, he has to "attract all of the talent dem weh mi can and use dem to mi benefit".

"Over time, I can see growth inna miself, because mi guh here suh and mi learn dis and mi try fi adapt, and conform to what's happening there. Mi get some [skills] along the way and mi think dem sharpen mi," he said, noting that his mother also possesses great melodies which helps in balancing his sound.

"Suh mi grow up hearing she with some bad melodies; and den mi fadda was di lyrical, raunchy artiste, suh mi get di fusion a both," he said. The Camperdown High School graduate, whose given name is Martin Cooper, shared that in choosing his moniker, he wanted an abnormal name that was different, but had a 'code' meaning behind it.

"Suh a came up wid Numba'Z, in which 'Z' can't be a number, unless yuh a guh inna some algebra situation," he shared.

Numba'Z shared that escaping music was impossible, as even while engaging in a regular nine-to-five job, he had to play music to get through the day. The evenings would end with a musical hurrah, or there was always a musical linkage to every job opportunity, which he first solidified when he joined Romeich Major's team.

"Dat now just open a new [path] fi mi. Dem have everything weh a artiste wudda attracted to. Yuh know di girls dem deh deh, different artistes, producers; and yuh a guh di street parties and big party dem, [while] mixing with corporate brands. Suh dat alone start cement in everything," he shared.

The Sacrifice deejay said when he initially started in the business, his aim was to assist a friend with perfecting his craft as a singer.

"After rehearsal and mi and him a practise, him a seh, 'No man, yuh coming like you badda dan me, suh it betta you guh tun di artiste,'" he laughed. Though it was a journey he was passionately anticipating, he said it has been "strenuous", especially for independent artistes, because "music is a business".

"A Purple [owner of Purple Productions] really mek mi know seh, 'Numba'Z yuh talent alone naah guh carry yuh weh yuh need fi guh. Yuh affi guh network and invest inna yuhself,'" Numba'Z stated.

In describing his sound and musical style, he said he is always trying to evolve his music.

"Di new things dem weh mi have a fi really, like, cross di market, fi cross over inna different waters. I've been promoting myself islandwide fi a while now, suh mi think mi reach di stage weh mi can produce music from now fi overseas. Suh wen di time come, I will have di material," the artiste told THE STAR. He hopes that his revived musical style will have a "positive" impact by cutting back on the "gun songs and do some more reality and household songs, which would lead to the positivity to go [international]".

While he does not aim to be the 'number one artiste', Numba'Z plans to leave a lasting impact in music which will resonate with audience worldwide.