‘He’s just gifted’ - Lyriii’s family defends young star amid backlash

Fifteen-year-old dancehall rising star, Lyriii, has been making waves with his latest viral track, Respect, but not everyone is applauding. The young artiste has faced backlash over the song's lyrics and music video, but his family is standing strong, insisting that he is excelling both in school and in music.

"Wi nuh have no problem with Lyriii, no problem at all. Him nuh have no problem in school either because he is doing well in school," Lyriii's father, Christopher Brown told THE STAR.

The teen's father insists that Lyriii is a gifted entertainer whose lyrical content is not dictated by anyone.

"Lyriii was just born with this talent - it's not like anyone is telling him what to sing. He's doing his own thing all on his own," Brown said.

In Respect, a flashy, defiant anthem, Lyriii explores issues such as power, women, and hustling. He sings:

Mi-mi nuh own up gyal me rather slap smaddy wife

From eh skin clean and eh crotch sanitize

She wah 9 piece she affi chop pon eh rice

Mi see why him wife because she actually tight

She see YC

A pon eh Axio she climb

Stop watch mi, mi nuh ask yuh fi time

Guh find a job or go chop pon eh line

Gas mi a press when mi see "STOP" pon eh sign

Lyriii, whose given name is Raheim Brown, is reportedly keeping up with his studies at the St Ann-based high school that he attended. His father said that his last report card boasted As and Bs.

"Him do him school work and homework, him nuh fight or give no problem pon di school ground, and if yuh should check the school right now, they would tell you the same thing," added Brown.

The artiste's manager-brother, Shawn G, said Lyriii has always displayed good character in and out of the spotlight.

"[His father] talk to him and him buckle dung but ano like him dida lose focus, him just always [encourage] all a wi from wi a guh high school fi keep focus and everything. Him just always stan up fi wi and mek sure wi a do di right thing ... even before Lyriii reach pon dis level," said Shawn G.

Lyriii has been at the centre of controversy, with critics slamming his lyrics and outfit in the Respect music video. Dressed in a khaki uniform, the young deejay delivers what some have deemed inappropriate content.

But his brother insists there is no real cause for concern.

"A just true him underage but a nuh like seh him a duh nutten wrong - a just him lyrics dem people have a issue with, and a him come up wid him lyrics dem. And when mi question him bout dem type a lyrics deh, him seh a weh him see pon di media and weh him see him favourite artiste dem a duh," Shawn G stated.

"Everybody a bash it and it's not like seh him cuss nuh bad word inna di song, him try fi keep it clean as possible. A just because a di uniform and the adult inna di video, a just dat mek dem a bash him because dem naah talk bout di minor dem inna di background, dem just a focus pon him," he said.

Even though Brown fully supports his son's musical dreams, he has advised Lyriii to be more mindful of his lyrics.

"Mi tell him clean it up and try lead di nation by making his chune dem more conscious," he shared.

However, Brown also believes that society needs to accept that young people today are exposed to far more than previous generations.

"But what we need to understand is that things that were usually hidden from us, not hidden any more from these children. Suh wi affi just protect dem and guide dem and when dem speak out, wi try fi use weh dem seh and govern dem, because if dem start fear you and can't talk to you as parents, they might go confide in the wrong smaddy who might lead dem astray. But those lyrics is not him, Lyriii is a good behaving child," he said.