STAR of the Month : Agent Sasco turned down clash with Kartel

Before Mavado and Vybz Kartel split the dancehall audience into 'Gaza' or 'Gully' fans and representatives, there was the inkling of a showdown between Kartel and would-be nemesis, Agent Sasco.

The STAR of the Month decided against clashing, following the example of one of his musical mentors. 

"Killa ah mi deejay, Spragga ah mi deejay, Buju ah mi deejay. But when mi look career-wise — mi neva see Buju ah clash wid nuh man yet. One of the ultimate careers to me is Buju," he told THE STAR. "The clash can be — when done right — it's very entertaining and whatever, but as we know — and we see so many times, it becomes a disgusting display."

"Killa and Beenie, it work for them. That’s them. But dah man yah have dancehall, him have reggae and him nah clash wid nobody. Besides, when you clash, you divide the audience. Mi guh through the Killa dem and Beenie situation and all of what that was about an’ ting," he said.

Agent Sasco said when he was in high school, "nuff time we cuss ‘bout Killa and Beenie ... so mi know ‘bout the separation of the audience."

"What me wah represent inna the music, that wasn’t a part of it. Suh me seh if I was to do it my way, I would want my career to resemble something like that, weh yuh nuh inna nuh toss-up with anybody," he said.

Agent Sasco said that in his late teens, he attended many stageshows where he could observe clashes.

"Mi see nuff young artiste ah work and ting. It might sound a way but seriously mi neva see nobody, or hear nobody dat I was impressed with, lyrically, as young artiste. As a matter of fact, a lot of established artistes, lyrically, never do much for me. I mean, it have a vibe but lyrically, there was not a lot of people that I’d say I was impressed with," he said.

Agent Sasco said he was approached and told the clash could happen between himself and Kartel, without losing the friendship between the deejays, while they simultaneously earned money.

Soon after, he recorded and released 'We A Bad From', which was not directed at any particular individual.

“Him [Kartel] nah wait fi put my signature pon di ting and him juss get the ball rolling,” he said, referring to a single Kartel did afterwards that was considered by some to be a counteraction. 

Deciding to chart the course Buju did, Agent Sasco simply let it go.