Talking with Jamaica’s Konshens

JAMAICA’S REGGAE AND DANCEHALL ARTIST KONSHENS has been finding success across the globe, most recently in Japan, where his album, Mental Maintenance, has risen to the top of the reggae charts in a country with a strong appreciation for the medium. It’s the latest positive response for Konshens, who recently embarked on another venture, the Oh-K clothing line aimed at women. To learn more, CJ Arts talked to Konshens about his global reach, his music style and his future as a mogul.

What have you been working on lately?

On the album — it’s doing well around the world, working on a few videos, and some tours coming up.

How would you describe your music?

I would describe my music as mood music, with a heavy reggae foundation — a reggae and dancehall foundation. Basically, it’s however I’m feeling at the time. I make music for everybody, instead of just myself.

What do you think is contributing to the music’s success — even in places like Japan and Germany?

I think it’s the realness of the music, and the ease. It’s kind of easy to understand the music. The fact is that it’s on real topics that people can really understand. That’s really the main reason why it’s gravitating around the world.

You recently released the Subkonshus Music label. Can you talk about that?

The label started basically to give a route to artists that are coming up, to give them a way out, and not let them go through some of the mistakes that I went through.

What kind of impact do you think that can have for up-and-coming artists?

Information is power — and if I went through it, and derived information from it, we can just pass that on, for them to understand.

The label is not your only recent venture — you also started Oh-K.

Oh-K is geared towards female tees. I chose female tees because females are some of my most die-hard fans. And I know what I want to see females wearing — that’s the basis of it.

Do you envision yourself as a mogul?

Definitely – what I want to do is write music and perform music — so all the things that come with it, I won’t be shying away from them. But the music is a whole lot for me — I love music.

What is your focus for 2012?

The album is out, and right now my mode is just promoting the album worldwide. There is some stuff coming up and coming in Europe, then back to Jamaica and taking it around the world.

—CJ Arts