There's a certain angst that's looming over the dancehall fraternity for far too long, says fast-rising recording artiste Aidonia.

What with the Beenie-Bounty-Vybz Kartel-saga, the oft contrived controversy between himself and fellow Alliance member Busy Signal and his much-talked-about 'foul-up' at last year's Guinness Sting, "all this negativity" the deejay maintains, "is killing dancehall".

"From like last year Sting. the whole altercation went out into the streets the wrong way, like me a disrespect the fans," says the artiste, born Sheldon Lawrence. Aidonia insists that the derogatory comment was in fact meant for a group of men at the front of the audience who attempted to sneer and intimidate him during his performance.

Though it's been nine months since the incident, he seems somewhat unable to rid himself of the stigma and rep.
But long before his 'Sting baptism', he was a devotee of the Alliance - the turbulent but talented association of artistes ruled by 'War Lord' Bounty Killer. The latter's fallout with protégé Vybz Kartel over his friendship with Alliance-enemy Beenie Man catapulted to new heights when Aidonia supported Kartel's views on the issue.

Sitting with us on Wednesday, the deejay rehashes the situation which, to him, all seems unnecessary. No longer a member of the Alliance, Aidonia speaks on now strained relationships that he has with its members.

"I didn't walk away from that arrangement, it was by force, a bully thing," he says, adding that, contrary to popular belief, his relationship with Busy Signal was "always non-existent" and he does not regularly converse with the group's leader.

While he maintains that Bounty - who assisted him and other artistes in their early career - is his 'grandfather', he insists that, "Addy (short for Kartel's Christian name Adidja) a me daddy". And perhaps possessing that same kind of 'in-your-face' swagger that would appeal to such mentorship, Aidonia readily replaced Kartel as lord of underground dancehall - though in 2005 he had some mainstream success with the anti-fallacio ode Lolly. The sexual discourse continued with "Uku", "She's So Tight" and the more recently released "Dat's Up" and "A You" (Look How Long I've Been Begging You).
He denounces the theory that these tracks are more akin to sexual deviance rather than playfully passionate music.
"When it comes to sex, you and your girl might be in a different mood... you'll have a time when a woman like it rough or a time when she'll want it slow," he says, smirking as if pleased with his discovery. But graphic sexual content isn't his only trademark, there's also the issue of violence. He seems to make ongoing musical tribute to the St Andrew inner-city of Grants Pen, painting the grim reality of 'ghetto killings'.

Can his association with the community through music be considered as fuel for violence?
"No sah. Aidonia buss two to three year now and Grants Pen been bad, so people cyaan' seh me a contribute to whatever happen there," he says.

Sexuality and brutality aside, Aidonia claims that things are steadily picking up for his career. He's just returned from some shows in France and the French Caribbean.

"The tour was sick. Martinique, Guadeloupe, bwoy dem know the song dem and they don't even speak English," he says, "that just show you that the music is really powerful."
There's a move to further tap into the 'power' since Aidonia mentions that he now overseas his own syndicate of artistes, dubbed Jag One Production (JOP), which originated at his alma mater Meadowbrook High School.

"We're even gonna branch out into clothing and start a casual line for males and females," the artiste says, adding that this group is distinct from Kartel's Portmore Empire.
With aspirations to be the "Bob Marley of dancehall", Aidonia maintains that in order to take his career to the next level he must better understand the mechanics of the business and develop an even better work ethic.

"I want to go as far as I can. work with man like Lil' Wayne and top international producers like Scot Storch, Timberland and Bad Boy," he quips, mentioning that he doesn't mind being constantly 'on the grind' because music is his life.

"I don't really write down lyrics, me jus' work wid whatever come to me," Aidonia notes, telling Splash too, that he's a big sports buff when not in studio.
The conversation meanders until we hit the subject of the impending elections.

His countenance changes as he discusses the prospect of a new leader.

"Me no inna no voting. everybody (politicians) a the same thing," he chides, "the artistes are really the ones who represent in the streets for the people not [the politicians]."
So with no vote and seemingly no reservations about walking away from the security being a member of the Alliance affords, Aidonia maintains that he's ready for the next move.

"Right now I'm just working on getting my latest single, Suh Sick, out there, releasing more and working on making my album, which still remains untitled," he says.

-Jamaica Observer