( l - r ) Vybz Kartel, Stephen 'Di Genuis' McGregor - file photos

Producer Stephen 'Di Genius' McGregor has released a song confirming rumours of a rift between his Big Ship camp and deejay Vybz Kartel with the release of his first solo single Cyaa Friend Again.

For months, rumours have been circulating in the streets and in the media that the producer and the deejay had ended their musical relationship with neither party confirming the rift - until now. In November, Kartel releasedRifle Shot in which he insults McGregor which was followed by Blak Ryno's Empty where he, too, took aim at the Big Ship camp.

Yesterday, McGregor released his own song Cyaa Friend Again. In a recent interview with THE WEEKEND STAR, 19-year-old producer Stephen McGregor discussed the situation, confirming that he and Kartel will no longer beworking together.

He said, "It's pointing at a number of people based on my experiences with them; however, it was the recent activity of artistes such as Kartel and Ryno that pushed me to put those emotions and thought into song. Music is expression and that's the best way I figured I could bring it out."

Rumours started circulating earlier this year following Kartel's no-show at the Big Ship produced show Rocksteady Meets Reggae and Dancehall. Kartel was scheduled to perform.

In the song, McGregor talks about a former friend who did him wrong singing, "Mi have a bagga ting fi talk/like how mi give dem strength and show dem love outta mi heart/neva know dem waan di link fi part/neva know dem waan di ship fi sink and wah we park/dem bwoy deh cyaan give wi nuh talk bring dem out inna di light when dem did a hide inna di dark."

play hypocrite

The song continues, "Now yuh see me and some bwoy coulda never be frens/dem a play hypocrite but mi can neva pretend/from mi find out sey a enemy dem/mi cut off di frenship from di memory dem/ ask dem who give dem di melody dem/ but mi is a yute weh on nobody mi neva depend/no Jah Jah guide me from everything/mi put mi heart and mi soul inna every riddim."

According to McGregor, he voiced the song about a month ago but changed the second verse after the release of Kartel and Ryno's song. In the second verse, he sings, "God knows mi neva do dem nuh wrong/a true wi nuh tek programme from nuh man/dem mussi see sey mi stubborn caw nobody cyaan tell me how mi ting fi govern/mi not even frighten when dem call mi name inna song/same ting dem do Jesus wid di nail inna hand."

As to the reasons for the rift, McGregor said, "Kartel violate big time and since then I no longer want to work with him, but the reason has nothing to do with him not coming to my father's show. People should just listen keenly to the song and you'll hear what's up. The purpose of this song is not to 'get a hype' from the situation 'cause I don't need one off Kartel's career, it's just me getting out all of those emotions and expressing it through song because I'm capable of doing so."

McGregor emphasised that it will not be the start of a lyrical war between the two camps as he has no intention to respond musically after this. "It won't matter to me whether or not he responds because I'm not doing a 'clash' song or nutten, I got out what I needed to say and that's all."

Adding, "Kartel and all a dem can fight me if dem want because Kartel himself always tell me that what I have over everyone is time, and the age factor will allow me to continue what I'm doing for years to come. I'm prepared for the fight I will be getting from various people but it doesn't matter 'cause I'm still gonna be doing what I do best to the best of my ability and ship a sail."