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Degree AFTER A brief hiatus, one of Jamaica's most consistent and enduring DJ, General Degree is coming back to the fore. He arrives once again on the VP ticket, offering his third album, Yeah Man, for the reggae music giants.
The album will be out this summer. The title track Yeah Man was produced by Jeremy Harding and has rekindled General Degree's flames in several markets, including England and the Bahamas.
"I took a break to get some personal stuff in place. I had to find the time to do that because it is not easy concentrating on your career when you are going full guns and dealing with your personal advancement at the same time," he said.
Since he came on the scene with the animated tune Granny in 1992, General Degree has stayed close to the top of the DJ ladder, but has deliberately kept himself away from the premier position.
"Over the years I have figured that if I just keep myself in the mix of things, I could always be around. I have never sought after the number one spot because that chair is not easy to sit in. From there, there is only one way to go - down.
"When you have been at the top and find yourself in a lower position, you lose premium. So I have always thought that it made sense to keep myself where I felt comfortable. That has always involved pulling back, when necessary," he said.
General Degree has spent some time working on productions for his Size 8 label and has been successful at it.
He produced Bounty Killer's latest hit Follow Me Arrow and Beenie Man's Watch It. He has now decided to give production a break as well, as he seeks to get his performing career streamlined once more.
He will be re-emerging into the market place without a manager, as the man who moulded his career, Danny Browne of Main Street Records, is now a Born Again Christian and fully into gospel.
"Danny Browne had to do what he had to do. I went to Main Street with my talent and I have left with it. So the story continues. I have Gerald Belnavis booking for me through his new company, Access Entertainment. I am still getting shows and I am quite busy," the artiste told The Gleaner.
His last big event was the Bob Marley Festival in California in February.
"That event generated wide response and I've had requests to go back there. I also have performances coming up in the Bahamas, St. Kitts and Antigua soon and I will be in Germany in July," the artiste said.
General Degree is looking to take his career to an international level.
"I give thanks for Shaggy, who has opened doors out there for DJs again. It is for us to capitalise on that now," he said.
