KIPRICH has earned a reputation for comedic songs and lyrical confrontations with fellow artistes.

As he prepares for another bout at Sting on Boxing Day, the singjay is concerned about being branded.

“I really don’t want to be labelled as a clash artiste as I have a career outside of that. I am very concerned about this issue as I don’t want to be stuck into that zone. I really just do the verbal clashes to please my fans,” Kiprich said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Kiprich (born Marlon Plunkett) is down to please them again. Sting promoters have him down to square off with some of dancehall’s heavyweights.

He was not prepared to say who.

Kiprich has earned his clash stripes after releasing several controversial ‘throw word’ songs. They include Talk in which he calls out Elephant Man, Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel; Ca’an Get Brown, a response to Kartel’s Cake Soap; and The Real Saga which addressed, among other things, Beenie Man and singer D’Angel’s divorce.

His lyrical conquests include Merciless at last year’s Sting. And in 2008, he trounced the three-member Monster Shack Crew.

The clash is a feature of Sting. It has made regulars like Ninjaman and Merciless show favourites, but pigeon-holed them as clash artistes.

Kiprich says he is putting final touches to his third album, which is expected to be released in early 2013.

The 16-track set will be distributed by Nine Mile Records out of the United Kingdom.