Here’s our Flexx with Konshens:

teenAGE: 2013 has been a big year for you, a lot more travelling, a lot more hits, a lot more radio play. Can you recount 2013 for Konshens?

Konshens: 2013 has been a good year. I think the high point for me outside of music was the launch of the shoe line Konz 876, which is doing very well. The artistes are doing well for Sub-Konshus music also. Their careers start take a little rise too, so I feel good even before looking at my achievements personally. Constant touring, just bringing the music to another level from my point of view and spreading Konshens name around the globe.

teenAGE: How did the LIME promotion come about?

Konshens: Well, basically them have a Christmas promotion where them would give away money to people and they reached out to me to be the face of that campaign. And anything to do with giving money free to people, I’m with it. LIME is one of the biggest telecommunications company in the Caribbean, so it can benefit me to as well so I went ahead.

teenAGE: So you’re working on your album now, is it in the same vein as Mental Maintenance or is it an evolution of Konshens?

Konshens: There is a story behind this album too. Initially the name was Hotel Room and it was basically because Mental Maintenance keptus on the road for most of late 2012 going into 2013. So, there was no time to really come and sit in studio and work on a project. So, we packed up the equipment and carry them on the road. When we were on the road, we had to work double time — performing and recording. So, the title for this coming album is Hotel Room because that’s where it was recorded. Look out for it around late March, early April.

teenAGE: What are some of the countries you visited in 2013?

Konshens: All of the Caribbean, most of South America, all of North America, Canada, Europe, The French Island, Africa, a few times. I think the only place we haven’t gone is the Middle East and Asia.

teenAGE: You have this Subkonshus label now, are you working with any new artiste?

Konshens: Yeah man, we have Delius, Dario, Tamal, Jahvadah, Chevaugh

teenAGE: Konz 876, how are the sales doing and the brand Konz 876?

Konshens: Konz 876 is a subsidiary of Konshens, the brand itself is naturally doing good cause Konshens is doing good. But from a shoes stand point it is also doing very good especially in North America and for North America, we nuh get inna the New York or Miami yet and it’s a doing good already.

teenAGE: So people no say it is too expensive?

Konshens: Yeah people say too expensive and that Konshens don’t cater for the poor people them. Me ah seh annuh suh it guh. When me never have money to buy a shoes, me use to work until me can buy a shoes or do without the shoes. We want compete with the top designers around the world. We just have to approach it from a business standpoint and to build the brand itself and to build Brand Jamaica.

teenAGE: You have a big presence on social media, why did you choose that route?

Konshens: It is a funny story, me never choose it. The thing that stands out the most when think of Konshens is Instagram and Twitter. Rvssian from Head Concussion say you have to get Instagram. What grab me to it was the way I was able to communicate with people. This is a way how you can get to one-on-one with somebody that say they are your fan. So well as me can just show my personality to the regular person that I am.

teenAGE: Do you think you have taken away Vybz Kartel Shine?

Konshens: Anybody say so them just wah something fi say, because from mi enter the business from 2008, me never align to anybody. Irrespective to of Kartel being in prison or not me know say the song weh name Gal a Bubble would still buss, the song weh name Duh Supm because they are just good songs and the artiste kinda good too.

Watch Press Record to see Konshens talk about his shoe brand Konz 876, charity work in Uganda, what he’s doing for the Christmas season and has he been watching The Voice. All on the Jamaica Observer website or on YouTube.com/TEENageObserver.