The journey to being a dancehall artiste has not been a linear one for Tipicalvibz, who told OBSERVER ONLINE that he was a dancer for Macka Diamond and even dabbled in gospel music before deciding to seriously pursue his own career in the industry.

The artiste, given name Pascol Johnson, says that he believes that with his talent for singing— which he said he always did as a child— and his dancing skills, he is armed with the necessities to return dancehall to a time when women would show off their whining skills in parties instead of “bussing blanks like a man”.

Here are seven questions with up-and-coming artiste Tipicalvibz:

1. Who is Tipicalvibz?

Tipicalvibz is a fun person, who likes to see other people smile. My joy is to go on stage and perform and see that others are pleased. Different from that, I love to help people, so if I see someone in need and I have money I am going to give a helping hand. That is Tipicalvibz at all times— caring, loving and dramatic at the same time.

2. When did you start doing music?

Since I was about 11 years old I have been doing music. I was always singing. But my talent is mixed; I do both dancing and singing and at one point I used to dance with Macka Diamond. I went through Edna Manley for dancing and I have my dancing certificate so what I do now is mix both talents. While dancing with Macka Diamond, I was also doing music but then I decided to take it up seriously and full-time in about 2018/2019. But I have been doing music for a long time; from church days, and in about 2014/2015 I was doing some gospel music, even did a stage show with Goddy Goddy and DJ Nicholas.

3. Why did you decide to focus more on the music side of the business while dancing with Macka Diamond?

I realised that as an individual I am like a magnet. I pull people around me. And going out with Macka Diamond, I pull people to go around her as well but the people come because of me. I ended up having my own dancer girls. So if I am going to dance with Macka Diamond they are going to come and dance for Macka Diamond, too. So I realised that I can have my own umbrella instead of being under someone else’s umbrella. So me branch out in the music and me have my own entourage a move round with me and things start work.

4. How have people been responding to your music?

It has been great, but in terms of the wider part of media – it has slowed down a bit because of lack of promotion. In my area, everybody knows me and knows my song, and there are a couple of bus and taxi drivers who know the songs and will play them so people a road still hear the song dem. I did a song called ‘Octopus Whine’ in 2019 and it got a good rotation. It played on radio stations and we did a lot of promotion in the streets, so it gwaan with itself. Eeven Macka Diamond did a hype up the song at one point.

5. What message do you usually promote in your songs?

Really, when me look at dancehall, it water down. The kind of style and pattern that artistes like RDX did bring that made people enjoy themselves, and make females dance, we nah see that again. So my aim as an artiste is to try and fill back that gap where you can have females dancing again instead of just standing up in a corner and bussing blanks like a man. So, we are trying to bring back the fun in dancehall where that is concerned.

6. Where do you see yourself in the future as an artiste?

To be honest, I see myself on top holding up dancehall again to the right place where it is supposed to be. I believe I can be that giant, with the right push and the right team.

7. What’s next for Tipicalvibz?

I have a song that will be released in June called ‘Brain Twist’, and as the name says, it is a twisted song. It is not the typical dancing bruk out song, it is more of a cultural song, mixed with deep feelings and with a message to overcome. I am also working on a collab with my cousin IVoltage now.