Prolific producer and disc jock DJ Mac released his long-awaited album Ups and Downs on June 5.

The 13-track project features several top acts and a few emerging talent.

The project features songs with Chronic Law, Govana, Jquan, Tielo Lanez, Ai Milly, Valiant, Kranium, Nigy Boy, D’Yani, Skillibeng, Shenseea, Tommy Lee Sparta, Christopher Martin, and Voice.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer’s Splash last weekend DJ Mac disclosed: “It was a label and distribution issue that caused the delay. At the time, I felt demotivated, but God just worked things out in a good way.”

Ups and Downs, a title derived from his very own personal experiences, shot to #1 on the US iTunes Reggae Album chart last weekend.

“The album has a particular structure, and I decided to do it my way. Initially, the idea behind it, a good friend of mine who is a director in Miami, I shared with him that I had some of the songs and the project wasn’t finished and I didn’t have a name for it. It was like everything that was happening at the time felt upside down in my career. I’ve had my ups and downs, and we have the good and the bad, and that’s how the title came about,” DJ Mac disclosed.

Asked how those ups and downs kept him motivated, DJ Mac said: “Because mi believe inna God. Every time after a storm, good things always come. Yuh haffi be patient, because di bingo always deh ‘round di corner. Mi nuh get demotivated by bad times, mi just look pon dem as lessons and keep it moving.”

The artistes shared that it was not difficult to forge collabs for the album.

“Mi reach out [to the artistes] and, at the time, the idea wasn’t for an album, it was just reaching out to work. It just ended up that some songs mi just like dem so much and put dem inna di compilation and it end up work out. Plus me and some a dem already had a connection outside a music,” DJ Mac shared.

The disc jock said the feedback has been more than he had expected.

“It has been doing well, and streaming numbers are good around the Caribbean islands. Some say it’s more like a mature project from a producer. Mi really put mi time and effort into it,” he said.

Last summer, DJ Mac dominated play lists with a revamp of the Fiesta rhythm, which spawned multiple hits including the chart-toppers
Haad (Fiesta) by Armanii; Old School, New School by Ding Dong; and 100 Watt by Kraff. He is looking forward to dropping a juggling for the summer.

DJ Mac, real name Jason McDowell, is 25 years old. His love for music began as a teenager while attending Jamaica College, where he played music as a DJ at school events and parties.

He made the transition into music production during the COVID-19 pandemic and produced hit songs like Born Fighter by Jahshii,
Chosen by Rytikal, Still a Bleed by Chronic Law, Rate Who Rate You by Squash, and several others.

DJ Mac told Splash that he’s grateful for the support now, but this was not always the case.

“Of course it has its ups and downs. The greatest thing is that mi God blessed. Me starting to play my own songs first and mi DJ fren dem play mi songs. Some a di battles I faced, some artiste with dem egos and nuh waa voice, but is a part a dancehall. And one of the struggles sometimes, yuh cyaan find the money to mix yuh songs or to do music videos. It’s a very expensive game inna the music right now. Is not every artiste gonna get the chance to be seen,” he said.

And what is that lesson that he has learnt along the journey?

“Show love regardless if people ago show it back. Yuh ago get yuh blessing from God.”