#UpNext: After 20 years, IIce Coldd still eyeing breakthrough
With over 20 years in the music business and the experience of opening shows for reggae artiste Gyptian during the ‘Hold Yuh’ singer’s tours in Europe, the United Kingdom and America, IIce Coldd is still hanging on and waiting for his big break.
The up-and-coming artiste told OBSERVER ONLINE that he started doing music when he left Clan Carty High in 2000/2001. But his love for the art blossomed long before that, when he would listen to the radio for all the chart toppers and sing along to them.
“From a tender age I always loved music. From when we never have TV and lived in the ghetto I used to listen the RJR top 10 on Saturday evenings for all the hit songs. I used to get a little bucket and beat the riddim of whichever song come up in top 10 and I developed a love for the music from then coming up,” IIce Coldd explained.
The artiste, whose birth name is Glen Stone, added that he would also bring this act, without the use of a bucket this time, to school and would perform whatever “hot song” was blazing on the airwaves back then. This resulted in IIce Coldd getting great feedback from his friends.
“In school I would deejay over the hottest songs that did a run the place. For instance Capleton and Beenie man did have a vibe going those days and when I was leaving school in the evenings I would deejay those songs on the bus all the way to town and the love that me get from my friends was always great so I just continued,” the 38-year-old said.
This passion blossomed into IIce Coldd deciding to pursue a career in music, though he admitted that he had an issue with completing a song. With some encouragement from friends however, he managed to write a version of the 1999 ballad ‘Maria Maria’ by Carlos Santana.
“Honestly I don’t remember when I released my first song but I think the first song that I finished was when I changed up ‘Maria Maria’ a little, but that was in high school. I would also write piece-piece of songs too and my friends would always cuss me and say ‘a only piece a song you a write; when you ago write a complete song’ and that give me the push to do the song off of Maria Maria,” IIce Cold disclosed.
He added that this song was not voiced professionally and he only performed it for his friends who loved it.
Since his start in the music industry, IIce Coldd has seen the business go through many changes, which he said has also helped him to improve on his craft since doing his first record on a 45 vinyl with DJ Gaddafi.
“The journey has been nice still especially when me voice something and me can hear back myself, and I can listen and pay attention to what I need to improve on, and what needs to be adjusted,” he said.
The dancehall/reggae artiste told OBSERVER ONLINE that he has released a number of songs over the two decades, some of which can be found on YouTube, Spotify and iTunes. With each release IIce Coldd is holding out hope for his song to make it to the number one spot in order to make his dreams a reality.
“From me start music until now I have been looking for a number one song and I am still looking to find it so I can be a household name right across the globe. So far I have a lot of songs out there, with videos and people have been giving me a good feedback on them,” he stated.
When asked what has kept him going over the years despite having yet to reap his desired success, IIce Coldd said that it is the passion he has for music that inspires him.
“You know a just the love for the music. I developed a passion for it and have just been doing me since. A lot of time I sit and think about things and say that if I was doing this for money I would have probably given up already but really and truly it’s just the love. You know we all need money still but when you love something you pree beyond the monetary value,” he explained.