Published: Wednesday - June 18, 2008
Words by Nicole Perrino
Sean Kingston (Photo: Getty Images)
Sean Kingston might only be 18, but he just might know more about making it in the music industry than a person twice his age. Despite the come-and-go trend of the music industry right now, Sean Kingston has gathered a fanbase of listeners of all ages, doubling his odds of staying in the music game. He's also brought us a new breed of music entirely, blending reggae, pop, R&B and even rap. While he admits that blowing up too fast can be a dangerous thing, for Sean Kingston it seems to be -- so far, so good.
BallerStatus.com: So what's up? What's going on? What have you been up to?
Sean Kingston: I been chillin' man, just got back from Portugal. Just got back into the country, been doing a little bit of shows, a little bit of promo for my new single "There's Nothing" featuring Juelz Santana and The DEY.
BallerStatus.com: So what's it like being an 18-year-old in the music industry?
Sean Kingston: It feels good, you know what I'm saying, knowing that I'm doing what I gotta do and I'm blessed, and I gotta lot of stuff happening. But everything's good man, you know? I just want to keep it up, just keep making great music.
BallerStatus.com: It's cool because you're representing reggae, but you're mixing it with pop and R&B, did you have that in mind when you started making music? Did you want to expose people who might not know much about reggae music to it this way?
Sean Kingston: Definitely. I always loved reggae of course, that's what I do, but I always wanted to do other things too, so I mixed it up with the pop and a little bit of R&B like you said. That's what separates me from the rest because I do the reggae and I can switch it up and do pop: I'm versatile.
BallerStatus.com: So I know you have a lot of the female fans feeling your music, what's it like with the guys? Is the ratio a lot more girls than guys or is it pretty much the same?
Sean Kingston: It's pretty much the same man, I'm doing good. I can't complain. I got a lot of guy fans and girl fans.
BallerStatus.com: What is the best part and worst part of coming into the music industry right now?
Sean Kingston: The best part is you got a lot of good music coming out so you can get a nice hit, get you through the gate. But the worst part is you don't want to be a one hit wonder, you don't want to blow up too fast.
BallerStatus.com: So summer is here and all of your music is really feel good stuff. Do you have anything for us this summer?
Sean Kingston: We going to try to cook up something. I'm working on a new album right now and it's going to be crazy, better than my first one. I'ma basically create a masterpiece. I'ma start working on that like July-August-September. I got a reality show, a clothing line, a watch line and a rims line that I'm working on right now. So yeah, next year, first quarter, I should be having a lot of new stuff.
BallerStatus.com: That's what's up. So what do you like to do in the summer?
Sean Kingston: I mean, I like to relax. I love summer. It's my favorite time of year. I love it. I don't know what I'ma do this summer, but work on the album.
BallerStatus.com: So do you think when you get older you'll navigate more towards some of the old school reggae? Or have you thought about doing some songs that are the old school reggae?
Sean Kingston: Definitely. Definitely. Definitely. That's one thing I do wanna do -- is touch base on the older crowd because there's a lot of older reggae, the old rhythms and the beats back in the day. So I'ma try to do what I do and gather some stuff.
BallerStatus.com: So how did your people react to your concept of not cursing in your music? Were they supportive or were they like "No you gotta go harder?"
Sean Kingston: Man they loved the concept because you know I'm a role model. There's a lot of people who look up to Sean Kingston, a lot of kids out there. My fan base is targeted to a lot of kids, so I think it's cool I don't gotta curse to make great music. I can make feel good music without cursing, so everybody can listen to Sean Kingston.
BallerStatus.com: So we all know the story behind how you got discovered. You were persistent and kept sending your MySpace link over to J.R. Rotem. Being that you know what it's like to want to try to get your music out there, are you willing to listen to someone's stuff if they come at you the same way?
Sean Kingston: Definitely. If it's good, I'm willing to do it because I know how it was for me. I gotta try to show back that love.
BallerStatus.com: You have said that you want to get into every aspect of the business. Have you always had that entrepreneurial mindset?
Sean Kingston: Yea I always had that mindset. I always wanted to do it. Like right now my main focus is my own record label, Time Is Money Entertainment. That's what I'm coming out with, my label. And then I'ma sign a lot of artist under me -- producers, song writers. It's going to be a big thing.
BallerStatus.com:Forbes recently voted you #2 of the Hottest New Music Stars, saying that you had "possibly the only hit single of 2007 that appealed to both kids and their grandparents." How did that feel, the fact that you were to stay on both sides of that line?
Sean Kingston: Man it was great, it was cool. I feel like everything they said was true: old people can listen to Sean Kingston and young people can listen to Sean Kingston.
BallerStatus.com: So you just re-recorded "Beautiful Girls" and changed it to "Bollywood Girls" for the website DesiHits. How awesome was that: The fact that you are exposing people to your culture and then you get a chance to go experience another culture?
Sean Kingston: Yea it was crazy man, it was a long night in the studio when I did that record. It was crazy, it was like I did the whole record all over again. But it was cool to do Bollywood, I heard a lot about it, so I did the record. I'm excited.
BallerStatus.com: You're also working on a song and video for the show "Electric Company," a '70s show that they are coming back out with. Do you have a lot of nieces and nephews that made you want to do that?
Sean Kingston: Yea that's the thing; I have a lot of nieces and nephews and I have a lot of kids out there that look up to me so I wanted to give them something to jam to. I wrote a song on there, it's good. It's young and it's nice.
BallerStatus.com: So at the end of the day, what do you to be known for bringing to the music industry?
Sean Kingston: Feel good music, no curse words, originality, the whole reggae-pop vibe, you know, R&B, rap: everything all in one. That's definitely something I try to bring new to the table.
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