Macka Diamond Dreams About Making An Album Like Buju Banton’s ‘Til Shiloh

Macka-Diamond
Macka Diamond

Veteran Dancehall artist Macka Diamond says her dream is to now produce a transformational album, similar to that of Buju Banton’s fourth studio album ‘Til Shiloh.

During an interview with DJ Wiz of The Wizology Show on Instagram yesterday, Diamond was asked whether she had reached the pinnacle of her Dancehall career, which started over two decades ago under the name Lady Mackerel.

“No, I think I want to do an album or EP, you know like when Buju (Banton) did transform and did the ‘Til Shiloh?” she revealed. “I’m dreaming of something like that and I think I’m gonna do it. I think it’s gonna happen.”

Buju Banton celebrated the 25th anniversary of ‘Til Shiloh‘s 1995 release last year, and told Citi FM, during a December interview, that it marked a turning point in his career. The Grammy Award-winner had said that the album heralded his transformation “from a dancehall hardcore DJ to one who espouses views on global political social issues, and a wider purview and also my transformation and my realisation and acceptance of my blackness as a rastaman and an African”.

The original LP included hit songs like Murderer, Champion, Untold Stories, Till I’m Laid to Rest, Untold Stories, Not an Easy Road, and Wanna Be Loved.

buju-1
Buju Banton receives a special RIAA Gold Album for his 1995 album ‘Til Shiloh

2021 has already been a year of transformation for Macka Diamond.

The singer, who celebrated her 50th birthday in January with the new single Set Me Free, told DancehallMag then that she intends on walking a closer path with God in 2021, but she has not made the move to be baptized.  Her “deliverance” – which was captured on video and dismissed by some fans as mockery – came after controversial revelations from spiritual advisor RT Boss in December, including allegations that the industry was besieged by black magic and “obeah”.

During her two-hour interview with DJ Wiz, Macka also revealed that “the next part” of her dream was to be a source of motivation and guidance to new female artists in the industry.

Asked whether she was looking to teach, produce or manage, Macka revealed that she definitely wasn’t interested in management. “There’s a lot of people who seh to me ‘Bwoy if you can bring your career this far, better yuh manage people’… I don’t want to do the management,” she said.

“There are so much ungratefulness and I’ve been through a lot of managers who have been crying and I don’t think I’m gonna like the management part because it’s an ongoing thing where a lot of artistes is being ungrateful to a lot of people who spend on them and they don’t understand that this business costs a lot and once somebody spend dem money on you it is obvious that they need back their money.”

However, she said she hopes to work with artists in music production when she realizes her other dream of establishing her own recording studio.

Diamond has many celebrated hit singles, including Done A Ready, Don Girl, her clever counteraction to Vybz Kartel’s Tek Buddy Gyal titled Tek Con, Bun Him featuring Black-Er, Hula Hoop, and the mega-hit Dye Dye.

Watch her full interview on The Wizology Show below.