The No-Maddz Trodding Globally With Music And Movies
The No-Maddz are credited as being the group that started what is now known as the Reggae revival; the resurgence of Reggae among young people.
As a group, they have done movies with Idris Elba and international advertisements with Puma. Now down to two members, they’ve released a few albums, and now consist of lead singers Evie (Everaldo Creary) and Sheppie (Sheldon Shepherd).
The No-Maddz were originally 8 members? How did the group start?
In 2000, the Jamaica Cultural Development Competition (JCDC) introduced the Dub Poetry ensemble category, they required 7 participants minimum so we recruited people to join the group.
When you started the group who were the members?
Sheldon Shepherd, Emerald Creary, Ericardo Gayle, and Shane Fitzgerald, the four of us decided we would recruit members. So we started planning. When we wanted a name Shane Fitzgerald said let’s call ourselves No-Maddz cause we all over the place (laughs). The concepts evolved to mean we are all products of the ghetto traversing earth.
Evie, what kinda responsibility you take towards pushing reggae revival?
It was just practicing a craft and performing for free and then the energy of merging the different genres came.
This was 2006 before Instagram?
Yes, it was so off the grid, no one was posting on stories.
How did you manage to build an audience organically?
We were also involved in theatre and movie making and that was a gateway to know that the No-Maddz were talented and people loved that there was a spot they could go and see us organically. Then by 2010, it got out of hand.
What were some of the successes you received when it “got out of hand”?
I feel pleased about setting up an atmosphere for artists to come forward with a level of bravery and attitude towards their own creativity. I think our fellow artists came and ran with that vibe. Not that we created reggae revival but there were no live music events. We used to pay to go into a show that we were on. Everyone was using tracks, using your own band never existed, the term band never existed they’d call us a group. We never understand the concept of festivals. Young artists started to believe they could be a band.
Sheppie: You’ve also managed to carry your rugged persona into commercial work like Puma?
Yes, in 2011 Puma came to Jamaica and they wanted a band to be part of a Usain Bolt ad, so the word was out and a whole heap of bands turned out. We did the audition and sang Pukupoo (Wha Dis) and they loved it. They probably thought we made it up on the spot. We got a Sync Licensing deal, talent fee and products. Puma did an article to say they sold more that quarter than any other in the history of Puma. The tour was the Faster Is Funner tour. We did the Diamond League, The World Games. It was great.
Sheppie: So what transpired. Why is the group now down to two members?
In growth and life, natural progression is the order and sometimes the son leaves the father and a student leaves the teacher so now my brothers natural progression was to move forward and the trod continues. Imagine a bus and someone says one stop and then says alright we aguh stay yahsuh. And the bus keeps on moving.
You say all that to say the other two members got married and left the group?
Yes, man a big man now. We are coming from sleeping on the same bed inuh so now when you see a man get married we have to give thanks.
Will the No-Maddz go into Cannabis or branding?
Everything is possible. We have always created businesses based on who we are so if we use herbs we would be looking at ways to include that too.
Tell me about the movie Yardie.
It is Idris’s directorial debut and it’s an adaptation from a Jamaican novel called Yardie written by Victor Headley. He used Jamaican actors in significant roles and we got significant screen time. It’s a story about a bredrin called D for Dennis and his journey, after losing someone significant he had to be grown up by a Don. They used 800 extras from the inner city in Jamaica, it was an awesome experience to see all the fancy lights and special effects in the inner city Jamaica.
No-Maddz Big Up!!
Pupuku Poo (laughs)