Papa San To Release ‘Life Lessons’ Gospel Album This Friday
Iconic Dancehall gospel deejay and Minister Papa San’s new album titled Life Lessons, which has been in the making over the last two years, will be released this Friday, August 12.
The Dancehall Good To We deejay, who is regarded as one of Jamaica’s greatest lyricists, and one of the pioneers of Gospel Reggae/Dancehall, made the announcement a week ago on his Instagram page.
“Blessings friends and loved ones … one love again. Finally, we get the album done – Life Lessons coming out August 12. Don’t miss it. Coming out under VP Records. I thank you all for your love and your support… God up. Shalom,” he said.
The songs on the 10-track album were produced by a slew of producers including his eldest son Tyshane “BEAM” Thompson, and his Jamaican compatriots Supa Dups and Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.
In April 2020, Papa San had shared the album’s title track Lessons, which appears as the final track and was produced by BEAM.
The song which also has an accompanying music video, sees Papa San deejaying on rapid as he addresses, issues plaguing society and reminds people to, among other things, have hope in God and not chase material possessions.
The other songs on the album are Story, Love About You, Bother Me, I See You, None Like You, Take It All Jesus, Risky, Real and Forget.
Now 55-years-old, Papa San started his career in Dancehall performing on sound systems such as Black Scorpio and Creation as a youngster in the late 1970s.
The Spanish Town native’s breakout song was I Will Survive which sampled American singer Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 classic of the same. The song which was the hottest in Jamaica that year, dominated the local charts and propelled San, who also became known as “the ladies’ pet”, to national stardom.
At least 17 of Papa San’s songs have topped Jamaican Reggae/Dancehall music charts, among them Animal Party, Style and Fashion, Strange, and Maddy, Maddy Cry and Dancehall Good to We.
His breakout song was I Will Survive which sampled American singer Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 classic of the same.
I Will Survive which was the hottest in Jamaica that year, skyrocketed to the top of the local charts and Papa San into a household name.
During his secular Dancehall heydays, Papa San also copped several awards for Deejay of the Year, Most Versatile Deejay, Best Dressed Deejay, and Best Video.
He also recorded two massive hits Legal Rights and Round Table Talk with fellow deejay and close friend, Lady G.
Lady G has credited him with being one of the main persons who protected her as a woman in the male-dominated Dancehall industry. Many people had speculated back then that the two were dating, but the two had made it clear that their relationship was only musical with the ‘Animal Man’ treating her as his sister.
A slew of mishaps had beset Papa San in the three years that followed the death of his brother Dirtsman, who fell victim to gun violence in 1993. His sister was killed in a motorcycle accident, while cousin was killed by the police, and he himself had legal problems after being arrested on gun charges in 1994.
Papa San was baptized in 1999 and thereafter, started doing Dancehall and Reggae Gospel Music.
Papa San is now an ordained pastor in Florida, where he resides with his family. His musical style remains authentically Dancehall and Reggae Gospel. Among his gospel albums are his gospel debut album Victory in 1999, God and I which was released in 2003, Journey, Real and Personal (2005), and Higher Heights and One Blood in 2014.