Pamputtae Embraces Being 38, Claps Back At Ageism Trolls
Dancehall artist Pamputtae is clapping back at ageism trolls.
The 38-year-old has been age-shamed all week after making a post which some netizens believe is throwing shots at her younger contemporary Shenseea. Off the heels of the latter’s new single Hit and Run with Masicka, Pamputtae took to Instagram to berate those who redeem themselves through dancehall music.
“No matter what, them afi run come back to Dancehall; a Dancehall a save them 👀👀👀,” Pamputtae posited.
Shenseea, 27, has spent recent years trying to establish herself in other genres, from her 2019 signing to Interscope Records through Rvssian’s Rich Immigrants imprint, to her subsequent releases like Lick (featuring Megan Thee Stallion), and R U That (featuring 21 Savage), which have failed to impress on mainstream charts.
Hit and Run, produced by dancehall royalty Stephen ‘Di Genius’ McGregor, is Shenseea’s latest foray into Jamaican music, following longstanding fan requests. It is against this backdrop that some folks believe Pamputtae’s post was Shenyeng-aimed, and they are firing back through age discrimination.
“Thts y unu caay reach nowhere,” commented one user. “Dem longtime big woman ya badmind.”
“Bwoy fi big woman all uno can sing bout a b*ddy and pucci, we tired of it now man,” wrote another. “Come wid something wid some substance…”
Another argued that even with Pamputtae’s feature on rapper Nicki Minaj’s Fine Nine remix, “yuh still nuh reach no weh. Lady, go look a big song and give d young ppl their space… Old foot, your time come and pass, please take your rest…”
Others defended Pamputtae by saying she didn’t call names, but the deejay eventually spoke up for herself.
“A unno alone a worry ’bout the girl age,” the Ride It deejay clapped back. “All a who weh deh pon ‘old’ and ‘age’, a nuh age, a how you age…”
She followed up with a video flaunting her natural physique and embracing her years.
“Mi a 38 year old and mi nice bad,” she said. “Mi age come off almanac long time. Mi close to 40, mi closer to happiness, mi closer fi winning. Everything mi close to weh good…”
She was still at it on Saturday, making a “special announcement” to people who dread aging.
“Mi nuh know why unno fraid a age,” she said. “If yuh fraid a age and you a run from age, cancel you birthday, simple, and postpone the month when yuh born cause unno a run from age and when your birthday comes, it seh, ‘How old are you?’… It never seh, ‘How young are you?’, so, if you run from age and yuh nuh like age, cancel your birthday.”
Her philosophy is being supported by fans and even peers like D’Angel.
“And who a talk bout age, cyaa walk nuh weh near we, mi (nah) ask,” D’Angel wrote.
A fan chimed in, “Girl are you sure?? 38yrs??? A lie you telling. You look like you just 28yrs old…”
“Pam, yuh look damn good! Mi nuh know how age and comparison reach inna this! People just sad and bitter towards each other. SMH give the lady har credit and keep it moving!”
Another user complimented the deejay on maintaining her appearance even after two children.
Pamputtae, whose given name is Eveana Henry, got her big break with the racy number It Good in 2008, and has since diversified her catalogue with songs like Single Mother (2018) and God and Time (2022) featuring Taneisha Shaw.
She welcomed 2024 as a featured artist on Netflix’s hit show Champion, and is currently promoting Gymnastic with Aneesa Badshaw.