The Tribune | Weekend | 03
Friday, November 6, 2020
Weekend Inside
My Perfect Bahamian Weekend in Lockdown Miz Breezy Rapper
to social distance? What I miss most about social distancing is the fact that I can’t hug the people that I love. It is weird. I am a very affectionate person and the fact that I can’t do that when I see people is hard.
2 Photography
Roland Rose looks at a very Bahamian harvest
4-5 Interview
Life coach and author Nathan Sweeting
6 Puzzles 7 Entertainment
What The Bahamas is watching
8-9 Art
Rediscovered creativity fires up artist’s career
10 Books
Youngster’s book club an inspiration
11 Gardening
The scents of the garden
12-13 Literary Lives
The fiery actress who became a Hollywood star
14 Forgotten Facts
Looking at the work of Mark Catesby
15 Animals
Infuriated by sea life comments
16 Fashion
Are you ready to Boss Up?
A BILLBOARD DAY FOR JAY SHEPHARD
By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
F
OR Jay Shephard, creating music is never about the accolades but whenever they do turn up, he says it is a reminder his music is being heard, appreciated and having impact. This was made evident when the Bahamian artist recently received in the mail his Billboard plaque for single Lady Love. The single was featured on the Billboard Charting “Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: The Reggae Collector’s edition” album. The plaque reads: “Presented to Jay Shepard to commemorate the #16 position for Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: The Reggae Collector’s Edition on the Billboard compilation albums
charts the week of August 22, 2020.” The compilation also features Vybz Kartel, Dabady, Wayne Wonder, Peetah Morgan, Tommy Lee Sparta, Don Yute, Contractor, Planb-Strik9, Singing Melody, Skillbeng and more. “I feel honored and blessed.” Jay told Tribune Weekend. Lady Love found favour with many listeners around the world since its release in June 2020, and climbed up the charts. Jay said the single’s success did not come as a surprise to him as he knew its potential when he penned it. “This is one of the many goals and milestones that I had set in place to achieve and I am grateful to God that I was able to achieve it. This is just the
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Q. If you had to be quarantined with a celebrity? Q. What will you be binge It would be Koffee because watching this weekend? I am a fan. I would like Lately, I have been watching to pick her brain. She is a lot of documentaries, younger than me , but she the news, the weather and is a lot more experienced the US election results, than me in the industry. But if I had to pick a I feel like we can make show it would be Power. some amazing music together in that time. Q. What’s on your weekend Q. If you could spend the lockdown menu? weekend anywhere not My weekend lockdown affected by COVID-19, is a whole lot seafood, where would it be? I don’t eat red meat and It would be Jamica. I I am tired of chicken, have been there once on so anything from tuna, a cruise so I never really mackerel or fish, like snapper, conch and shrimp. got to explore the island. I have an obsession with Jamaica and its culture and Q. What do you miss most about having obviously for music reasons.
first of many achievements. There are so many talented Bahamian artists out there and we are all doing our best to expose the world to our talent,” he said. The story of his single came from a committed relationship Jay was in at the time. The song was written to describe the initial feelings he had towards someone he was in love with. “It was important for me to show her how I felt about her using that song. The single was actually written in 2006 but I decided to officially record it, in studio, in 2015,” he said. Although 2020 is coming to a close, Jay said he is not stopping. “Next for me, are two more single releases later on this year. I am also set to release my upcoming album in Summer 2021. We are also vying for a Grammy nomination for the album that features “Lady Love”, so hoping for the best. In the meantime, I just want to encourage everyone, especially Bahamian creators to remain strong and inspired especially
during these trying times,” he said. Born Jamaal Saunders, Jay’s background is far from regular. A near-death experience in his younger years caused a drastic change in his life and pushed him to embrace a more spiritual lifestyle. His stage name came from his experiences, and he believes his music will create an inspired flock of supporters for years to come. Having released singles such as Let You Leave, No Surrender, Guide Me, and Sunshine, he has worked with top producers like Troyton Rami and Miller9, and even secured a distribution deal with Sony Red Distribution in 2013. He is the owner of the Good Vybz Nation LLC, and has released a motivational book, Take A Shot At Your Dreams. Lady Love is available on all digital music streaming platforms. He invites fans to visit his website at JayShephard. net, and follow him at @JayShephardMusic on Instagram, and @JayShephard on Twitter for future updates.
