Veteran sound system selector and recording artist Tony Matterhorn has made his sentiments abundantly clear in a recent live stream, taking aim at emerging dancehall talents, including Kraff, Bayka, Malie Donn, Pablo YG, and others of their ilk. The award-winning jock didn’t hold back, expressing his concern over the lack of respect demonstrated towards sound system selectors by these newcomers.
In a live stream marked by obscene language, Matterhorn assumed the role of an educator, directing his message towards the latest wave of dancehall talents. The entertainer emphasized that the individuals these artists praised and thanked for their rise to stardom were not solely responsible for their success. He stressed that despite the collective effort that goes into creating a hit song, the artists he knew from their pre-fame days had to plead with selectors to play their music even as they were starving for recognition.
Matterhorn took issue with artists who seemed to disregard selectors while highlighting producers and fellow entertainers who aided them. Underscoring the vital role that disc jocks play in a song’s success, he made it clear that artists like Bounty Killer couldn’t single-handedly catapult someone to fame. Matterhorn’s unpretentious perspective extended to questioning claims about Bounty Killer being responsible for the success of numerous artists, clarifying that it was selectors like himself, Trooper, Stonelove, Renaissance, and others who facilitated their breakthroughs.
He implied that even though Bounty Killer offered Vybz Kartel a platform to perform, audiences were eager to see artists whose music they already knew. Directly addressing Kraff, Bayka, Pablo YG, and Malie Donn, Matterhorn cautioned them that respect for selectors was crucial for longevity in the industry. Drawing parallels to artists who experienced fleeting fame, he warned that neglecting selectors might result in a similar fate of obscurity.
