LIKE many of his contemporaries, old-school deejay Johnny P bemoans the lack of airplay and the limited recording opportunities. The one-time dancehall toaster, who shot to fame in the late 1980’s, recently started his One House Production label.
“Getting producers to voice you is one thing and getting your songs played is another thing. We started the label to do things independently instead of relying on others,” Johnny P told the Jamaica Observer.
Even though much hasn’t been heard of Johnny P in recent times, he said he continues to release songs.
“Recently, we did Three the Hard Way with me, Tiger and Anthony Malvo. I have a song out called High Grade that I did for the Pick Out label. I also have Don Fi We on the Locus riddim, so I am still doing music,” said Johnny P.
Anthony Malvo & Tiger
Born Orville Anthony Morgan, Johnny P is originally from the Maxfield Avenue area of Kingston. He began honing his skills on the Afro Tone sound system before moving to the Love Child and Tyrant sound systems in St Mary. He did his first recording in 1985.“My first song was for a producer name Zedekiah Barnett. The song was Boody Bye,” said Johnny P.
Breath A Bother Mi (for Winston Riley’s Techniques label), Tight Clothes (for Red Man International),
Nuh Free Ride (Steelie and Clevie), and 1989’s New York chart-topper Gal Man got Johnny P the attention he craved. However, it was tracks including King Jammys-produced Stick by Me and Young
and She Green (both songs featured singer Thriller U), and the monster hit Bike Back that took him to the top of the charts in Jamaica.
Johnny P in his 80’s heydays
“In those days, we did a lot of shows at places like Fort Clarence, Coney Park, and Cinema 2 in New Kingston. We did a lot of shows in the Caribbean, places like Cayman; then we did Canada, the US and then UK. It was good,” said Johnny P.
In 1993, Johnny P scored a hit on the Billboard charts with a hip hop remix of the song Look Good. Originally produced by Steelie and Clevie, the hip hop remix was a hit in clubs across the US, particularly on the East Coast.
“ Look Good took me some places I never been. A lot of dancehall artists have never been to some of those places that I went,” he said.
Look Good reached number five on the Billboard Dance chart and Johnny P signed with Relativity Records, an affiliate of Sony Music. After three years, he parted ways with the label.
Now 51 years of age, Johnny P doesn’t intend to relive the glory days he enjoyed on the charts.
“I would really want them to give us, the old-time deejays, some attention. We still doing music, so just give us some attention,” he said.
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