Marshall in town! That's not just the start of one of Wayne Marshall's hits. It's a declaration that a new player is on the dancehall scene and hes about to take over, even if he doesn't wear a badge.
At just 21, the man born Wayne Mitchell is already being called the future of dancehall. 2002 was an amazing year for Marshall. You could not turn on a radio or pass a sound system without hearing his signature 'Tru-tru-tru! Woo-ooh-ooh-ooh! ringing out.
From dancehall tunes When The Smoke Clears to Story Done Tell, the infectious Party Time and Overcome on the monster Diwali rhythm, Marshall has rapidly matured and shows his versatility on quality reggae songs like Beautiful Morning and My Love Is Real.
His first big show was Hot Shots at the Constant Spring Golf Club in December 2002, sharing billing with Shaggy, Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley and Sean Paul. The pressure was on and Marshall ripped it.
With his band Martial Arts, a slick video intro and a red hot guest spot by Vybes Cartel, the over 12 thousand patrons gave him much love during his tight set, and Marshall showed he was well and truly ready for the big time.
It took about eight years for young Marshall to become an 'overnight success.' He would go straight from Wolmer's Boy's School to the legendary King Jammy's studio, learning the ropes of the real dancehall at a place where big artistes like Bounty Killer laid tracks. Marshall was convinced music was his destiny, as he could pick up new tunes just like that, with his early tunes done for his friends in Bounty's style. He readily admits Killer, who is now a good friend, is his inspiration, and says his drive to be original comes directly from him.
Marshall had discovered long ago that music was the only thing that made him feel happy. 'Musicians feel and hear music differently from people who just listen to music,' he says. 'When you have the vibes to write and create music, you feel the real musicians around you easily.'
Though Jammy wouldn't give him a chance on the mike, Marshall continued to write and work on his craft, something he says more artistes need to do.
'Usually artistes rush in the studio instead of putting pen to paper,' he says. 'Not enough time is spent sitting down and writing songs especially to fit the rhythm.'
His first attempt was a disastrous audition with producer Mikey Bennett. But, soon enough, he got a break on the Bada Bada rhythm, and was rewarded by Jammy who let him travel with the group Ward 21, who had a big hit on the beat.
As a sign of just how serious he was, he followed up on Bennetts advice for voice training, and the difference was soon clear. Just as he felt he was close to his big break, Marshall was dealt a deep personal blow through the loss of his best friend, Nicholas, in a car crash in 1998. Ironically, it's the song he wrote out of that pain that officially introduced Marshall in a big way. When The Smoke Clears attained anthem status, a song so powerful it finally got the attention of his long time idol Bounty Killer and produced one of the biggest collaborations of 2001.
Marshall even toured with Bounty Killer in 2002, promoting his Grammy-nominated set, Ghetto Dictionary. That experience showed Marshall a whole new side of the biz, and if anything, made him more serious than ever.
'When you tour with the top-a-top, it's different to moving with other young artistes, he reflects. 'You get experience, everything that he can show you. I saw the artistry, the professionalism needed to sustain this on a high level.'
It also showed him that he was now a Big Artiste, known beyond the shores of little Jamaica, which gave him a boost in confidence that manifest itself as a slew of new songs.
'When you do 25 shows in front of different audiences from a different country, it's an incredible feeling knowing they knew my songs. That's why I just went back to the hotel room - to write more incredible songs,' he says.
Wayne Marshall knows much is expected and has heard the big talk about him being the future. With the confidence he has in his skills and proven willingness to put in the work, give a damn and not get caught up in the hype, he just might be the next big thing in dancehall.
