WORDS: Christopher “Icey Jace” Campbell DATE: OCT 20, 2007
TIFA
Dancehall's Own Crossover Singjay
Dancehallsoca.comPUBLICATION
As a young female Singjay getting respect in a male dominated industry like dancehall can seem like the hardest thing in the world, but despite the naysayer Latifa Brown affectionately known as TIFA has been progressing steadily in music. Coming across the genre at a tender age TIFA was consumed with the exciting feeling of creating something from scratch. Now a college graduate with a Bachelors Degree in hand she has taken the high road to follow her dreams of a career in music citing her schooling as only a backup plan. Now a member of the Natural Bridge Studio family TIFA’s currently being shopped by Artists / Production group Ward 21 who has been tracking vocals and laying beats for the super sexy now blonde hair beauty. Sharing a bit about her journey TIFA had this to say in a recent September interview.
Dancehallsoca.com
How long have you been doing music?
TIFA
Well from I have sense basically, (laughing) yea from ever since I’ve been doing music, I grew up around music, my mother and father were like really really great collectors of music and they had shelves and crates of music. My uncle also had a record store too.
Dancehallsoca.com
You’ve been in the industry for a while how has your career progressed?
TIFA
I would say good, I’m happy, sure they’re things that could have been better but I’m happy. In 2 years I feel that I’ve accomplished a lot and I’m grateful to just wake up in the morning and turn on my radio and I can hear myself on the radio or just turn on my TV, I get sick, sick of seeing myself on TV. It’s a good feeling cause mi feel like mi a buss the right way, with the build up. I’m here to stay, so I don’t want the hype.
Dancehallsoca.com
Who are some of the people you’ve worked with in music?
TIFA
Well I’ve come across everybody, Ward 21 they are my mentors and they work with everybody so I’ve basically come across a wide scope of people.
Dancehallsoca.com
How do you stay focused on doing good music and not get drawn into the hype of it all?
TIFA
Well to me there is no hype, if you check my background I’ve always been around music, my stepfather was a producer so I was use to artists coming to my home, at 12-13 I was touring so it’s not necessarily hype it’s just something I love and I’m focused on that right now. That’s naturally me.
Dancehallsoca.com
What are some of your long term goals / next 5-6 years?
TIFA
It’s so funny you say 5-6 years, well I would want to accomplish a Madonna status, I want to be that Jamaican Madonna I wanna represent that for Jamaica.
Dancehallsoca.com
Are you still attending college?
TIFA
No I graduated from the University last year, is just music now and people keep asking what you gonna do with your Degree, but I’m grateful for school but for right now if I get up and don’t voice a song I feel like I’m going nuts so I’m just living my life now music wise.
Dancehallsoca.com
Who are some of the artist you listen to?
TIFA
“Ward 21 of course then you dun know the greats Dennis Brown, Bob Marley, Beenie and Bounty are like staples, the females too Lady Saw, people like Tanya Stephens and at some point everybody influence you in some way even if is just one song or a video.
Dancehallsoca.com
What the latest for TIFA right now / what songs are hot?
TIFA
Well I have a couple of single on the road, Bad Mind on the Rae Riddim; I have I’m Leaving, Kitty Police of course. To come out is Dem Gal Sit’n that is the latest Ward 21 production with straight females on it, Heavy Hitter on the road that’s my hip hop track with Ward 21, crazy singles a lot of stuff happening more videos to be shot, crazy promotions.
Dancehallsoca.com PUBLICATIONARTICLE LAYOUT & DESIGN BY:Christopher “Icey Jace” Campbell