Konshens
Visit any night spot in Kampala and 20 minutes will not pass before a Konshens song is played. With several hits to his name like Simple Song, Gyal A Bubble and Do Sum’n, revellers always go wild when the DJ spins any of the Jamaican Dancehall singer’s songs.
The man, who confesses he breathes, eats and sleeps music following the Brazilian philosophy of breathing, eating and sleeping football is in town ahead of his concert, slated for later this evening. Konshens, real names Garfield Delano Spence was born in Up Park Camp, St Andrew Jamaica on January 11, 1985 to Delmark Spence a Soldier of the Jamaican Army and Winsome Worthington a cosmetologist and a business woman. Garfield moved from the safe environment of Up Park Camp, to the volatile community of Sherlock Crescent, a decision his father made after leaving the army. It was in that same year that he graduated from Excelsior High School and focused more of his energies on music.
Inspired by, among others, Beres Hammond and raised on early rising gospel renditions, whilst his mother cooked and cleaned on Saturday and Sunday mornings, music was all around Konshens and it impacted on him from an early age. For him it was a comfort, solace and a familiar atmosphere for which he lived in. “I believe that I was ordained” (musically). I made a decision to go into it 100 per cent after realising that it had become an addiction.”
Konshens appeared on the musical scene in the duo Sojah Brothers alongside his blood brother Delus. They got their big break in Japan after recording the hit single titled Pon Di Corner on the Guilty Riddim produced by Cash Flow Records. Pon Di Corner rode in the top five positions on various Japanese Reggae charts for most of 2005 – and also saw the duo travelling to Japan for the first time. It was in 2006 they debuted their first album in Japan titled Sons of Jah that earned them a successful four weeks tour in various cities of Japan, such as Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido to name a few.
In November, 2007 Konshens was taken to one of Jamaica’s diverse record labels Natural Bridge Studios by long time friend Carlington Wilmot founder of www.OutAroad.com and recorded a track on their latest production, the Cranberry Riddim. So impressed was CEO Mark Pinnock and Operations Manager Tamra Recas, they immediately signed the hopeful talent to the prominent Jamaican based label, Natural Bridge Records. Mark Pinnock has worked with some of the biggest names in Dancehall like Bounty Killa and he has been producing hit after hit.
There are few new school Jamaican artistes that can and will maintain their careers and set themselves apart from the rest, Konshens stands tall among these talented newcomers as he has distinguished himself from the one hit wonders. His smooth, unpredictable yet aggressive delivery meshed with feverishly potent riddims undeniably make him one of the most sought-after artistes.
