Beenie Man ‘excited’ to tour US after 13 years

Following his last US performance 13 years ago, Beenie Man is thrilled about his long-awaited 'King Of Dancehall Tour,' slated to kick-start at the UBS Arena in New York on May 24.

"I am very excited. [The] people are anticipating me and mi just up inna mi good feelings and gloriously feeling very great. Me just know seh mi ago guh there and give dem a show and mek di fans dem fulljoy demself fi di 13 years weh dem nuh see mi perform," he told THE STAR.

The veteran artiste said New York was chosen as supporters from that market have been craving more for his music.

"Mi always in demand, enuh, but from mi get di visa (his US visa was reinstated last December) is a different ting - the demand tun up," Beenie Man laughed. "Suh I'm back by popular demand because di people dem waah some Beenie Man, suh dem affi get some. You know di fans dem love di show dem, suh wi just a go out there and let the fans dem know seh wi still here and wi not going anywhere," he shared.

"My legacy lives on suh that's why I continue to make the type of music that I've been making and that's why me can do these type of shows fi the years and still be relevant, performing fi di fans dem. Wi always try to mek music fi mek wi name stay," Beenie added.

The 'King Of Dancehall Tour: Beenie Man and Friends Live' will also be part of the US' Memorial Weekend celebrations. The event is expected to have a "few surprises" and a night of quality music in which the dancehall legend plans to deliver in an "unforgettable" fashion. The tour will see the artiste travelling to cities such as Norfolk, USA. Beenie Man said he is also in high demand for shows in Africa and the Caribbean, and will be adding more dates to his US tour.

"The energy ahead of the tour is great man. Yuh can see seh di energy still up from wi start from the one-stop shows in Barbados and [St Thomas] and it's gonna be on that level or even higher for the shows to come. From New York, we're gonna move on to Virginia Beach, then we move on from there, and the energy is nice everywhere wi go because wi a duh show weh a mek di people dem know weh a gwaan out deh inna di world," he said. "And [from my experience with the first two shows] the shows are nice and people are coming out by the thousands to see di 'king' and I really appreciate that."

The reggae/dancehall icon, who has been in the music industry for more than four decades, said though he's been on several tours, working different crowds with diverse reactions and reception to his music, he still works every stage appearance as if it's his first time.

"I work hard in the studio but I work harder on stage, suh when it comes to my stage is a different thing because my stage is for me and my fans. Suh when wi go out there, people expect to be entertained and I also expect to be entertained by the people because the energy that the people pull, I give dem back seven times seven," Beenie Man said. "Yuh have people weh been to yuh show more dan 10 times, suh when yuh reach at certain place, yuh affi change di show and gi dem a different performance and energy."

The dancehall pioneer is set to release his 26th album titled Guess Who's Back? which will consist of a creative mix of a hip hop and R&B tracks but grounded by the foundation dancehall music. Etana and several other local and international talents will also be featured on the album.