Michelle
Written by Nadine White
THE MUSIC industry is like a revolving door. Easy come, easy go; longevity or prosperity is not promised. Agent Sasco, otherwise known as Assassin, has been one of the fortunate ones.
Having burst onto the scene in 1999 as a teenager, Sasco has simply soared, building an impressive catalogue of varied dancehall anthems in the process. This includes standards like Wah Gwaan, Idiot Ting Dat, and Talk How Mi Feel.
Hailing from the buzzing capital of Kingston, Jamaica, the deejay, born Jeffrey Campell, had initially intended to study mass communications with journalism at the University of West Indies after high school.
“I loved music like nothing else and I loved putting words together too,” the deejay recalls. “But successfully making it in the industry was always something of a dream so I figured that this would have been a more realistic way to get close to music”.
Dreams certainly do come true. Sasco has been reigning supreme as one of dancehall’s best lyricists and most consistent artists for the better part of two decades.
When asked about the secret to his long-running, successful career, he heartily laughs and quickly replies, “I don’t know,” before continuing: “For me, it has a lot to do with maturing as a person, the sincerity and authenticity of my work. I have never relied on a gimmick to advance myself musically.”
Around 2004, Sasco was entangled in a short-lived ‘beef’ with fellow deejay Vybz Kartel; a rivalry largely fuelled by both dancehall fans and local media.
At one point, Kartel and his then-manager approached Sasco for a clash at famed Jamaican music event Sting, reasoning that they would both stand to gain from the sensationalism.
However, Sasco declined at the risk of losing the all-important street credibility that he would have otherwise stood to gain.
“I got my name through clashing as a 14-year-old youth who lyrically battled with my peers at school, so it’s not like that concept was new to me. And I was aware that there was political currency to be lost by turning something like that down.
“But the contribution that I have always wanted to make to music is beyond taking part in clashes.”
At the time, some called it cowardice. Those who know better called it integrity – a quality that has served Sasco well. Fast-forward over 10 years and he has successfully carved out a ‘clean’ image, void of the typical ‘isms’, ‘scisms’ and scandals that have enshrouded many dancehall artists. This, alongside his talent, has earned him a comfortable, coveted place within the dancehall industry, where he enjoys transatlantic success over notoriety, which even ‘the streets’ have to respect.
“I think that eventually people began to understand me,” says the married father-of-three. “It was like, ‘say what you want about the bredrin but it’s not like he isn’t representing the art form in a real way’”.
Back in 2012, Campbell announced a change of name from his then Assassin moniker to Agent Sasco. But what exactly does the new name mean?
“It’s the more mature Assassin with added values and ideas,” he explains.“I first entered the music business as a teenager. Now, at the age of 32, Agent Sasco is more reflective of where I am now”.
He is also a favourite among hip-hop artists, having recently featured on acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar’s Blacker The Berry, and on Kanye West’s Grammy-nominated album Yeezus back in 2013.
Renowned for his social commentary and razor sharp delivery, he says: “In part, I see it as my duty as an artist to reflect the concerns of the times but I also think it is important for me to strike a balance between social commentary and more frivolous music that people can party and hold a vibe to.”
The very functionality of dancehall and hip-hop has much to do with the grit and real life experiences of ordinary people, as well as the autobiographical authenticity of the artist.
US rappers Meek Mill and Drake recently had a very public clash, where the former accused the latter of not writing his own material. Subsequently, this caused debate across social media about the importance of songwriting within hip-hop.
When asked for his stance on whether artists should reflect personal experiences through their music, Sasco, who is known for writing his own material, explained that he doesn’t feel this is imperative.
“From the perspective of art, the artist is the vessel. Why not sing a particular song so that perspective can be represented?”
Referring to his hit Hand To Mouth, which reflected the experience of struggling to make ends meet, he said: “I started music from straight out of high school; I have never had a 9-5 [job], yet my song Hand To Mouth resonated. It is not my experience, but I can speak of it because I’ve seen it and the listener can appreciate it.”
Currently promoting a new collaboration with fellow star Shaggy entitled Mix Up, Sasco is also in the process of recording his third studio album. This compilation is expected to be released in the near future and is said to have more of a ‘one drop’ vibe to it.
Music aside, he says he’s far removed from the ‘hype’ of the industry.
“Away from the stage, I am just Jeffrey Campbell – quite a private man who strives to always be fair in whatever I do,” he says. “I made a decision long ago to not allow myself to be erased by the personas of Assassin and Agent Sasco.”
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