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Sean Kingston – Age Ain’t But A Number
Interview by: Melanie J Cornish
 With a lot of attention being directed towards the ‘thirty something’s,’ timing for the break away teens may never have been worse. However Sean Kingston has no worries or concerns of being huddled into a corner while the veterans attempt to maintain significant.
 [Raised and nurtured between Miami and Jamaica did nothing but encourage this seventeen year olds eclectic taste in music. With his Moms love for Slick Rick and his island heritage flowing freely through his veins, Sean Kingston is a true example of persistence paying off.
Having utilized myspace.com to network with super producer JR Rotem, the two instantly clicked after the rapper barraged his in-box with track after track. Sean impressed the producer so much that JR signed him to his Beluga Heights/Epic imprint. With a distinct sound and understanding of just what he wants to do, his first album features a roster that one would expect from an established artist. With his lead off single 'Colors' featuring Rick Ross and The Game, it is obvious that JR struck gold as the industry is certainly feeling his new kid on the block.
Talking home, family and business, this seventeen year old has his mind set on heading in one direction and aligning himself with someone like JR Rotem this can only guarantee a first class seat on that journey.
Nobodysmiling.com : You were born in Florida, but your family are Jamaican. Did you spend a lot of time in Jamaica?
Sean Kingston : Yes I was born in Miami and then I went to Jamaica when I was six; then I cam back to Miami when I was 10.
Nobodysmiling.com : How was the transition on you making those moves, at such a young age?
Sean Kingston : It was pretty different, you know Jamaica has its different environments compare to America and Miami, but it was cool. I adapted to the lifestyle, it was very different but I liked it.
Nobodysmiling.com : Your music is a fusion of both cultures as well, was this what you hoped to do?
Sean Kingston : I have been listening to reggae since I was very young but I also used to listen to a lot of rap and I was around a lot of people who were doing music.
Nobodysmiling.com : You put your Hip-Hop inspirations down as ice Cube and Slick Rick, being that you are so young, how were you exposed to these guys?
Sean Kingston : Man, Slick Rick, my Mom played Slick Rick and she loved him and I would hear that a lot. Now of course... of my age would normally say people like Jay-Z or T.I. but I grew up on Slick Rick and I got to like him, he was dope and a great artist and I would listen to him. Both he and Ice Cube have inspired me to do what I am doing today.
Nobodysmiling.com : Yeah they are classic artists. Now you have gone on to get situated with JR Rotem, how did that come about?
Sean Kingston : I linked up with him through myspace. I was communicating with his brother who actually controls his myspace page and I was sending him some e-mails and asking him to check out my music page. I just kept hitting him up twice a day and then he finally replied to me and the rest is history.
Nobodysmiling.com : Now you are signed to JR’s company which is Beluga Heights and you have an album coming out. The first track off the album is 'Colors' but the joint 'Where I am From' is getting some crazy love.
Sean Kingston : Yeah that is just an internet blast song right there, just a buzz record. My first single is 'Colors' with Game on it and Rick Ross. My album is going to be coming out in the third quarter.
Nobodysmiling.com : You have some big names working with you on this album, for someone who is just emerging? Were these people you hoped to work with or were they people JR hooked you up with?
Sean Kingston : You know some of them, I wanted to work with and then others just came about and I am just loving the situation. Of all the people that I have worked with so far it has been a great chemistry. Things have been good and we are just making good music. Of course JR has a lot of connects and we have been getting great feedback from other artists too.
Nobodysmiling.com : You have worked with some big artists already, Trick Daddy, due to the Miami connection I assume?
Sean Kingston : Yeah I worked with Trick Daddy and Pitbull, Pretty Ricky. My cousin he lives in the area and he DJed at 99 Jamz, the radio station and he would bring me around so I could get backstage at a lot of the shows and I was exposed to a lot that way too.
Nobodysmiling.com : Being that you are quite young coming into the game, you have had to surround yourself with people that have already established themselves in the game?
Sean Kingston : Yeah, my cousin was in the industry and he schooled me to a lot of stuff and even though I have rapped since I was eight, I just kept on developing and then he started to take me around to all different areas where things were popping off, so I could be seen on the scene with the hopes of picking up.
Nobodysmiling.com : There is a high crime rate in Jamaica, which is unfortunate. Is the trouble something you may touch on through your artistry?
Sean Kingston : Yeah I see myself doing this. I mean Jamaica has his ridiculous crime rate and people are very unsettled, yet there really isn’t that much focusing on the real Jamaica and what is going on down there.
Nobodysmiling.com : Do you think artists like yourself could make a difference in Jamaica? You know by reaching out the people through your music?
Sean Kingston : Of course as they get a lot of people behind them through their music and as we are all aware, music is very important in Jamaican culture. I will be going back to promote my album I hope in a couple of months.
Nobodysmiling.com : So what else will you be doing to promote the album?
Sean Kingston : The marketing and promotions are going to be crazy. I have a lot of street times and there are a lot of big events that are coming up that we are going to be part of. We just did All Star weekend in Las Vegas, the Super Bowl in Miami which have been a good look as people are really feeling what we are doing. My myspace page is up to 21,000 friends and they are starting to get familiar with me. Once the official single comes out, Game just laid down his verse; we are going to be ready to go.
Nobodysmiling.com : A lot of artists complain that they are not being marketed and promoted too well when involved with a major label, is this a concern of yours?
Sean Kingston : No way because I have so many people on board. I have Jamaican people on board; I have basically you know I am surrounded by my family. My brother, he is basically my manager, my other brother is my assistant manager and I have a lot of people on board so I know I am in a great situation.
Nobodysmiling.com : When it comes to the business aspect of your career, do you prefer to leave that to your team or do you get involved in that?
Sean Kingston : I love getting involved in the business side of things, I want to know everything that is going on and if everything is running smoothly. I like to be updated. I am just that type of dude; you know if this album sells well and I am really appreciated I do see myself coming out with my own record label. I have the name and it is copy written already. You know I may be a young dude but I am also an entrepreneur so that when I see stuff I am kept in the loop also.
Nobodysmiling.com : Is there a video coming out for Colors?
Sean Kingston : Yeah it’s funny you mention that as I was just talking to the dude at the label about that. We were talking about having Little X direct that, but it hasn’t been decided yet. The song is next level, so the video has to be crazy, so it has to be something out of the box.
Nobodysmiling.com : How are you dealing with the fame so far?
Sean Kingston : It is pretty cool; I don’t have any real problems with it. I have noticed some changes, you know people treat you differently but it’s pretty cool. I am loving it as this is what I have wanted to do. Music is my life and I am living my dream so there is nothing wrong with that at all.
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