
Downsound Records CEO Josef Bondonovich believes his company is on a path to create history in dancehall music. He recently signed iconic clash artiste Desmond Ballentine, popularly known as Ninja Man to his label.
Though many people might think Ninja Man is past his best musically Mr. Bondonovich is convinced that Ninja Man still has a lot to offer dancehall music.
“This guy is a living legend, he’s one of the greatest artistes ever and I certainly think he has a lot to offer to this generation of dancehall fans, he’s one of the greatest dancehall acts ever, he has a lot of history behind his name and Downsound plans to make some more with him, you’ll see .”
Ninja Man who began his career in the late 1980s is known for his famous clashes at Sting with the likes of other dancehall luminaries such as Shabba Ranks and Super Cat. The self-styled bad boy of dancehall music has remained a prominent fixture on the local music landscape despite his many run-ins with the law over the years.
He recently declared that he has resigned from clashing to focus on the rebuilding of his recording career and the upliftment of dancehall music.
“Mi done do 26 years as the champion of clashing, mi a resign wid mi title like Lennox Lewis, mi do enough, mi a lef it gi Kiprich, mi teach him how fi clash and right off deejay a sting, a fi him time now fi reign and pass on the knowledge to a next youth down the line. Now mi a focus pon mi career wid Downsound,” said Ninja Man.
According to Ninja Man his time at Downsound will be spent on reestablishing his recording career and mentoring the younger acts in the camp.
“A time now fi focus pon mi recording career, over the years mi miss out pon a whole heap a things and now is the time to build back mi career. Mi like how Downsound have a team and the whole a we, Joe, Skatta, Foota, Khago and all the artistes dem a work together, mi love the unity. Right now mi a record a whole heap a tunes and me a help guide Specialist and the other young artistes inna di camp.”
Downsound recently released Ninja Man’s first single for the label. The scorching hot single titled Dweet which was done in tandem with Specialist is already blowing FM radio both locally and abroad. Its supporting music video is also enjoying strong rotation.
Usain Bolt will earn a staggering £10,000-a-second when he runs the 200m at the Paris Diamond League meeting this summer.
The triple Olympic champion will earn £200,000 as he warms up for the World Championships in August by competing in the French capital on July 6.
Organisers of the London Grand Prix on July 27 still hope to attract the Jamaican after the removal of a tax law.

Streets ahead: Usain Bolt will command £200,000 to run in Paris
Bolt has committed to two other races this year, a 150m event on Brazil's Copacabana beach on March 31 and the 200m race at Oslo's Bislett Games on June 13.
Bolt, 26, will also compete in a 150m race on Brazil’s Copacabana beach on March 31. His only other confirmed event is over 200m at Oslo’s Bislett Games on June 13.
Despite his extravagant fee, Paris director Laurent Boquillet insists it will be money well spent.
'With Bolt, we know that we will easily fill the Stade de France,' he said.
Earlier this month, Chancellor George Osborne granted a 'one-off' tax exemption to athletes competing in this summer's London Grand Prix, paving the way for Bolt to run again at the Olympic Stadium.
Excluding last summer's Games, the fastest man in the world has not raced in this country since 2009 because tax rules mean he would have to pay on his global income, including multi-million dollar sponsorship deals, as well as on his earnings for the Grand Prix.

Fans favourite: Bolt may return to London for this summer's Grand Prix
Osborne's decision comes following a series of meetings with former London 2012 chairman and Olympics legacy ambassador Lord Coe, who had lobbied for the exemption.
Osborne said: 'The Government is determined to do everything possible to secure the Olympic legacy and I am delighted to grant this exemption.'
The world's leading athletes have made a habit of withdrawing from the London Grand Prix in recent years but after it was moved to the Olympic Stadium from its usual home of Crystal Palace to mark the one-year anniversary of the start of the Olympics, the need for Bolt and Co to compete was made apparent to Osborne.
Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, welcomed Osborne’s decision: 'It’s good news for the Diamond League meeting and British sport in general.
'The rules were discouraging a lot of the top stars from competing in the UK when they had options elsewhere.'
He added: 'I think it’s about two weeks before the World Championships, which is quite late, but it’s London and it’s the Olympic Stadium again so it obviously has an attraction.'