The term “singjay” was practically invented for Mr. Vegas’ hybrid DJ/sing-song delivery, but, every so often, he can launch into a pure, no-holds-barred power ballad, as “Rise” demonstrated back on his last album, 2001’s Damn Right. So you ask him to give you a sample of his singing voice, on the spot. He obliges, belting out the first few lines of “Rise” acappella. Although the song is a lover’s lament about a lost relationship, the words coming out of Vegas’ mouth sound like the defiant expressions of man whose career is on the rocks: “I’m ready to rise again,” he sings, and you believe him. Vegas is ready to rise again. But is a fickle Dancehall public ready to accept him?

Vegas’ late-90s string of hits was unparalleled: “Heads High” “Ya Sure (Hands Up)” “Position,” “Girls Time,” “She’s A Ho,” “Sucky Ducky,” “Video Light,” “Go Up” and “Hot Gal Today” were all sure-fire party-starters. He was ‘parring with Sean Paul, who was then just another up-and-coming new-school DJ. People were tapping Vegas to take Dancehall to that mythical “next level” well before anybody thought of Sean Paul in megastar terms. Vegas was a bona fide Dancehall star, and if he made too many songs attacking oral sex (Heads High,” “Ya Sure (Hands Up),” “Sucky Ducky,” “Nah Bow Down”) – well, it was a hot topic at the time.

Just as quickly as Vegas exploded on the Dancehall scene, he disappeared. The hits became less frequent and less captivating. He began feuding with Sean Paul (famously singing “Mi nah do more more tune with Sean Paul”) and Bounty Killer (on “Dem Fraid”). His career went into a semi-coma, with the only signs of life being sporadic, mediocre singles that nobody cared about. His last album dropped almost three years ago – a lifetime in Dancehall. People started asking “What ever happened to...?”

But Vegas is ready to rise again. Ascending, phoenix-like, from the ashes of a stalled career, Vegas wants to Pull Up and start over. He’s jettisoned Greensleeves, his old record label, and signed on with Delicious Vinyl, a company with scant Dancehall experience, its own spotty recent track record. And Vegas is banking on a trio of Yankee-produced Dancehall tracks and a new marketing philosophy to make him a tamale-hot again. It’s a huge gamble, but in an interview with Reggaematic, Vegas was at ease, laughing freely, and brimming with confidence about his coming rebirth. [Continue]