Upcoming dancehall singjay Sleepy Hallowtips believes he’s at the peak of his maturity and therefore the world must brace itself for a barrage of quality music.
Hallowtips, 27, has attracted widespread public attention with the release of The Forgottens, a riveting heartfelt narration of the conditions of inner city youths. The single, which was recorded on T.O.K.’s group member Flex, Street Ballad rhythm, is also lighting up the airwaves islandwide.
The soft-spoken singer, born Joel Phipps, already made an impression on the vastly experience dancehall artiste Bay C, from the said group, as a future star in music when the two first met a couple years ago.
It was there, at Big Yard studios, that the Kencot representative signaled his intention to be a successful artiste when, during a freestyle rendition, he got the admiration of his now musical mentor Bay C, who later signed him in 2008 as the flagship artiste for his label.
“(The first time) we spoke about music. I was always around the studio, and one day he (Bay C), Assassin and Spragga Benz was vibing to a rhythm and a friend of mine call me over to freestyle for them, and it clicked on from there,” said the singjay, in relation to his start in music.
Sleepy Hallowtips is also boosted by the fact that most producers he has come across with, since 2008, have all labeled him as an ‘unpredictable’ or ‘unique’ talent and he does not mind it all.
“Well I am not the average thinker, I always see things differently and where people see disasters, I see opportunities. I think that, to be honest, producers are confused by my music … they don’t get my style, and I see that as positive because it means am always bringing something different,” he added.
However, it wasn’t an easy going for the singjay before he recorded and released his first single From A Place, in 2008. A year later, Sleepy Hallowtips shined on the Bombrush Hour album, which peaked at number seventeen on the Japanese album charts. He was also recently featured on Fiwi Choice music countdown show and is currently performing on the Digicel Carnival events.
The singjay also revealed that he has a number of key reasons to be positive about his future in music, as he has moved, within a year, from a struggling upcoming artiste to a potential powerful force in the industry, who’s under the guidance of an experienced and successful act.
“That didn’t even cross my mind (his sudden rise from obscurity to prosperity). But, I always see myself successful because I am always in the everyday hustle. Bay C is not the type to coach you on everything, he’d rather present you the opportunity, give you tips and then watch you flourish,” he said.
He has also recorded and released the single Word to the wise, which is also getting reasonable airplay.