HOW ‘DRIFT’ CHANGED TEEJAY’S LIFE!
(AIRTIME WITH JAE S2 E2)
The second episode of ‘Airtime With Jae’ kept the momentum going, featuring a candid interview with Teejay, famously known as the “Up Top Boss.” TEEJAY sat down with host Jae Edwards to talk about his journey, the viral success of his hit “Drift,” and some deeply personal moments in his life, one of his most personal interviews to date.
Teejay, born Timoy Jones, has been a prominent force in the dancehall world with his hits such as “Up Top”, its follow up “Up Top Boss”, “Owna Lane”, and most recently, “Drift”. In his conversation with Jae, Teejay discussed the overwhelming success of Drift, a song that has taken social media by storm, especially on TikTok BECOMING A HOUSEHOLD NAME.
The song's infectious beat, produced by DJ Mac inspired a viral dance trend that caught the attention of millions, leading to its choreography being featured by international artists and even making its way into the popular video game Fortnite. Teejay noted the impact it had on his career, as the success of the song led to a collaboration with Nigerian-American Afrobeats artist Davido.
Teejay also addressed some tensions in his personal and professional life. When asked about his well-publicised issues with fellow dancehall artist Valiant, which erupted in January 2024 with diss tracks exchanged between the two artists. Teejay spoke openly about their differences, also clearing up the confusion which transpired from the feud.
The state of dancehall was also mentioned, in which Teejay mentioned the market share of dancehall being around 3%, a meagre number compared to the 1990s and 2000s.
In a poignant moment, Teejay delved into a more sombre chapter of his life, sharing the heartbreaking story of losing his twin children in their infancy. The twins, whom he had when he was just 14 years old, passed away shortly after birth. Teejay spoke of how this tragedy shaped him, as one of the most difficult periods of his life. It was never mentioned before.
He went on to mention his son jaydon he had when he was 17, stating that the reason why ‘people think [he] is a longtime big man’ is because he’s been around for quite a while, and his children are quite mature also. Yet the ‘Drift’ deejay has yet to reach the age of thirty.
This episode of Airtime With Jae was a standout, as we got a better insight of the man behind Teejay’s musical success. His willingness to discuss the highs and lows of his journey is a testament to his commitment to the genre and music as a whole. The commenters on the video also agree, saying they ‘love the video’ and ‘good interview Chippy’ - Chippy being another nickname for the artiste. This appearance reminds viewers why Teejay is so rated in dancehall, and shows Jae Edwards’ growth as a figure and interviewer.