Mullah Gwop

Mullah Gwop's Manager and Calypsonian Captain Khalid is optimistic about Mullah's music career. Photo: VIO

“A lot of work is being put into the album and video. Noting was done in haste,” said Mullah’s manager Khalid Frett, who also goes by the name Captain Khalid. He said much focus is being put on quality especially since the video will be released internationally.

The manager also noted that the video was not just about promoting Mullah Gwop but Virgin Islands talent.

Asked what seems to be the challenges preventing Mullah from getting the breakthrough to the international stage, Frett said he preferred to term it is as lack of opportunities. He also said that more should be done locally to promote artistes and that included more assistance from Government and the corporate community. He also said the local media could also do more to promote Virgin Islands talent.

Commenting on what it’s like to work with Mullah Gwop, Frett said, “Working with someone who knows what they want is much easier than working with someone who doesn’t know where they want to go”, noting that Mullah Gwop has a grip on his ambitions.

Mullah Gwop, an athlete turned singer, was part of DTM Boyz for several years before branching off and going solo. “I Wish I Never Met You” – is the title of his first album, and many could deduce from the title that the songs are based on relationships. “It’s just all about how you are feeling. An artiste uses his or her emotions to tell a story through music. That’s what I do just write down my thoughts,” Mullah had previously told Virgin Islands News Online. He actually started working on the material since March of 2010 and had said since then that his efforts, however painstaking, will bear fruit in the end. The album will feature former DTM singer Kissinger Mercer, Ishamani, X-Cel and Vee.

The once promising track athlete had his sporting career shattered when he was involved in an accident that severely damaged his shin. He told VINO he used music to pay tribute to his friend and motivator who died in the accident. However, he tapped into his musical skills and partnered with his friend Mercer to form DTM Boys.

After gaining a fan base with their rap style, Mercer unfortunately migrated to the United States, which left Mullah to venture in the music business solo. “It was a smooth transition because I still had the support of Mercer who would listen to my ideas,” the 23 year-old recalled. “It was then I decided to switch from rapping to doing more actual singing and people like my new style better.”

Mullah remembered his first stage performance was at the H Lavity Stoutt Community College extravaganza in 2007. “The crowd went into a frenzy when DJ Bertrum started the track to my song Raga Drop Low. It’s a feeling that I would never forget,” he said with a laugh.

Now more confident with his singing ability, Mullah has the right persons around him to push him in the right direction. He acknowledged the hard work Ritical, Kissinger and Captain Khalid have put in to propel his career to new heights.