Islandflave Reporter: How did you get started in the music business?
Beenie Man: I was born to do music. When I was 3 years old I stuttered and it took me a long time to say anything. I started to sing everything, my reading books, everything and I started to speak better. Then I began making songs from nursery rhymes. On my 5th birthday, there was a big dance going on down my block. My mother was not going to let me go to the dance so I waited for her to go to sleep then I snuck out the window and went to the party. I got on the microphone and impressed everybody. When I go home I got a beating but I didn’t pay that any mind because it was all the music. Soon after I went to live with my uncle who was a professional musician. At age 7 I entered my first music competition and came in second. The next year, I tried again, won and got my first studio recording. At age 10 I did my first album and I’ve been Beenie Man since then.

 IslandFlave Reporter: How did you get the name Beenie Man?
 Beenie Man: As you know I started out as a kid and I was the small man of the group. In Jamaica they don’t say small or little, they say Beenie or Weenie. Beenie was the name that I got.

 IslandFlave Reporter: Who are some of your musical influences?
 Beenie Man: Jimmy Cliff, that’s about it! 

IslandFlave Reporter: Your talent has allowed you to become an icon in American Pop Culture. Has your success caused jealousy amongst your colleagues? 
Beenie Man: Jamaicans…you get too much jealousy and too much grief. But if you take all the negative things people say to you and make it positive, you’ll be a stronger man.

 IslandFlave Reporter: There is said to be a controversy between you and Bounty Killa. Would you look to clear the air about that situation? 
Beenie Man: There’s a controversy between Bounty Killa and himself, not me. I’m a superstar and everybody wants to be a superstar. You bring down one, you think you become one…that’s all it is. 

IslandFlave Reporter: How did you and Janet Jackson get together for the collaboration?
Beenie Man: Janet Jackson is a fan of mine and I’m a fan of hers. I’m a Virgin artist and she’s a Virgin artist so I said let’s try Janet Jackson. Everyone thought I was crazy, (Laughs), so I called her on the phone. She said ‘what, send the music on’ and we sang the song. That’s about it, that’s history. 

IslandFlave Reporter: How was your experience working with pop star, Janet Jackson?
 Beenie Man: It was an experience that I always dreamt about and it came true. How do you feel when your dreams come true? It was like a moon climbing experience.

 IslandFlave Reporter: Who are some other artists you would like to work with?
 Beenie Man: Puff Daddy, Stevie Wonder. I would like to work with NAS too because he is a great lyrist.

 IslandFlave Reporter: Do you think that reggae music will someday become as popular are Rock, Pop, or R&B music?
 Beenie Man: I don’t know how you see it but Reggae is the Pop music of the future. It’s time for American’s to become revolutionized. You know Dancehall music is not no water music so they try to fight it. They say that Dancehall fights against everything that’s wrong. Well, people who live a real life fight against everything that’s wrong so why fight the music. You fight to music you are only fighting yourself unless you are doing something wrong. 

IslandFlave Reporter: Where do you see your career in the next 10 years? 
Beenie Man: Well if I could see the future I could tell you but I hope to be bigger than I am now. 

IslandFlave Reporter: What would you like to be known for?
Beenie Man: One of greatest dancehall artist who ever lived, that’s about it.