Highlighting that his rise to fame came with loads of opportunists whose sole aim was to use him for selfish gain, I-Octane says these days he’s prioritising self-preservation.
He shared that this was the biggest inspiration behind his recent track, Opportunist, when he spoke with the
Jamaica Observer’s Splash recently.
The single, which was released just over two months ago, has racked up three million views on YouTube, prompting the artiste to credit its success to the message in the song.
“This song has become the soundtrack of my existence. As an artiste you sing a lot of songs and you know most of them will be loved by your core fans, but now and then the almighty blesses you with a song that taps out of your fan base and
Opportunist was that song,” he told Splash.
“I think I sang this for me as a constant reminder to say ‘no.’ I am a giver, and it was like I was allergic to no and turning people down, but this song reminds me that not every person in the world deserves ‘yes.’ But it was also so powerful because it wasn’t just about me. It was about every single person in the world who has been used and abused and is now putting themselves first,” he said.
According to I-Octane, the track, which is a collaborative effort featuring Shane-O, signals his leap into a new era of life — both personal and career-wise.
“I have been used because of my kindness, so this song is personal to me. It’s me saying I refuse to be manipulated by opportunists anymore. Big up Shane-O for jumping on the track and just bringing everything it needed. This single is me showing my evolution in a powerful way everybody can relate to,” he said.
The artiste shared that these days he’s working with a very small but impactful team. He said, having safely journeyed through a rough patch, he’s comfortable with the direction of his career and is looking forward with positivity.
“My experiences shape my outlook on life. I sing a lot of hit songs, but I am also a fan of my music because it helps to alleviate my stress. In music, we have good times and rough times, and we know when you have rough times it’s very rough. But the almighty has kept me solid spiritually, mentally, and physically,” he said. “So even though we have been through a lot of trials and tribulations, my success is owed to the almighty and my team.”
The 40-year-old went on to share that future will include a new album, titled God and I.
“This album will be powerful. I have like 15 tracks on it, so I am going to be doing promotional work for the next few weeks. It’s set for release April 25 and it’s just going to be one of those albums that makes you want to listen without a skip,” he said.
The entertainer also revealed that, in addition to the album, he has several singles to release which will switch things up from the social commentary angle of Opportunist and swing things back to the fun, vibrant side for the summer.