Well Entertainment Macco finally caught up with Donae'o, who we found out is a talented songwriter, performer and producer based in the
It just goes to show... It is never a bad thing to macco!
Donae’o: “Donae'o is a Producer/Artist/Songwriter”
Entertainment Macco: I heard you are a London based hip hop producer NOW artiste…how did your music end up in Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival?
Donae’o: “To be honest I don't know why my music is moving so far out of the Uk in Dec 2009 I was in Ghana, a few weeks ago I was in Nigeria and next month I'm in New York, Ghana again and Boston and it is still crazy to me. Also I'm a Dance producer the music I make is electronic music. One thing I will say is that London has so many different cultures in it and my music is popping of over here and I think that people are coming over and hearing their friends playing the tracks then they take the tracks back home. I think if a song is good it will do well anywhere and as my music is made for the clubs and the club scene is universal some tracks are going to spill over into other territories and my tracks are lucky enough to be apart of that.”
Entertainment Macco: The minute I heard “Party Hard” I had to find out who sang it and where this individual was from…..when that was done I realised the song was not a new release…..are you aware of the tremendous favourable response it received during Trinbago’s Carnival season 2k10?
Donae’o: “I'm only finding out now to be honest, we where pushing Party Hard since Nov 2008 and it blow in the
Entertainment Macco: How do you feel about this?
Donae’o: “Since I was 6 years old I wanted to make music my career and as an adult I've always wanted to create music with integrity, I wanted people to always take something from my music whether its helping you get through a situation or just makes you want to get up and dance I just wanted to give value to the people that listen to my music.”
Entertainment Macco: How did the collaboration with Problem Child come about?
Donae’o: “I didn't collaborate with Problem Child. I only found out about the bootleg the other day I didn't authorise that mix he found the instrumental and recorded his own version without my permission.”
Entertainment Macco: Why did you not come to
Donae’o: “I would have loved to come to Trinidad but I wasn't invited unfortunately lol The
Entertainment Macco: Do you have any intentions of performing the song with Problem Child?
Donae’o: "NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Entertainment Macco: **Jaw Drops* Oh boy......
Entertainment Macco: Did Problem Child make any effort to contact you before the song was released?
Donae’o: “No he did not…he contacted me after the song had blew up and asked for authorization…”
Entertainment Macco: Did you say yes?
Donae’o: “Offcourse at that point I am not going to say yes…I said NO but the fact remains that the song was huge already..I fee and felt disrespected and exploited…both me and my music were exploited”
Entertainment Macco: Would you have agreed to a collaboration if he contacted you before he released the Remix?
Donae’o: “It is not a question of me saying yes or no it would have been a question of how it would benefit us both…I would have liked to listen to it to hear what he wanted to do with the song and would have organized it better”
Entertainment Macco: Are there any plans to pursue with legal recourse?
Donae’o: “That is something that we would have to discuss with him…only time will tell…But I can tell you it is something I am not going to authorize….!” (the song that is)
Entertainment Macco: I am aware that “Party Hard” is an old song…How old is it?
Donae’o: “A year and a bit old”
Entertainment Macco: Are you familiar with Soca Music?
Donae’o: “Yes I am”
Entertainment Macco: Any particular artiste you like?
Donae’o: “I am not familiar with the names but I know the music pretty well…”
Donae’o: “If I like a track ill make it its not a problem for me to be honest there is a lot a similarities with dance and soca music I think I would enjoy experimenting with that. There are a lot of different genres of music within Dance music and I have made a lot of different styles of music within the Genre. The Uk has always for some reason created different styles of dance music, first it was Acid, then it was Jungle after that Garage came then when that died Grim was created alongside Dub Step, Bassline and Funky House and those all came from Garage. Then there is Trance, Drum and Bass, Indie Music, Hip Hop and RnB the list is endless. So I'm already used to making different styles of music.”
Entertainment Macco: Do you have any Caribbean roots?
Donae’o: “My dad is from
Entertainment Macco: Ahhhhh you do have
Entertainment Macco: Birthday/sign
Donae’o: “03rd February(the same day as my mom)....Aquarius”
Entertainment Macco: Are you single/in a relationship/married?
Donae’o: “No Comment lol”
Entertainment Macco: Come onnnnnn why you want to hold out on a sister?
Entertainment Macco: Do you have any children or plans of having any?
Donae’o: “I don't have any Kids and I'm not ready for that step yet but it is in my future plans but I have to get married first.”
Entertainment Macco: How long have you been a part of the music/entertainment fraternity?
Donae’o: “Since I was 6 years old”
Entertainment Macco: Of all the sobriquets you could choose why Donae’o? What is the significance behind the name?
Donae’o: “When I was 15 I asked God for a name I wanted a name like Dinero but unless you're Robert Dinero you can't roll with that name. So there was a group called Donaeo and I was like that is the name but I couldn't take it so I joined the group (if you can't be them join them) so after the group broke up I asked all the members for the name and they where like keep it then one of the members said that the name means 'A Gift From God' so I always thought that I asked for a name and God gave me the name Donaeo.”
Entertainment Macco: What is your real/given name?
Donae’o: “Ian Michael Greenidge”
Entertainment Macco: Hi Ian **blushes**
Entertainment Macco: This new genre of music which can categorize “Party Hard” is referred to as UK Funky…What is it really? I understand it is a blend…but of what?
Donae’o: “Its house really but its a mix of a music called Grime, Garage and house music mixed with a bit of soul music and Dance with a touch of soca. If that makes sense.”
Entertainment Macco: So
Donae’o what influenced your decision to produce and eventually sing?
Donae’o: “I always wanted to sing since I was 6 I think it was Gods plan for me to make music as I had no choice but to do music really. It messed up my school I even missed a bit of my childhood to pursue my music career. I had to stop for a while to actually live a normal life because my music blow up in the Uk since I was 17 with a song called Bounce I felt I blow up to early I had to take time out to look around and see what else was out there for me before I got back into making music again.”
Entertainment Macco: Why do you think there are generally more successful men in the music industry than women?
Donae’o: “I don't know why do you think there are more successful men in the music industry than women?”
Entertainment Macco: Hiiiiiii you cannot flip the question on me……NO FAIR!!!!
Entertainment Macco: This is just for the ladies who wish they could get piece of Donae’o…what is your biggest turn on in the opposite sex?
Donae’o: “Her f
ace is the first thing I look at but she has got to make me laugh if she can make me laugh s
he is almost there.”
Entertainment Macco: When you are/were looking for a mate did u look for someone in your industry or out & why?
Donae’o: “That would be telling you've a lot out of me on that subject lol”
Entertainment Macco: Can you really blame me for wanting to know wassup?
Entertainment Macco: Tell me about the types of music you create….
Donae’o: “I
have to love the music I create if I don't get that feeling like yo this tune is messy then I just scrap the track and start again. I don't know how I start I've always thought that God has a tube from him to my head and he drops down ideas and just have to grab them a put the in the write place's ya dig. I will NEVER put out something that I don't like, I will always give you my best so that you can make a true decision on whether you like the track or not.”
you deal with harsh critique?
Donae’o: “Well its like everything some like some don't like I always put out two singles and let people choose. But at the moment I have released a track out every 6 month or so since Nov 2006 and every since months people have liked at least one of the tracks so I guess I've been received quite positively.”
Donae’o: “I hate it when people can't do buisness properly is extremely annoying. Its as simple as a conversation but some people can't even so that then it just lead into something complicated and if someone can't do buisness right the first time with me then I will never do buisness with them in the future its not worth the headache.”
Entertainment Macco: How do you want to be remembered when you die?
Donae’o: “I just want the music to be remembered I want people to love the music that I create that's all I have ever wanted.”
Entertainment Macco: One place you plan on visiting before you die and why…..
Donae’o: “
Entertainment Macco: It sure is…make sure when you get here you hit me up because Trini’s know how to “Party Hard” No PUN intended…
Entertainment Macco: Donae’o I have to school you a little on Trinibagonian dialect….A Macco (pronounced Mah-ko) is someone who is nosy…now that you know this you would understand that I have a problem…I just need too… must know peoples’ business (Entertainment wise that is)
Now that is out of the way….this is my question to you…
I know it have real life maccos out there…how do you keep your personal life and business life separate and away from the maccos?
Donae’o: “By not talking about it lol Si Mi Now…”
Entertainment Macco: Right!!! I understand....haha ure funny huh?
hmmmmm...swear problem child rel sad na......
This is such a damn shame!! Donae'o should sue him!
When I heard the Problem Child mix, I had a feeling that Donae'o wasn't aware of it. Such a shame.
I really hope Donae'o them string him up!!
D "remix" badder than d original all ting!!!!
Donae'o Donae'o can you please be my baby daddy...ure so hott *faints*
every one makes mistakes NOone is perfect!
yo, the remix is much better than the original. Im caribbean, moved to the UK for uni in '08 and that song that Donae'o brought out wasn't exactly all that. Most of this genre of music they do 'funky house' is so similar you cant even tell the difference sometimes. He even said that the song is over a year ago and honestly I only liked this song after problem child remixed it (not bias or anything). I love my music, but one has to admit when someone makes your creation better and actually makes it recognized down south;so much so that the trinis are interested in you. He might never know. Maybe because of this he gets his dream of performing in Trini.
The remix is off d track............Hey guy do d collab, it would make you big. Problem Child you should have made sure that you got d ok though.
Hi Anonymous 9 the video is attached to the Problem Child interview....everyone kinda likes it here already.......
The original aint really saying nothing. The remix is the best song in a long time so i think Donaeo and Problem Child should just collaborate on it. Problem child should have made sure he got permission before he touch the song though. Everyone prefers the remix though, catching on all over.
Lol.. Watz funny is that Synergy TV made d song hot in Trini by playing the ORIGINAL video since after Christmas, but cuz Trinis like to fete so much everyone got familiar with the remix cuz datz what was performed LIVE. In truth and fact, the remix didn add much to the song except to take it LIVE to the fetes where rum n woman would enhance it in the minds of the population. Problem Child made everyone believe his remix was legit and the word on the ground was that Donaeo was coming in the last week of Carnival to perform it too, but now we know the truth. Small thing... Donaeo shld send some more tracks to Trini and link up with a promoter and come do a show.. Doh even stress Problem Child cuz he opened up a new market for you, now's the time to exploit it before the Trini "9-day memory" syndrome kicks in and they forget u.
Donae'o do the collaboration with Problem child. Look at the BIG picture. Seems like PC is humble Guy he Apologized & he admited he made a mistake. >> one point i never herd of you before & now because of this i am searching for more of your work. Link up & do the thing
PC is a humble guy? lmao lmao...that arrogant modderfukka..he humble NOW because he fraid his ass get sued so he playing the rule but I know this individual and he is anything far from HUMBLE...and why should an apology make it better....what he did was wrong FULLSTOP
Since this came out, most people listened to the original and STILL thinks the remix is hotter. Problem Child is very talented.
It would have been nice to see a collab, maybe next time you two can work together. Perfect opportunity for Donae’o to get exposed to other genres and a different market.
Donae’o... PROBLEM CHILD created an avenue for your music. Look at the bright side of it. He is a growing international artiste!
lard god. come on Donae'o, don't be so hash on PC he's ah cool guy
Same thing he did to PARTY ANIMAL some body needs to sue problem child
I think that Problem Child is a very talented artiste.I think that whether it's Soca,Hip-Hop,Rap,Reagge,Club,Etc.... every artiste is a Copy Cat.I am not saying that what PC did was right it was was wrong contacting Donae'o was the best thing that PC could have ever done.Lets talk about Soca Fayanne,Bunji,Marchel,Patrice and more there songs are not there own listen to there melodys some of ther melodys are from old long time calypsonians have they gotten permission? NO.because some of these artiste are either decease or not wise enough people listens to other ppls work twist it around with there songs and make it there own when all is said and done soca makes us happy it's our culture.Donae'o I know that you are unhappy with what Problem Child have done but I think that you guys need to get together and solve this matter like professionals, taking legal matter is not the best way because neither of u guys have money as yet so solve this matter in love maybe PC can enter on your side of town and you can enter on his side clash both songs together and you to can benefit be smart and settle with love.One Love svgsunshine!
pc is humble yea right he is one of the most cockyiest & conceited soca artist out there & he should get sued cuz this is the 2nd time now dat he has not gotten permission i do think bothe versions are good tho but pc was an idiot for sendin it out 2 a couple friends every musician knows how easy & quick music can be leaked so donaeo don't be fooled by that "humble" apology sue him bloodclot wen ur a big artist it's easy to be reached no matter wat part of the world ur based so he kno he could of reached you before the freemix exploded he's a fuckin idiot
Macco, LaJa' here new to the caribbean, please contact me lajasings@yahoo.com