“I think the biggest obstacle was developing a really strong team around me. I feel like music is not just about how good you are personally, it’s more about your team and what they do. That’s why sometimes you’ll see certain people saying, ‘Ah they’re really good, but why ain’t they there? Why ain’t they there?’ I’ve learned along the way that the team is almost as important as the talent.”
“Even DJ Khalid told me I’m the best/You think I’m lying?” Five years after the release of her 2016 hit single “Real Ting,” it’s become glaringly obvious Stefflon Don wasn’t lying. Nor was DJ Khalid. In the last few years, the lyrical genius has bagged a million-dollar record deal with Universal, three more-than-deserved MOBO nominations and collaborated with some of the industry’s biggest stars – from Drake to Doja Cat. Staggeringly, all before dropping her sophomore album. Now with new genre-bending EP “Island 54” on the horizon, Don is picking up where she left off and continuing her catapult to superstardom as rap’s fiercest, and most versatile contender. Covering our Summer issue, Don talks to Dancehall’s King, Beenie Man, about the biggest obstacles she’s faced in her career, that on-stage surprise with Lil’ Kim, the importance of empowering Jamaican artists and how you’re only as strong as your team.
