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Tami Chynn Talks Akon Collabos & Jamaican Tabloids

If Shaggy and Sean Paul were the pinnacle of the dancehall’s cross-over success in the mid-to-late ’90s, singer Tami Chynn has the potential to become the female equivalent today. With the exception of Rihanna, singers from the Caribbean have largely been unable to break out of the dancehall mold to achieve lasting success.

One thing’s for sure, it helps to have a major label backing the effort, which Universal did in 2006 when they released Tami Chynn’s debut Out Of Many One. While the rhythms were catchy and sexy to match Tami’s drop-dead-gorgeous looks, they catered to the raw, traditional riddim format of dancehall tracks. But for her sophomore follow-up, she’s going pop under the guidance of Akon and with the support of Steve Rifkin’s SRC label. Last week, Complex chopped it up with Tami about her new album Prima Donna, cat-calling in ATL, and becoming fodder for Jamaican tabloids…

Interview by Richard “DJ Treats” Dryden

Complex: So tell me how you ended up on SRC.

Tami Chynn: You want the real story or the fake one?

Complex: I want the real story.

Tami Chynn: [Laughs] I was originally signed to Cherry at Universal.

Complex: Cherry/Universal? I’ve never heard of that label.

Tami Chynn: It’s actually on the West Coast. I actually released an album in Japan under that label. When it came down to my new album I wanted to work with Akon. And I moved over to the SRC side of the label, and Akon is also signed to SRC.

Complex: So it was your decision to go to SRC?

Tami Chynn: No, it was kind of like a joint decision between leaving Cherry at the time. Universal had split and it went to Rhythm Republic, Motown records, and it seemed like a good fit for me to be. I wanted to do the album with Akon. Especially with Doug Morris and Steve Rifkin who suggested that union, and it worked.

Complex: So what have you been doing since the last time we spoke?

Tami Chynn: Well basically, like I said, I released an album in Japan. You know there was a demand for it and I said, “Well I could either sit on this album or let it go and have it do something good.” The album actually did quite good over there, and then it came time for me to do the new album. We did one song, and we met up maybe six months after that and did the album with Red One in two and a half weeks.

Complex: What was your approach to this one in comparison to your first?

Tami Chynn: I really took the opportunity with this album to introduce myself. People hear Jamaica and they think reggae, and I’m not supposed to look like this, you know. There’s some songs that have a dancehall feeling in there, but I’m going to do pop that’s infiltrated with ‘80s.

Complex: The title is Prima Donna—what’s the inspiration behind that title? Or are you just a fan of Madonna?

Tami Chynn: I’m really trying to change the vibe of a prima donna. People hear prima donna and they think diva. I really feel like I’m here to tell young girls and women all across the scale like, It’s okay to be confident. There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness but it’s okay to be who you are. Like, it’s actually okay—problems and all!

Hit “NEXT” to hear how Tami feels about dressing for men, and being a prima donna.