Sean Paul Declares He’s Not Retiring Anytime Soon: “Me Nah Retire ‘Til Me Dead”
Sean Paul, the iconic Jamaican dancehall musician, is far from considering retirement. At 51, the Grammy winner plans to keep the energy high and stay in the spotlight for as long as possible. During his appearance at the Wireless Festival in London earlier this month, he opened up to NME about his unwavering passion for music and performing.
“No, man, me nah retire ’til me dead like a tire. Trust me now, man,” Sean declared in a TikTok video for NME.
Acknowledging the challenges of aging, he added, “It gets harder. It do get harder as someone who’s growing older.”
Yet, this reality doesn’t deter him. “It’s a thing, but it keeps me youthful,” said the Temperature performer.
“I read a little thing yesterday that said if you attend two concerts or two festivals every month, you’re going to gain nine years on your life, so I’mma live forever! You know what I mean?” he added.
Sean’s love for entertaining, especially at music festivals, shines through his words. “What I’m saying is this is a synergy and a gathering of people, of like-minded people who want to just party and have fun,” he shared.
He also gave a shoutout to festival-goers and organizers, saying, “Big up to everybody who attends the festivals with vigor every year, and big up to everybody who puts on these festivals. It’s awesome.”
Reflecting on the deeper significance of music in his life, Sean said, “To me, music is a thing that helps you evolve, and it helps to keep you young at the same time, so that’s omnipotent. That’s like God, so big up, God, and big up, music.”
True to his word, Sean’s schedule remains packed. After a series of international festival performances, he is set to tour Canada in August and September. His latest album, Scorcha, was released in 2022, and he continues to drop singles and collaborations, including Light ‘Em Up with Will Smith for the Bad Boys: Ride or Die soundtrack in June.
With nearly three decades in the music industry, Sean’s influence extends beyond his own releases. He expressed pride in seeing his 2001 hit Gimme the Light sampled in Ice Spice’s recent single, Gimme a Light. “They slowed it down a little bit, but her career is so hot right now and I was like, ‘Yo, that’s dope,’” he told NME.
Further praising the 24-year-old artist, the Jamaican singer said, “She’s a great artist. She’s out there performing tonight. Everybody was screaming. So I feel good about the vibe. Big up to Ice.”Big up to everybody who loves dancehall and reggae culture and who may want a sample or use it or whatever.”
