Sean Paul: First Pitch at the Marlins Game

Fresh off throwing the first pitch at Landshark Stadium, Grammy-winning dancehall superstar Sean Paul sits down with Premier Guide Miami's Marie-Junie Pierre to talk his new album Imperial Blaze, his swimming roots, and mentoring the next generation of Jamaican artists.. Premier Guide Miami sat down to find out what that means — and what comes next.

Sean Paul is in his own right one of the most successful Jamaican artists to ever top the U.S. charts. Rising from the dancehalls of Kingston to full-fledged international stardom, Sean has played a major role in bringing dancehall to the international mainstream. With more than 10 million albums sold, a Grammy, two Billboard awards, and smash hits from collaborations with artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Blu Cantrell, it's hard not to feel a bit star-struck when one first meets Sean Paul.

Despite his amazing success, however, Sean Paul is surprisingly humble. As he walks inside Marlins Stadium clad in jeans and a tee shirt, he smilingly greets his fans like he would greet a well-known friend. Premier Guide Miami's Marie-Junie Pierre got the chance to conduct a one-on-one interview with the internationally acclaimed star after his first pitch at the Marlins game.

PGM: Sean, thank you so much for meeting with Premier Guide Miami tonight. How was the game?

SP: It was great. It was actually my first time playing baseball but I remembered shooting mangoes from the trees in Jamaica and I pretended like I was doing the same thing, so I just went for it.

PGM: You come from a family of swimmers — your grandfather was a polo swimmer and your mother was also a swimmer. Having been an avid swimmer yourself until the age of 21, what was it like making the leap from swimming to music?

SP: It wasn't really a leap. I had reached a point where swimming had become a pastime for me. I wasn't winning any competitions and all my friends were going away to college. Music had always been my passion so I made the decision to pursue a career in the music industry.

PGM: Your new album, Imperial Blaze, was released in August 2009. Why "Imperial Blaze"? What is the meaning behind the title?

SP: Imperial Blaze to me means the "King of Fire" — like the fire that's inside of me, where my energy and my music originate.

PGM: What should we expect from this album as opposed to your previous work?

SP: My previous albums were about partying, but this album is a lot more personal. A lot of tracks are about relationships — not just my own, but more precisely the relationships between men and women in general.

PGM: How have you evolved as an artist?

SP: I have evolved a lot technically music-wise. I've been working with younger generations in producing music and utilizing Pro Tools, which enables me to do a lot more in terms of mixing and modernizing. Kids growing up in this digital world are taking it to the future. I feel that these kids in Jamaica are the best to represent the progress we have been making in reggae and dancehall. Working with them is something I could do for my history, my music, and my country. It is definitely an honor.

PGM: What should we be looking forward to from you?

SP: I definitely want to do some charity work. I also plan to come out with my own fashion line.

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