Having started deejaying on sound systems at just 16, Lady G says those early years taught her the discipline needed to build a career that is sustainable rather than seasonal.“My first hit song happened when I was around 19, which was Nuff Respect,” she told The Gleaner. “From that time until now, [I] can represent because the message is still relevant. Every woman needs respect, no matter her job, lifestyle, education level.”Being on the stage now and still being in demand is like a rush for her. “When the deejay say Lady G and the crowd instantly reacts, that alone dweet for me... that alone gives me the encouragement to continue doing what I’m doing,” she said.Born Janice Fyffe, she attributes her stage name to Denzil Naar, aka ‘Sassafrass’, a legendary poster illustrator for dancehall events whose work has graced the covers of several reggae and dancehall albums.“He was the number [one] poster man in Jamaica who was located near Cross Roads, near where Gemini Club used to be. People used to come from as far away as America for him to make posters for them,” she explained, adding, “It was Papa San who brought me to Sassafrass. At the time, I was deejaying on Black Scorpio Sound but my name wasn’t going on the posters. So, when Sassafrass ask me what my name was, I gave him my pet name, which is Janet, so I said Sister Janet, and he said ‘no man, dat nah go cut it, Lady G is the name’, and, from that day, I took on the name, and rest is history.”Interestingly, her biggest hit to date in terms of monetary compensation is a garage mix song she did over 27 years ago with Krissy D called Girls Like Us that made the British charts and took them to the ‘Top of the Pops’ show in Great Britain. “I had just had my youngest daughter, who was barely six weeks old, when I heard that I had a song that a mash-up England. So I had to drop everything, pack up and go do ‘Top of the Pops’ and a couple of promotional appearances and sustain the momentum,” she shared.Her die-hard fans, however, still call for hits like Breeze Off and Nuff Respect whenever they see her perform.Sound knowledge of the business, she feels, is what a lot of artistes lack even today. “I wish I had more knowledge about the business aspect of music. In my time when we were coming up, we were doing music and, yes, we knew we would make some money out of it, but it was more like a fun thing to us when it is actually a business.” To young women trying to make it in the industry, she advises them to stay focused and create music that is timeless, so that “when you inna your rocking chair, your grandchildren can still listen and dance to it. You don’t have to ask parents to cover their ears or put cotton in them because it too explicit”.Her duet with Papa San remains one of the early comedic musical banters that still gets people laughing to this day. She said its lasting appeal comes from its relatable portrayal of a typical man-woman scenario.Though she has been a part of the foundation for decades, Lady G emphasised that she still has things she feels she has to accomplish.“You know, I don’t think I’ve had my biggest accomplishment yet. I still working on it but so far, the song that Crissy D and I did opened up a lot of doors for us ... . I’ve been to venues where the fans were Hindu or wore turbans, and, when you looked out into the crowd, you didn’t see anyone you could identify as Jamaican – no black green and gold. However, you manage to captivate the crowd in the same way and show them how a little girl from Spanish Town can deliver a powerful performance.”For Lady G, living a good life means that there are no regrets. “All of my experiences are just lessons that I needed to learn and that the universe kindly taught me. It was a great learning ground, and I have no regrets, because that was just my path that I had to walk.”nicola.cunningham@gleanerjm.com