There are a million stories in the ghetto. And yet there s only one "Ghetto Story." And like the song says, it s a survival story.

Born and raised in Kingston Jamaica, young Damian Beckett survived his share of rough times along the way from Sherlock Crescent to Waterhouse. His love of music outweighed his talent for football and from his teenage years he devoted himself to developing his microphone skills.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Cham while he was in New York.

Peppa Pot: Tell us a little about the Garrison Tour you recently completed. Read News Story

Cham: We did a tour in Jamaica called the Garrison tour where we give back crazy stuff to the people - just telling the people thanks for supporting us over the years. We went through all the garrisons [ghetto] performed free every night.

If we were performing somewhere where people would normally pay to go in. We made an arrangement with the promoter that people wouldn t pay that night. They re just coming free to watch me, Spice, Pinchers - perform free of all costs.

Peppa Pot: How important is it for you to give back?

Cham: Yo that s very important. I wanted to give back to them from ever since. With the ghetto story CD that s how it all started. We did a compilation CD with Ghetto Story and all the songs on the 85 riddim. We gave it away free - that was only the CD. No one in Jamaica paid for Ghetto Story; everyone got that song free of all costs. So with this trip around now we wanted to make it bigger. Instead of just the CD s we were giving back a lot of stuff. We had these bags called the garrison bags with a lot of goodies in it. All the fans got them every night throughout the different locations.

Peppa Pot: Speaking of "Ghetto Story", did you know Ghetto Story was going to be so big?

Cham: We knew it had potential to be big. How it took off in Jamaica - it was the biggest song after like three or four days of playing - that surprised me. Over here now [America] - for sure. Where it s going and places it s taken me so far. That surprised me.

Peppa Pot: You ve been not absent but you haven t made much noise on the dancehall scene between "Vitamin S" and "Ghetto Story". Why is that?

Cham: I ve never been the typical dancehall artist. Every dancehall artist that I know makes 20, 25, 30 songs per year. That s how dancehall has been for years. I ve only released two, three, sometimes one song for the year. That s how my career has been since 1995, since the tender age of 15 going onto 16. The reason for the extended break after Vitamin S. Vitamin S is what landed us the deal with Atlantic. Normally when an artist gets a deal or has a big song like Vitamin S he has an album. We didn t have an album. So I had to go into the studio and finish my album. So that took like 18 months. That s why you have that 18 - 24 month break.

Peppa Pot: Now Beenie Man voiced a tune called "Set Di Trend". There was some controversy behind that tune. Can you elaborate? Listen to Set The Trend

Cham: I don t see the controversy - basically he just took the melody. He just pirated the melody of Ghetto Story - the whole concept and the idea. Which I understand that - that s him. When a song is so popular people will do duplicates off the song. When you go to London you have London story, I m in New York and you have Brooklyn story. You have so much stories.

Peppa Pot: Super Hype has "Uptown Story", YT has "England Story". There s a "Virgin Story" - how does it feel?

Cham: In Jamaica you have like 50 different stories, thats how big the song is. You have Super Hype, Super Hype one is funny [Uptown Story]. I never ever take those things personal or feel angry that someone took the melody or took the idea. If you took it before it came out [shakes head to suggest yes]. The problem I have with people is that if you take something you re supposed to give credit. I feel good about anyone that is trying to use Ghetto Story to get some hype. What that is telling me is that I ve done something good.

Peppa Pot: Ghetto Story is speaking of your rough upbringing. But music wise who were you listening to at that time.

Cham: Pinchers, Super Cat, Shabba Ranks. Yo coming up we used to listen to a lot of Bob Maley. Even now when I get up in the mornings. [Sings Old Pirates by Bob Marley]. In every one of my concerts, if you get tape, I sing one Bob Maley song. That to pay dues and respect. At the time I used to listen to a lot of Major Worries. He s not known to international fans but without a Major Worries you wouldn t have a Shabba Ranks. Shabba idolized Major Worries, the voice the tone the delivery. Major Worries was the rock bone for big tone deejays [rappers].

Peppa Pot: Do you listen to Reggae only?

Cham: I listen to all genres of music. That s why I think my delivery technique is different from the normal dancehall artist. I listen to a lot of hip-hop a lot of R&B. A little Jazz here and this a little that. Music has no boundaries. I listen to music.

Read Part 2

All images courtesy of Atlantic Records