Born Sheldon Lawrence in1981, he is the second of four children for his mother a teacher and his father an ex-soldier. His close-knit family instilled in him his morals and values and from his friends he gained street knowledge. He attended Mona Heights Primary then moved on to Meadowbrook High School where his love for music began.
After watching a tape of Sting 1993 with the infamous clash between Beenie Man and his icon Bounty Killer his mind was set on becoming a deejay.
When he returned to school after that Christmas break he began re-enacting the clash for schoolmates and friends who immediately recognised his talent. Soon after he began writing his own lyrics and formed the J.A.G 1 (Jah A Guide) crew with friends. Jag 1 or J.O.P. (Jag One Productions) were often referred to when performing at school concerts and fetes.
A few years after leaving high school, Aidonia met Mr. G (then known as Goofy) and shortly after recorded his first single Many a Dem in October 2003. Shortly after he began working with Rod Pinnock of Orizen Entertainment. In early 2004, he became a popular performer at a weekly event called Battle Thursdays where he got some recognition and also had an opportunity to work on his performance skills.
Aidonia credits Mr. Pinnock for introducing him to the business aspect of the music industry by giving him the Business of Music book to read. This taught him that for an artiste, music is not only about recording and performing, but that the business aspect is also very important.
In the latter part of 2004 Aidonia was approached by Cordell 'Skatta' Burrell who invited him to record at his studio. He later became associated with Gangbang Entertainment and throughout this period worked with Skatta and other producers. Several popular songs such as Prayer, Inna Di Ghetto, Eagle, and his chart making hit Lolly were recorded.
More recent singles include Chickenhead on the Galore riddim, Bookam on the Billbak riddim, Reload on the Redbull & Guinness riddim and Kingfish and Unknown Assailant on the Stick-Up riddim. Aidonia fulfilled one of his goals of working with Bounty Killer when he recorded Sen Fi Dem. He has been making a number of appearances with Killer since that time. One of his current singles Ooku has been pulled from the airwaves pending investigation by the Broadcasting Commission
Aidonia has performed throughout the island at popular shows at UWI and UTech, Chancellor Hall's Spectrum, Eclipse Pool Party, Lady Saw's Birthday Bash, Champions In Action, Spring Break in Negril, Fully Loaded, ATI 2006 and Sting 2K5 to name a few. Though a newcomer, he was a confirmed act at Reggae Sunsplash and Sumfest that both took place this summer.
There are no limitations on where he plans to take his career. Aidonia plans to develop himself as an artiste and keep putting in hard work in order to reap the benefits. He would like to work with producers such as Dave Kelly, Steelie & Clevie and Sly & Robbie and other dancehall artistes such as Shabba Ranks, Sizzla, Baby Cham, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton, In the next five years he hopes to produce an internationally acclaimed album.
"I want to take dancehall music to the level that Bob Marley took reggae," says Aidonia.
Don Deh Ya
Aidonia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fat black Beemer weh favor black ladder
Gyal a seh mi hot mi a mussi scotch pepper
Gyal a seh mi hot yeh mi a the hot stepper
Spanish town gyal dem, dem a flock fellow
Fi the number fi mi but mi seh whatsapp better
Bay gyal a fight ova this yah block brother
Mi seh bare gyal a war ova this yah block brother
Down town gyal seh shi cyaa ride the c–k better
Tongue ring gyal waan gi the don header
A we meck gyal gwaan like umbrella
And open up fi the don fi the top sheller
Anyweh wi deh gyal shrub up dem umbrella
Gyal find me, anyweh mi deh shi find me
Could a hide all yo gyal under seller
()
Gyal a get tek weh
Gyal a get tek weh
Mi seh zombie yo si da pretty preps deh
Tell are seh di don seh shi sexy
Gyal a get tek weh
Gyal a get tek weh
Gyal a get tek weh
Gyal a get tek weh
(2)
Full a gyal like
Beverly, Stephani, Vanessa, Shanessa, Hatel, Tiffany
No to sit on the tip a mi dically
No mi no icarry, dicarry
Caw mi no fool like duck, gyal a get pluck quickaly
No mi no pose like figary
Mi carry gyal go a Tivolly go watch football match
Wid Tuldust a dribble like Ribarry
Carry are a mi yard and touch are
Gyal start shake like shi cold wid shivvery
Hilary cyaa tek are hand off a mi body
Shi a mi Barby, mi dolly
Shi love the tug Mohammedally
Shi dilly mi dolly
Push are like shi deh pon the chally
Man a gyallis from birth mi get that from mi daddy
The song "Don Deh Yuh" by Aidonia is a dancehall track which talks about the singer's popularity and how many girls he has around him. The chorus "Gyal a get tek weh" means that the girls are being taken away by the singer. The first verse describes how Aidonia has been able to attract women in his life, by driving a BMW and being hot like scotch pepper. He says that girls from Spanish Town are flocking towards him, giving him their number or contacting him through Whatsapp. Girls from up town look pretty like peacock feathers while the ones from downtown can't ride as well as they claim without his help. The singer also mentions a girl with a tongue ring who he finds attractive.
In the second verse, Aidonia mentions several girls by their name who are attracted to him. He claims that he is not a fool like the duck, and girls are quick to fall for him. He also mentions that he takes girls to watch football games at the Tivoli stadium, and later invites them to his place for some intimate moments. He says that he is a natural "gyallis" and he got it from his dad. "Gyallis" is a Jamaican slang term for a player or a ladies' man.
Overall, the song is about Aidonia's charisma and how he is able to attract many women. It shows how his popularity has grown, and many girls are after him because of his status and charm.
Line by Line Meaning
The don deh yah, don deh yah, don deh yah
The don is here and he is definitely present, don't mistake it
Fat black Beemer weh favor black ladder
A large black BMW that looks like a tall ladder
Gyal a seh mi hot mi a mussi scotch pepper
Girls are commenting that I am hot, probably like spicy Scotch peppers
Gyal a seh mi hot yeh mi a the hot stepper
Girls keep telling me I'm hot and I am the hot stepper
Spanish town gyal dem, dem a flock fellow
Girls from Spanish Town are following and hanging out with me
Fi the number fi mi but mi seh whatsapp better
Girls ask for my number, but I prefer to communicate via WhatsApp
Bay gyal a fight ova this yah block brother
A lot of girls are fighting over me in this area
Mi seh bare gyal a war ova this yah block brother
I am saying that many girls are fighting over me in this block
Up town gyal pretty like peacock feather
Girls from uptown are very beautiful, like peacock feathers
Down town gyal seh shi cyaa ride the c–k better
Girls from downtown say they are better at sex
Tongue ring gyal waan gi the don header
Girls with tongue rings want to give me oral sex
A we meck gyal gwaan like umbrella
I am the reason why girls open up and act like an umbrella - protective over me
And open up fi the don fi the top sheller
Girls open up and make way for me, as the top sheller
Anyweh wi deh gyal shrub up dem umbrella
Wherever we go, girls cling onto me like a protective umbrella
Gyal find me, anyweh mi deh shi find me
Girls always find me, no matter where I am
Could a hide all yo gyal under seller
I am so popular with girls that I could hide all your girlfriends under your bed
Gyal a get tek weh
Girls are being taken away by me
Mi seh zombie yo si da pretty preps deh
I am saying that I have taken away a pretty preppy girl like a zombie
Tell are seh di don seh shi sexy
Tell her that the don says she is sexy
Full a gyal like
I have a lot of girls in my life like
Beverly, Stephani, Vanessa, Shanessa, Hatel, Tiffany
Girls like Beverly, Stephani, Vanessa, Shanessa, Hatel, and Tiffany
No to sit on the tip a mi dically
They are not just for sitting on the tip of my penis
No mi no icarry, dicarry
I do not carry them around all the time
Caw mi no fool like duck, gyal a get pluck quickaly
I am not foolish like a duck, I can take girls away quickly
No mi no pose like figary
I don't pretend like a fig tree
Mi carry gyal go a Tivolly go watch football match
I take girls to Tivoli to watch football matches
Wid Tuldust a dribble like Ribarry
While Tuldust is dribbling like Ribery
Carry are a mi yard and touch are
I take her to my home and touch her
Gyal start shake like shi cold wid shivvery
Girls start shaking as if they are cold with shivering
Hilary cyaa tek are hand off a mi body
Hilary can't take her hands off of me
Shi a mi Barby, mi dolly
She is my Barbie doll
Shi love the tug Mohammedally
She loves when I dominate her sexually
Shi dilly mi dolly
She is playing around with me like a toy
Push are like shi deh pon the chally
I am having sex with her like she is on a horse carriage
Man a gyallis from birth mi get that from mi daddy
I have been a player since birth and it runs in my family
Contributed by Hannah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.