‘Proud’ KipRich a supportive dad to military daughter Kaylia

While he admitted to being nervous at the thought of his little girl entering the US Army, dancehall entertainer Marlon ‘KipRich’ Plunkett is proud of his daughter Kaylia’s recent graduation.

The Telephone Ting deejay shared with The Gleaner his experience being the father of a new ‘military brat’.

“Trust me, I am feeling very elated. It has been a journey with Kaylia, but to see her hold her head and accomplish what she put her mind to has left me feeling very proud as a father,” he said.

The father of four explained that while he is smiling now, it wasn’t always easy, and many times he couldn’t even communicate with his daughter via the methods he is accustomed to.

“When you out there doing the training you can’t have any phone. So we had to communicate using letters like back in the day … It was strange at first having to go to the post office again, but it enabled me to keep in touch with her,” he said.

Kaylia joins one of the most-powerful militaries in the world during tense times internationally. However, her dad is confident of their initial steps.

“You know, no one is going to feel comfortable to even think about their loved one going to war. So what I did is to ensure I do my research to see where would be a good place to deploy her,” KipRich explained.

He also added that while he knows the army can send for Kaylia at any time and send her anywhere, at least she can be as “comfortable for as long as possible” until absolutely needed on the front line.

“We were very strategic with it man. And we had a lot of help from her recruiter who really showed us the ropes and helped us understand all the possible ways she could go forward.”

KipRich said his daughter is still the bright little girl he has fond memories of.

“She was always active as a little girl. You just had to remember her – she light up every room she went in. The principal herself had to teach her. She was way more advanced than the other students, them couldn’t keep up with her at all.”

It was clear KipRich was smiling ear-to-ear as he gushed over Kaylia.

He further explained that as she left high school in Jamaica, she struggled to keep up with a different culture and style of education, but he was there with her every step of the way.

“We are all humans and we have we low points. So she did kinda drop off likkle bit with school. So me just tek time off from music, and a juss me and har dat inaa the book and a so she come back up,” KipRich said.

BACK TO MUSIC

With Kaylia passing her entrance requirements for the army, she’s now on to the next step of her journey – leaving her father with more time to focus on his music.

“I had no issues at all putting it on hold to help her, trust me. But with a little more time now, I can get back into music and give the fans what they’ve been asking for,” the lyricist said.

“I have a song with Bounty Killer now that will be touching road very, very soon, and I did a freestyle on the many innocent children being slaughtered that I am doing production work on right now,” he added.

KipRich is known on the musical scene for his lyricism when it comes to clashes at the famed one-night show, Sting. When asked if he would ever return to that side of the culture, he shared his unwillingness.

“A lot of the artistes today are too sensitive. Di man dem a tek it too personal man, and it doesn’t make sense. I am having fun, but a next man a pree me with bad thoughts,” he said.

He says only the likes of the incarcerated Ninja Man, and the deceased Merciless understood the culture and could get him to reignite his passion.

kenrick.morgan@gleanerjm.com