Nikki Hype – Just pass her the Mic, and she will take it from there!

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

There are so many ways to describe this incredible woman that we will be featuring this week, and while other writers fill their pages with adjectives describing a woman’s beauty, they struggle for ways to write about her intelligence, personality, or skills.

Our Woman Empowered doesn’t need to lift a car over her head to be strong; instead she shows her strength in a measured way, which is why her followers are caught up in her dynamic and captivating adventures.

When this sophisticated woman walks into a room, you can tell she is comfortable in her regalia. It’s not just about her clothing; it’s her mind and what she thinks about herself. You will never catch her wearing something that doesn’t suit her body type or style, no matter what. She knows how to be elegant by simply believing she looks good in her outfit. She has honed in on what looks good on her and perfected it. She stands tall, and her smile lights up a room like no other.

She innerstands the assignment, and she has goals that she wants to achieve, which helps with her confidence. She is so well put together that she always looks ready for anything, and everyone knows that a true lady is never caught off-guard, and even if she is, she doesn’t show it. She knows when to listen and when to speak up, so she always gets the most out of her social interactions with others.

Nicola Shaw (aka Nikki Hype) made her name in the international dancehall circuit by working assiduously on the scene from red carpet coverage to major stage shows for over fifteen years. It’s her down to earth charm, charisma and love of the culture that keeps her on top of the North American Dancehall lifestyle. Most recently, Nikki has been given an opportunity that will assist in her ascension. We are going to talk a little more about that later in the feature, but for now I want to share with you a little bit from the in depth, and stimulating discussion that I had with her last week.

“I was Born in Spanish Town Jamaica, and when I was younger, I moved over to Clarendon,” Nikki begins. “I moved to Canada when I was 11 years old, but I didn’t see my mom for five years until she brought me over here.”

Nikki shares with me that she has always been interested in fashion, and in high school people began to notice her for this. It was her style that first got her noticed, and how it took one picture to create the moniker Nikki Hype

“I remember one night my partner at the time and I were celebrating at a huge event at Paradise, and it was a big event. Cameras were flashing, and pictures were being taken. In one the pictures ‘Picture Man Lolyd’ called me Nikki Girl Hype, and that is how it all began.”

Nikki’s star power was being seen throughout the community, and it got to the point that she didn’t have to stand in lines.

“My name was getting out there, and word about my fashionista style was getting out there. I also did hair, and people started to know me for that.”

One night she was at a party, and something happened that changed the trajectory of her rise.

“Jeff from Nitro Sound, gave me the microphone one night, and from there it was off. It was something that came natural for me. For me to take the microphone and have people listen, it meant something. From that point on whenever I touch the mic, I make sure to say something meaningful. 

At first, women hear my name, and let’s be honest, they don’t know me. Some may say I am boasty, but it is just my personality. I have an alter ego, and this is the Hype. I have developed a thicker skin. When I am in an audience, I am seen and I am known.”

Nikki spoke to me about the love that she has for her number one cheerleader, her mom.

“My support comes from home. My mom is my cheerleader, she prays for me. My mother and I are very close. She had me when she was 15 years old, so I know I can always go home to mom. It is because of her that I have a lot of faith in God.”

Nikki was invited to be part of a six-cast member reality show ensemble called “Dancehall Divas of Toronto.”  Heather Elliot of LHDT Productions saw something in Nikki and knew that she had to have her.

“I was part of the Dancehall Diva’s, because Heather believed in my talent and she saw big things for me. Even though I stepped away from the show, she still looked out for me. I started to travel to Jamaica a lot hosting parties, and my name started to hype out there. During this time is when I discovered that dancehall was my antidote. It helps me breathe.

I had stepped away from Dancehall Diva’s for a bit, and just before the pandemic, Heather reached out to me about being back on the show. I made the decision to go back because things had changed.”

That is not the only exciting news that Nikki had to share…

On December 26^th, 2022, Nikki will be one of the emcees at the biggest dancehall shows on earth.

STING is a mega popular one-day dancehall concert that started almost three decades ago, has been etched in the culture of Jamaican dancehall as the quintessential launch pad for many of Jamaica’s most prolific dancehall acts. Absent from the concert scene for several years, STING is looking to make a big comeback this year.

Organizers of the event have expressed enthusiasm in welcoming a large diaspora contingent this year. The concert will take place at the Plantation Cove event venue in St Ann on Boxing Day, December 26^th. This is the first time that the event will incorporate hosting talent from the Caribbean diaspora.

Nikki was recently tapped to be one of the emcees for the one-night show, not just because of her reign as the most revered dancehall emcee and party host in Canada, but perhaps more strategically as a nod to the close-knit Canadian dancehall community, that has long been a central player in the development and support of local and regional dancehall entertainment.

In speaking about her long anticipated dream to host a major show in Jamaica, Nikki shared, “I have been waiting for this moment since I started in Dancehall. I see my participation on this year’s show as an ode to the city that gave me my identity in entertainment, and I am excited to introduce myself to a whole new audience from around the world. This is a big deal to me and my Toronto Dancehall family”

If you ever want to feel a little of the Hype energy, you can find Nikki on her Instagram Live Show “Let’s Talk with Nikki Hype” on Monday’s at 8:00 pm. On her live show she talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly of dancehall, and gives watchers an opportunity to weigh in.

The team at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper is very proud of what you have accomplished, and Toronto is proud that our very own will be representing us in Jamaica at STING. Keep going sis; we got you!