RASTAFARIAN singer Anthony B has never been afraid to experiment with different musical styles.
His latest single, Traits of a Chieftain, blends reggae-dancehall with electronic dance music (EDM). Produced by Geoff Rand of We Chief Music and Nic Hard, the track premiered on the world’s largest reggae website, the European-based reggaeville.com, in January 2015.
“At first, I was hesitant about doing it. You know as a Rasta, I was a bit sceptic. But I have never been afraid to embrace other genres, and cultures. So I went ahead with it, but made sure that I kept that conscious element in it. You don’t want to go into that crazy world and lose yourself,” Anthony B told the Jamaica Observer.
“I am glad the song is doing well in that pop world, but you have to stay true to your culture and your roots.”
The ragga-infused EDM banger is getting airplay on BBC radio 1xTRA in the UK, FM101 Power in Malawi as well as local radio stations.
Anthony B (whose given name is Keith Blair) said the track also features a didgeridoo, a 1,500 year-old instrument created by the indigenous Aborigines of Northern Australia, to make many of the unique bass sounds.
“We created a unique message of love, humanity and immaterialism which can resonate through all cultures and societies. This song is the third in our series of Raggatronic songs,” Geoff Rand, chief executive officer of We Chief Music, said.
We Chief Music is a Brooklyn-based Raggatronic collective which grabs music from all over the world and combines it with EDM, plus a touch of dark comedy. There are a lot of dancehall, reggae and soca influences at work in their music.
“Our first two releases, Gyals From Brooklyn (Da Professor) and Blaze it Up (Ragga Twins) have achieved some buzz, but I am looking to take things to the next level. The single Traits of a Chieftain is already opening some doors on Jamaican radio; it is playing on radio stations in Australia and in Europe. We are very excited,” Rand said.
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