By Sade Gardner – STAR Writer—

A collaboration between Richie Stephens and Popcaan seems unlikely, but the two have started to burn up the airwaves with the saucy Latin-Afrobeat track, ‘ Go Nana’.

Produced by Stephens’ Pot of Gold Productions, the single has received endorsements all over – from Bounty Killer to New York’s Power 105.1FM hip hop and R&B radio station including heavy rotation on the Foundation Radio Network – in just a week since its release.

“It’s really been getting a lot of traction. It’s playing in all the parties, playing on the radio, and everyone is really into it. That’s a good feeling, ’cause it shows how far and wide the song has been travelling in such a short time,” Stephens told THE WEEKEND STAR.

He said that the collaboration happened organically, after the Nah Idle deejay visited Stephens’ studio to “hold a vibes”.

“Popcaan is a youth weh always inna di streets, and him woulda hail me up and me hail him up. Him always do it with a lot of reverence. Him always show a lot of respect, and I admire that. I also show him respect as a younger youth,” Stephens said.

“One night we were both at a session, and him come over and say him love see me in the streets among the youths, and seh him waan pass through my studio one day to see what a gwaan. I invited him the next day, and him forward with him crew. I played the song for him, and without even asking him to do a verse on it him seh: ‘Dis bad, give me a track’, and him just mek up his part on the scene.”

Impressed with Popcaan’s artistic talent, Stephens kept the verse. And as they would say, the rest is history.

“I give him a lot of credit for his musical ability. I never realize how musical that little youth is, and it is very natural for him,” he said.

“I always think when experience and freshness come together, and are put together in the right way, it has to make a difference. And we see that in how the track is being received. It wasn’t anything planned, and it goes to show the power of music, ’cause he heard something that moved him and wanted to be part of it, so I really appreciate that.”