Nitty Kutchie has ‘voiced’ on countless rhythms since he began recording almost 30 years ago. He still uses a tried-and-proven formula when it comes to pitching each song.
“Yuh give it a test run; give it to a selector an’ when yuh see the result that’s when yuh know to work it. Sometimes people will sey it don’t sound good but it still hit. Wi jus’ leave it to the Almighty God,” said the veteran singer.
His latest single, Nah Waste No Time, is produced by Almoni Music. Recently released, it is done on the Life Wise rhythm which also has songs by Gyptian (Give Thanks), Terry Linen (It’s Over), Shane E (Bed A Rose), Devarro (Dem Evil) and Hotta Flex (Mama).
The former member of the Scare Dem Crew believes the beat is catchy enough to produce several hit songs, including his own track. Based on advice he got early in his career from one of reggae’s legends, Nitty Kutchie never looks at a particular market.
“Dennis Brown tell mi that even if the rhythm don’t do good in Jamaica, yuh can tell a story that make the song a hit in Europe or America,” he recalled.
Nitty Kutchie considers Go Away, a collaboration with Bounty Killer and Angel Doolas on the vaunted Billie Jean rhythm, as his most successful recording. Produced by Lloyd “King Jammys” James, it was released in 1992.
Born Andrew Reid in Westmoreland, a rural parish in western Jamaica, Nitty Kutchie moved with his family to gritty Seaview Gardens in Kingston at age 13. That was the mid-1980’s when Seaview Gardens was a hotbed of sound system activity; it was home to Wayne Smith of Sleng Teng fame and a rising deejay called Shabba Ranks.
With Bounty Killer as a mentor, Nitty Kutchie formed the Scare Dem Crew in 1994 with Elephant Man, Harry Toddler and Boom Dandimite. Their hits include Pure Gal and Many Many.
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