BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer writer—
Vybz Kartel
AMERICAN independent radio promoter Willie Daniels says he knew Vybz Kartel’s 2016 hit Fever would have been a hit with urban audiences overseas.
On Friday, Fever was certified silver in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry for sales and streaming equivalent of 200,000 units.
“I got involved with Fever through the producers TJ and Zoe from Zojak World Wide. I knew it was a winner from the beginning,” Daniels, 58, told the Jamaica Observer on Friday.
“I was in Florida when they called me. We had a conversation about it and I decided I’d work on the project. Over time, the song proved itself to be what we thought it was,” he continued.
Daniels did the radio promotion for Fever for almost six months. His efforts helped the song to scale the Billboard Rap Airplay (number 23) and Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (number 36) charts.
Willie Daniels
Daniels spoke about American urban radio’s response to Fever at the time.
“It started on Hot 97 and then in Hartford, Connecticut. The radio folks, they knew there was something there about the song,” said Daniels.
Fever didn’t make it onto the respected UK Singles chart. Vybz Kartel’s sole entry on that tally is Been Around the World, a 2003 collaboration with British singer Zena which peaked at 44.
Fever is featured on Vybz’s Kartel’s 2016 album King of the Dancehall, which peaked at two on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. Incidentally, three years ago Fever was certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales exceeding 500,000 units.
Among the songs Daniels has promoted to urban and mainstream radio, which have impacted the US Billboard charts are: Hold Yuh by Gyptian, No Games by Serani, Toast by Koffee, Bruck it Down by Mr Vegas, Slow Down by Skip Marley and H.E.R., I Got Your Man by Lady Saw, Give it to Her by Tanto Metro and Devonte, Jook Gal (Wine Wine) remix by Elephant Man and Kip Rich, and Gal Yuh a Lead by TOK.
Daniels, who is from the Bronx in New York, resides in Long Island. He started his journey interfacing with Jamaican music on WBLS Radio in New York and later playing in the clubs.
He studied at Bethune Cookman College and the University of New Haven in Connecticut.
For seven years he worked at VP Records where he was in charge of radio promotions and later artiste and repertoire (A&R). He still does work independently for the New York-based label.
Vybz Kartel, whose given name is Adidjah Palmer, is currently serving a life sentence for murder.
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