by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – Most non-Jamaican reggae artists are desperate to make an affect in Jamaica, thought of by music pundits the hardest market to overcome. Kevens had that feeling for a while, and he has lastly made his mark there.
Authorized Dreamers, his track about undocumented migrants in the US, is at the moment quantity three on the Jamaica Music Countdown Reggae Chart, compiled by Disc Jockey, Richard “Richie B” Burgess.
It’s a main achievement for the Los Angeles-based Kevens, who spent his youth in South Florida, and has Guadeloupe, French-Canadian and Haitian heritage.
“At first, once I obtained the information, it felt like I used to be listening to issues, (it) took 24 hours for me to partially embody what it means to be within the Jamaican charts. Being within the firm of these reggae legends gave me an entire new stage of self-confidence,” he mentioned. “I used to be informed by a number of of my Jamaican buddies dwelling in Jamaica that I’m the primary artist with a reggae-EDM track they’ve seen on that chart. It feels actually good each time I hear that.”
Burgess, who hosts the Up & Go With Richie present on Bridge 99 FM in Jamaica, mentioned Authorized Dreamer’s mix of genres, appeals to him.
“The very first thing that struck me once I heard this track, was the 2 distinctive sounds which are very pronounced within the observe — EDM and reggae’s drum and bass stylings. Clearly, it’s fairly distinctive and really catchy,” he mentioned. “Secondly, I used to be drawn to the lyrics and the problems being explored. It’s a subject that’s at all times present – immigration, as there are at all times residents of smaller, creating nations, in search of a ‘higher life’ in different/First World international locations and as we all know, that usually brings with it, many challenges. Authorized Dreamers is a well timed and highly effective track, each lyrically and instrumentally.”
Look A Lady by brothers Chino McGregor and Di Genius is primary on the Jamaica Music Countdown Reggae Chart. My Candy Lord by Damian “Junior Gong” Marley is quantity two.