Long-awaited recognition hits with 'Overproof' rhythm

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

The 'Overproof' rhythm brought producers Justus Arison and Patrick 'Roach' Samuels of JA Productions to the forefront this year.

The trio plans to cement their place in the industry in 2012

Released in the summer, the Overproof rhythm, which features a whopping 25 artistes, has been a hit right through to the Christmas season.

While the rhythm brought songs such as Mavado's Settle Down, Daniel Beddingfield's Sometimes You Just Know, Tifa's Dash Out and Khago's Tun Up Di Ting to the airwaves, it also brought the producers behind it into light. Speaking to The Sunday Gleaner recently, Justus Arison, producer and founder of JA Productions discussed the label's growth and recent rise to fame.

Arison, who was born in the United States but was raised in Jamaica, has been trying his hand at music since he was a teenager.

Having done a stint on the Komodo sound system while at prep school, the youngster has been involved in music for a relatively long time.

Having taught himself the keyboards, guitars and a bit of drumming, Arison bounced around from studio to studio for a while before branching out independently.

"I formed JA Productions in 2010. After working at different studios I never really felt satisfied, I felt like I was working on someone else's vision. So I decided to do my own brand of dancehall independently," he said.

That year Arison met Samuels, a songwriter, artiste and manager, who he had known for a while.

Samuels brought the young producer a track from superstar Gyptian to remix and the two hit it off.

"Roach is half of the success of everything. He started out as my manager, but he's now my business partner and co-producer. He's the in-the-streets man and he has a good ear for rhythms too," Arison explained.

Jinx rhythm

In 2010 the two released the Jinx rhythm which featured Munga, Keida, Sizzla and others. Arison elaborated, "the Jinx rhythm actually did very well, it wasn't a rhythm that had huge artistes, the biggest names were Sizzla and Munga but it received a lot of love on radio."

It was this summer, however, that was their crowning glory with the release of Overproof, a rhythm Arison was surprised got such a warm reception.

"I had gotten used to doing music and it not taking off, but Overproof was our first foot in the door," said Arison.

The producer attributed the rhythm's 'happy feel' to its success, as well as its release in the summer party season. Months after its release artistes were coming to the producer with a song to voice. Arison then decided to release a remix of the rhythm called a Master's Blend which recently featured Konshen's Bad Gal.

While most young producers would be daunted by trying to match the success of the effort, Arison and Samuels are looking forward to a new year of music.

Overnight buss

"I'm not intimidated at all, I've been doing this for so many years, it wasn't like an overnight buss. Right now I have nuff things in studio that's better than Overproof and so much material working on," Samuels explained.

The two are trying to open their own studio and have a number of releases forthcoming. Their next rhythm, Rumfire, will be debuted at Sting tomorrow and promises to be a more hardcore dancehall beat. Following Rumfire will be singles from the likes of T'Nez, Crimson Heart Replica and Navino, who is signed to JA Productions. There will also be an upcoming one-drop rhythm called 'Blessings' with Lutan Fyah, Wayne Marshall, Sizzla, I-Wayne, Etana and more. All the new material, as well as the Master's Blend of the Overproof rhythm, Arison said, can be purchased on jamaicansmusic.com's online store.

As well as music production, JA Productions also does video production which is spearheaded by Steven Bernard.

JA Productions has done videos for their 'Jinx' rhythm, Mavado's Settle Down, Khago's Tun Up Di Ting and more.