Quickies

Troyton Hinds celebrates award

Producer Troyton Hinds, CEO of Troyton Music, recently received a Music Industry Achievers Award for the collaboration I Know You Want Me, which features international R&B artiste Neyo and singjay Mavado. The collaboration was recorded on Troyton's Compassion riddim, which also features Sizzla, Bugle, Tnez and I-Octane.

"It's a great feeling to be honoured after so many hours working in the studio night and day. I was approached by an international advertising company for I Know You Want Me, the original track featuring Mavado. Pepsi wanted it for the Olympics, but unfortunately they had gotten conflict from the other party that was involved. But that just shows how far my music and label is recognised worldwide," Troyton said.

Troyton said he is passionate about his music and his production carries its own unique flavour. "Everybody knows I'm the sexy producer and, because of that, my beats have to be musical, even when it's hardcore," he said.

Troyton recently released Lotus Flower riddim compilation, which features Elephant Man, Alaine, Konshens, Beenie Man, Ninja Kid and T.O.K, among others.

Jadakiss teams up with Iatana

New Jersey, United States-based reggae artiste Iatana is one step closer to scoring that elusive international hit, after collaborating with rap superstar Jadakiss on a track called Rich Righteous Teachers.

"Right now, the buzz around this track is crazy. Jadakiss is a great artiste and the song is hot, so I am looking forward to all the positives that a project of this magnitude is sure to bring me. BET is around the corner; I can feel it," stated an excited Iatana.

Rich Righteous Teachers is the lead-off single from the Brimstone compilation project produced by US-based record label Terminal 3 Productions, in collaboration with Signature Entertainment and CIE Productions.

Slated to be released on August 13, the Brimstone also features other mainstream rappers such as Lil Flim and Keith Murray, alongside Terminal 3 Productions' recording artistes Iatana and F.A.M.E. (Million Dollar Voice).

This is not the first time Jadakiss has recorded a song with a reggae artiste. The rapper also collaborated with reggae singer Ras Penco in 2011 on Any Weh Di Money Deh.

'Krazy Love' from Da'Ville

Reggae artiste Da'Ville is aiming to surpass the success of his On My Mind release with his new album Krazy Love. The 14-track studio effort, released on July 4, was produced by Jonnice Brown of Fashozy Records Inc.

Da'Ville, born Orville Thomas, enjoyed local and international success from his 2007 album On My Mind. Produced by Da'Ville, it scored big in Germany, France, United Kingdom, the Caribbean and Japan.

The 30-year-old believes Krazy Love is successful so far because it shows his versatility as an artiste who can reach various audiences in music.

Woman, Krazy Love and When I'm With You are already generating a buzz. Da'Ville, said he has no favourite track, but made a special reference to Woman, which, he said, was inspired by radio personality Miss Kitty.

"The story behind that single is pretty unique. I was listening to Miss Kitty on the radio one day and heard her talking about the struggles women face daily. She was endorsing hard-working women. I felt moved; she probably doesn't know this, but I thought it would be good to create a song for the ladies," he said.

The Krazy Love tour kicks off in California and continues through the US and Canada. 

Tanya happy with icon selection

Dancehall/reggae artiste Tanya Stephens was recently selected as one of Jamaica's top 50 dancehall icons. Through a promotion being staged by Guinness, Jamaicans were provided a list of some 60 of the biggest names in dancehall, from which 50 were to be selected.

Stephens, who emerged during the 1990s and is best known for her hits You Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet and It's A Pity, was among those entertainers selected in the top 50.

Known for her level-headedness as much as she is for her music, Stephens was rather modest in her response to being selected. "I appreciate it. Fifty is a big number though!" she laughed as she commented on how Jamaicans viewed her and her work. "Actually, icon is a pretty small word ... just four letters! I'm not into labels. I'm into music, making it, playing live, hearing people sing along, getting feedback that I'm relevant and useful to them in their real lives. Everything else is pretty much incidental to me."

Over the past two decades, Stephens, 39, has produced a discography that any entertainer would be proud of. It's A Pity received international acclaim and the Washington Post named her and Lady Saw the top female artistes in Jamaica. In 2006, her powerful single, These Streets, from her album Rebelution spent more than four weeks at the top of music channel Tempo's charts.

During the past two decades, Stephens and her music have evolved to a new level, so much so that social scientist Clinton Hutton characterised her as being "intuitively intelligent", while saying that she deftly tackles relevant social issues. These successes, she says, are just the result of hard work and doing something that she loves.

She acknowledges the trail blazed by those women in the industry who came before her and who helped open doors for other female entertainers.

Popcaan sizzles at Sumfest

Dancehall deejay Popcaan proved his merit as a force to be reckoned with on the dancehall scene at Reggae Sumfest 2012 Dancehall Night last Thursday.

It was a special occasion for the deejay as he was not only performing for the first time at Reggae Sumfest as a solo act, but was also celebrating his birthday. In a jovial mood, Popcaan took to the stage close to 3 a.m. and wowed fans with a slew of hits such as Dream, Raving, Party Shot, Nuh Sell Out, new hits like Summa Wave, and more.

The crowd gave him 'forward' after 'forward' until his departure, proving that Popcaan was more than able to please the crowds of an international event, with his catalogue of hits and a growing stage performance.

"Sumfest was very great. I just went with the aim to do the best, to please the fans. Mi love how the people dem respond and mi nah stop mek good music and do well fi mi fans. Big up Sumfest, straight," Popcaan said.