Maybe it’s coincidence that “Brooklyn Anthem” hasn’t left my turntable for the last week (except of course to occasionally flip it over and play “BK Assassin”) but this week we’ve been getting a swarm of news from the Team Shadetek front. I’ve seen pieces of the story on FADER, Reggae Country and other music blogs, and even I have been covering new developments at my “day job.” But it wasn’t until Matt Shadetek emailed me recently that I saw the full picture. Now that I see what the buzz is about, I am excited to share it with you! Shadetek has been at the forefront and in the middle of the best new music coming out of the Brooklyn dancehall scene. It’s urban and electrified. It gets bass bins pumpin and booties jumpin from Jamaica to NYC to SF to London. Matt Shadetek has been building a name for himself for many years now, but in 2007 he’s come like a storm with a killer single 12″ release, smokin dublate specials, and collaborations with other fantastic producers that just ooze talent and originality. There have been various reports of this storm and its effects on different communities. I’ve gathered some of the stories and present them for you here. The first major impact came when “Brooklyn Anthem” hit the streets…
Brooklyn Anthem
We have to bring the light to it now and make people know that [reggae and hip-hop] are one and the same. It is just business and the monopolies that tried to separate it. The whole thing is divide and conquer, seen?
For starters, “Brooklyn Anthem” is a bumpin choon by Team Shadetek, 77Klash and Jahdan. It totally kills and I still can’t stop playing it even though I’ve owned it since March. This song combines elements of dancehall and grime and even Brooklyn itself. The sound is that of the Jamaican community in Brooklyn (with influence from the Jamaican community in London) and the lyrics boost up what’s great about being from the borough. EA Sports love it too - they’ve chosen “Brooklyn Anthem” for inclusion on EA Sports’ Madden ‘08 soundtrack. It’s one of the biggest selling video games in the world and Shadetek, 77Klash and Jahdan will be featured alongside Justin Timberlake, Swizz Beats and more. I imagine that Jahdan must be very pleased about this mainstream outlet for dancehall music. I remember reading the NY Press in March about the song and the artists behind it, and it sounded like Jahdan was on a mission! He told the reporter, “I ain’t going to let this commercial American scene go without knowing that dancehall, reggae music runs the fuckin’ place,” and went on to explain, “We have to bring the light to it now and make people know that [reggae and hip-hop] are one and the same. It is just business and the monopolies that tried to separate it. The whole thing is divide and conquer, seen?” Spoken like a true soldier of the concrete jungle. His co-conspirator 77Klash also sees their new music as a continuation of the roots reggae story. 77Klash, aka Gize, says, “I see my music opening up a lot of doors that have been held shut for a while now, I see my music providing a missing link in Jamaican music and pushing our music and culture forward. Travelling all over the world has enhanced my perspective on life and the space in which I exist.” Oh how I wish I had interviewed 77Klash and Jahdan when I was writing for the “Reggae Scrapbook”! I wanted to show how dancehall and jungle and grime music are taking reggae to the next level - a new generation with ever more complex resources and an ever expanding global reach. The fact that Bob Marley had a global audience was not an easy thing in his day. It took a lot of record label support and promotion and a lot of tour expenses and such. Nowadays, a lone producer can have a global audience without leaving home and reggae music is finally able to have international success. More people these days are finding out that hip hop did develop out of Jamaican soundsystem culture in NYC and that grime and dancehall are another hybrid grown out of reggae’s roots.
The trio of artistes have decided to band together under the name Iron Shirt and have been working on an album all summer. Meanwhile, 77Klash (pronounced Two Sevens Clash) keeps making bigger and bigger waves from NYC to Jamaica with smashing riddims. First it was “Scallawah Riddim” which Turbulence used for his hit, “Notorious.” 77Klash also vocalized his riddim with Tonto Marijuana for the song “Keep Your Ratings.”
Swarm Riddim by 77Klash
It’s a bugged out slice of future dancehall electro rock madness with vocals from some of the absolute baddest artists in Jamaica on both the dancehall and roots sides of things.
Next, Klash City Records spread the news of 77Klash’s “The Swarm Riddim.” Matt Shadetek describes the riddim as, “a bugged out slice of future dancehall electro rock madness with vocals from some of the absolute baddest artists in Jamaica on both the dancehall and roots sides of things.” That’s what I like to hear! I’m digging the advancements in dancehall and jungle music that continue to work with roots artists. Rising dancehall singer Aidonia jumped on the riddim and created “Ah You” which has been raising the temperature in Jamaica all summer. The riddim has also bumped Lutan Fyah, Jah Mason and Vybz Kartel among other Jamaican super stars. The title cut of “The Swarm Riddim” was recorded with Jahdan and Noble Society pon di mic and will be featured on the upcoming Iron Shirt LP.
Dutty Artz
Iron Shirt will release their debut full-length LP soon on a brand new label: Dutty Artz. The label was recently formed by Matt Shadetek and DJ/Rupture in order to break free of the constraints on their creativity that were being imposed by trying to work within more mainstream channels. Shadetek describes the need for the independent label:
Rupture and I have gotten sick of putting up with people not understanding how to move with our music or second guessing us and have decided to take our business fully into our own hands. Already the initial line up of releases and projects is looking very powerful indeed. After a few years of running Shadetek Records independently I had gotten sick of doing business and wanted to just focus on music, but the result was a loss of creative control as I started dealing with P+D deals, labels, etc, all with their own opinions about how and what I should put out. Now, taking the power and stress and responsibility into my own hands I feel more focused and motivated than ever. There’s no risk without reward so we’ve decided to put our money where our mouth is and go hard.
Matt also proclaimed, “Dutty Artz is the new movement, a label, (soon to be) party and crew of like minded individuals mostly living in Brooklyn.” So watch out NYC, prepare to be sonically spoiled by the hottest producers of ragga-grime in the US! Maybe this is the final kick I need to move to NYC…
If you are in NYC and you missed the recent 77Klash and Jahdan performances, well, you missed out. But you can make up for it by catching the entire Iron Shirt crew at the 205 Club on Thursday October 11th. This show will feature Matt Shadetek, 77Klash and Jahdan performing some of the new songs from their upcoming debut album!
“The Swarm Riddim” is available for sale on iChoons and Klash City Records with distribution through Tuff Gong label on 45rpm 7″ vinyl.
Dutty Artz, Klash City Records, Iron Shirt Links
For more info on any/all these topics, please refer to the Dutty Artz official website.
Brooklyn Beats - the fantastic NY Press article quoted here was featured in this HearingTest report on “Brooklyn Anthem” in March 2007.
The my$pace pages
Klash City Records music
77Klash music - You can listen to “Gave You All My Love” from the upcoming Iron Shirt LP on 77Klash page
Matt Shadetek music
Noble Society music
Klash City Records on MOG
You can get all the Swarm Riddim versions at iChoons
Dancehall Videos For Swarm Riddim
The Swarm Riddim: Aidonia - “Ah You”:
You can also get a blazing mix of original Shadetek tunes that were originally recorded for Mary Anne Hobbs radio show. The mix is called MORE FIRE, MORE BASS and it delivers exactly that! This mix is HOT!
01. Can’t Breathe - Tanya Stephens (Matt Shadetek Remix) [Unreleased)
02. Untitled - Matt Shadetek (Unreleased)
03. Bumbaclat Badman - Chronik feat. Skepta, Wiley & Esco (Slew Dem Records)
04. Skynet Riddim - Matt Shadetek (Sound-Ink)
05. Walk It Out Remix - DJ Unk feat. Andre 3000 & Jim Jones (Koch Records)
06. Do It - Jon E Cash (Black Ops)
07. Go Home - Timeblind (Unreleased)
08. Gigantic Wings - Drop The Lime (Unreleased)
09. Vans - The Pack (Jive)
10. Reign Riddim - Matt Shadetek (Sound-Ink)
11. Reign - Team Shadetek feat. Skepta (Sound-Ink)
12. Gave You All My Dub - Matt Shadetek feat. Jahdan (Unreleased)
13. Separating - Team Shadetek feat. Jammer (Sound-Ink)
14. Cassava Riddim - Matt Shadetek (Unreleased)
15. She Told Me - Noble Society feat. 77Klash
16. Untitled - Timeblind (Unreleased)
17. Japan - Plastician (Terrorhythm)
18. Try Harder - Drop The Lime (Broklyn Beats)
19. Daylight - Team Shadetek (Sound-Ink)
Click the cover for more info and the download link.
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