Snowcone plots a reggae rebirth

Produces reggae rhythm in collaboration with Clive Hunt

Reggae/dancehall producer Rohan 'Snowcone' Fuller, is making preparations to release a reggae one-drop rhythm. The platinum-selling producer says the local music industry should be producing more reggae music
.
"The rhythm is called the Nuff Love rhythm and it is live lovers rock reggae. Reggae music needs this. Nuh reggae music nah run di place now, so it's one of those things that pushes difference. I collaborated with Clive Hunt on this project because I believe he is the perfect person to work with. He is very experienced and knows good reggae music," he said.

According to Snowcone, some young producers need to know their roots. "Nuff youth don't understand that is what we grow up on. They need to research people like Garnet Silk, Beres Hammond, Peter Tosh and dem man deh. We need dem thing deh fi build back wi music," Snowcone said.

The producer explained that reggae has more of an international appeal than does dancehall, however he feels the youth are caught up in the Jamaican spotlight.

"When yu go out in the world, it's people like Fantan Mojah and Tarrus Riley that are recognised for the music. But the youth don't understand that, reggae is still very popular and is the mother music, nothing can replace reggae," he said.

Snowcone remains optimistic about the future of the genre. He believes some local producers are getting the wake-up call.

"Five years time, reggae will be more. If you listen around now, you hear the producers making a lot
of reggae. Delly Ranks recently released a reggae album as well as Busy Signal, so that is a good sign that reggae music is going to lift up. Even Rihanna and Bruno Mars do music using elements of reggae. There are a lot of great musicians from Jamaica but many of us tend to overlook them," Snowcone said.

He also commented on American rapper Snoop Dogg's transformation to the reggae singer Snoop Lion.

"Snoop Lion would benefit us if him come to Jamaica and duh some real work with real reggae producers so that it gwaan good. I think if he decides to go and make his own reggae tracks it will not be as good nor have the same feeling as our productions," he continued.

"Jamaican artistes just need to respect the foundation, and if you don't respect the foundation you won't know which route to take in going forward," he said.

Snowcone is looking to release his reggae rhythm in November of this year.

"We still have it, but the youth just need to take it up serious and don't feed into the hype. Reggae is the only genre that has survived over 30 years, and more and more people are trying to get involved with it," Snowcone said.

(from Jamaica Gleaner)