Snow in Jamaica: An Exclusive Interview with Reggae Artist Snow

Source: www.fevatv.com

post-snow-in-jamaica_250x250Internationally-renowned reggae artist Snow made his return to Jamaica earlier this year (where it was actually a fairly major story) after enduring several hardships in the previous months and years, including the death of a loved one. But the Canadian-born Snow is back with a new lease on life, recording new music in Jamaica alongside bona fide legends.

“Jamaica called me back,” Snow said of his return to the island in an exclusive interview with FEVA TV. “I love Canada, I love America, all over, but Jamaica called me back.”

The artist, who still holds the record for the best-selling reggae single in history for his breakthrough early-‘90s hit ‘Informer’, says he got a very warm welcome when he returned to Jamaica.

“When I arrived in Jamaica, everyone said ‘Snow, welcome home!’” he remembers of his homecoming (which also involved dancehall legend Ninajaman personally picking him up from the airport). He continues to record new music and release singles, but says he has no concrete plans for a traditional album of new material — a release format many industry observers say is obsolescent in the digital age.

“I’m just having fun,” he says of his current plan to focus on releasing singles on his independently-owned DKO label, and the Canadian dancehall veteran has lined up some pretty incredible talent to work with.

“It’s all about legends,” Snow says proudly of his recent collaborations. Shortly after arriving in Jamaica earlier this year, he released a video for the song ‘Shame’ with Grammy-winning reggae legend Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru fame. He also has a song with Ninjaman, ‘Africa’, which also features legendary musicians Bongo Herman, Nicky “Rimshot” Henry, Stephen “Cat” Coore and reggae superstar Sizzla, who plays bass on the track. (“The only two people Sizzla likes are me, and Busta Rhymes,” Snow says with a chuckle.) Another new song he’s excited about is the song ‘Hands Up’ with the Mystical Revealers, and he’s working with the Jamaican Board of Education to use the song to promote education and positive lifestyles among Jamaica’s youth.

Snow says that being in Jamaica is crucial to his creative process. “No music is like reggae music,” he says. “I love other music, soca, calypso, no disrespect to those styles, but reggae is the heartbeat.”

Explaining that he feels that his music “has to be done in Jamaica,” Snow says his return to the birthplace of reggae music is important to reinvigorating his career. “When you’re blowing up in Jamaica, the rest of the world listens.”

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