Dre Island, Piano Prodigy To Reggae Messenger, Talks Timeless Music

Producer-turned-artist, Dre Island channels real life experiences and prayer to create music that resonates for today and tomorrow. We discuss his upbringing, shaped by classical piano, Stone Love sound system nights, gospel harmonies, and the distilled “top ten” diet of Jamaica’s radio that trained his ear for greatness. 

Dre flows in between sharing his own stories to the inspiration that surrounds him, his poignant care in storytelling shows not just in his music, but through conversation.  We discuss his popular collaboration “We Pray” with Popcaan including the bold choice to leak the record and let the people decide. Dre explains how visuals amplified the story months later, his debut album "Now I Rise" released in 2020 showcased his versatility and growth as an artist.

Dre shares why positive music grows slowly and lasts longer, and how he avoids dating his catalog so each song feels brand new to first-time listeners years down the road. He shares studio tales behind “Nice Again” and “Situation,” where a beat built for someone else and a real-life phone call turned into records that balance melody, DJ cadence, and clean, modern production. Along the way, he nods to mentors like Buju Banton and breaks down tasteful sampling that honors the source while speaking to today.

At the heart of it all is love—learned at home, witnessed in community, and now channeled into an upcoming project devoted to spiritual and romantic uplift. We talk about staying focused in a noisy era, adapting promotion from radio to social without chasing gimmicks, and building live culture in Connecticut with family-friendly events like Reggae and the Rice and Rubber Dub Fridays. 

If you care about timeless songwriting, authentic storytelling, and the evolution of reggae in the age of streaming and social media, this conversation will light a fire.

Chapters

• 1:04 Welcome And Origins Of “Dre Island”
• 2:55 Producer First, Artist By Calling
• 4:50 Jamaica’s Musical DNA And Top-Ten Influence
• 7:33 Writing By Vibe And Live Recording
• 8:46 Genre-Blending And Message-First Reggae
• 12:33 Growth, Authenticity, And Following Instinct
• 14:30 “We Pray” With Popcaan And The Leak
• 17:45 Visuals, Longevity, And Positive Music
• 20:34 Timelessness, Discovery, And Undated Songs
• 24:35 Sampling, Budjo Influence, And Studio Serendipity
• 28:50 Real-Life Sparks Behind “Situation”
• 31:50 Love Learned At Home And In Community
• 37:11 A New Love-Centered Project
• 40:53 Vision, Focus, And Avoiding Distraction
• 40:58 From CDs To Social And Finding A Promo Flow
• 43:22 Building Reggae Culture In Connecticut
• 47:03 Rubber Dub Fridays And Youthful Seeds
• 47:58 Final Words: Feed Focus, Starve Distraction
• 48:56 Subscribe And Closing Blessings

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:34

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Style and Vibes podcast. If you are new here, welcome to the family. If you're returning, welcome back, family. And I have new family that I'm adding to the Styling Vibes family. Dre Island, how you doing, sir?

SPEAKER_03: 0:49

Blessed. Give thanks. Give thanks to me. A part of my family.

SPEAKER_00: 0:53

Absolutely. Everybody's family. Once you come here once, then you're welcome to come anytime. So you let me know when you're ready the next time. But we have an awesome show for you guys today. Um, I have to start with, how did you get your name? Dre Island.

SPEAKER_03: 1:10

Of course, my first name is Andre. You know, and my cousin, you know, Birdie, is a man that always be touting somebody, trolling somebody. And new word trolling, you know. But I'm always making fun of people, you know, always find names, give people. So that was supposed to be one of the names that you were supposed to laugh after. Because I was always a person in my little corner by myself, my little world in my own thing. So you know, if the name Dre Island, you just over there so by yourself. Every time, because I used to build beat in the house, put my headphone on, you would be here doing everything, whole conversation happening, five, six, seven people, and I'd be in the corner. Every time you look over me like, yo, what you want to know? It's my headphones on, you're not hearing what I'm doing. And then when you hear it, you'd be like, This man island or do his own thing. And that's how we came up starting calling me Dre Island. You were supposed to laugh, but the man never laughed and we're stuck.

SPEAKER_00: 2:11

It's a good, it's a good name, and I kind of figured you're kind of like does that mean that you're a loner or you just like to be in your zone?

SPEAKER_03: 2:19

I like peace. I like quiet. That's a good way to put it. Yeah. I like peace.

SPEAKER_00: 2:25

I know that you started playing piano at three and you got into music very early, but you weren't always on this path of music. Like, how did you know that this was what you wanted to do long term?

SPEAKER_03: 2:39

I mean, I had to accept the reality when Rastafari away. The first song for me was leaked in 2013. Because I, as I say, I never wanted to be an artist. I wanted to be a producer slash manager. However, I made the beats. I wrote my songs by recording it live. I don't write with pen and paper. Yeah, so I would press three for Huno Pro Tools, you press three, you trigger the record, and then you start singing the microphone. And that's how I wrote from then ever since, you know, throughout life. And so every single song I've I've I've written was by recording it live. You know?

SPEAKER_00: 3:23

I feel like a lot of Jamaican artists don't write. They just go off the top. Do you think that that is part of our natural heritage of storytelling and growing up with beats and music is pretty much everywhere. Like, I just find that to be so interesting. Like it just flows naturally.

SPEAKER_03: 3:40

I think that's definitely something that was given to us from our ancestors because we make fashion with one. We make fashion with your heart. You know, it's the arts. So whether it's dancing, running, singing, you know, playing an instrument, you know. It's entertainment. It's it's it's it's art. So we make fashion. I think that was one of the blessings then what we get as Jamaicans, you know. How to make fashion with your expression.

SPEAKER_00: 4:09

I love that. And in terms of being a producer and an engineer first, how do you think that that um influenced the type of artists you are now and your musical process?

SPEAKER_03: 4:23

Uh, how I was raised influenced my song, my music, Dre Island music. It influenced my producing, me making the meat, and it also influenced me singing the song, writing the song. Because our matter is out of many one people. You know, and with that said, we have a vast amount of different genres that was played and presented to us. Only thing, as I kid growing up in Jamaica and hearing international music, we would only get the top ten. So we would only get the hit. So we we also have that too, you know. I think that's something that was inman in us and something that we grew knowing. We knew great music, great production, great mixes because we only got the top tens from wherever. You know, we had dance hall, we had reggae, we're coming from Scar. We're born in a Christian country. You have gospel music, and then you have different different gospel music because you had a hymn that was much slower. I never liked that one. But then, you know, you had the Kirk Franklin and the Rankinoli, and you know, the Mary Mary, then, you know, and and that survives for me with a love, you know. And then we have our own ancestral music, you know, and then we get the top ten hip-hop, Snoop Knocks, the Jay-Z, the M LMs, biggest small, and Tupac was one of the biggest things in Jamaica. Michael Jackson is one of the biggest things in Jamaica, likewise my mother or legend, you know, biggest thing in Jamaica. So we have different, different sounds that we grew up on. When the soundbox used to string up in the community, Stone Love. Well, Stone Love, well, Stone Love, them set, attune them songs with some old wretch. And then he goes to Souls, you know, Celindian, Mark Carey, you know, Smooth Groove, Al Green, Temptations, Air Supply, you know, so all of that that was playing a part in our subconscious. I think that's what shaped my sound. Because I wasn't paying attention to because I never knew that I wanted to be this individual. So when I realized what I was doing, growth and everything that was installed in I and I from a youth, piano, classical piano, I studied too, you know, that's a little bit different from my culture. So everything that shaped and mould me from I was that tender age play a part now in who I am today and the sounds that I create today.

SPEAKER_00: 7:03

So, in terms of your writing process, do you hear the melodies first or do you write first?

SPEAKER_01: 7:08

On the truth.

SPEAKER_00: 7:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 7:11

I go in the studio.

SPEAKER_03: 7:14

It's rare, like a 1% chance of me listening to a beat before I actually go inside America. Normally I don't know the beat. We don't go there with no nothing and in our head like, oh, I'm going to sing about the situation that I saw today. No, it's never like that. I leave myself open for the most time, my ancestors, my creator, the Supreme Being, Dan, you know, yeah, you know, to inspire me to give his people the right song. You know, so every single time, every single one of Dre Island records, whether it's a love song, social commentary, whatever topic I touch, the last thing I said before, I sing every single song is Must I just give out the right words to sing to Yeti. Every single song. So with that said, once the meet starts, we get inspiration, you know?

SPEAKER_00: 8:16

So how is it working with other artists or writing collabs with other people or working with different producers? Like knowing what you know about your sound, how do you bring it together working with others collaboratively?

SPEAKER_03: 8:29

I mean, it's very easy because, as I said before, my sound is a mixture of a vast amount of different sounds. So when we come together with somebody, maybe do like alternative rock and roll, now of course we're going to shape it to give it our culture. You know, we're going to choose that beat, or they're going to make that beat our vibes too, but also their vibes too, you know, because once you work with somebody, it's a collaborative effort. So you want to mess up both words and want things that combined to create that package where we can all speak that language together, you know?

SPEAKER_01: 9:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 9:10

So it's it's easy for me to do that because, as I say, what was installed in my subconsciousness was a vast variety of genres that we grew up on. So all I do is make sure that I stay true to myself. Reggae. My reggae is not the beat. My reggae is everything in my daughter's message. So I feel the message reggae. So no matter where the beat goes, I'm a simple positive. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 9:42

Positivity, I think it's something that kind of stands the test of time in terms of when you talk about writing and your writing process of music and positivity, it might not always sell quick, fast, but it's something that you will listen to long term and grow through, right? So how have you grown as an artist from your first leaked recording to now, your two albums, plenty of singles? How how have you grown from that time to now and and remaining positive in I mean, in the lyrics that you sing on a regular basis?

SPEAKER_03: 10:28

As you say, growth is everything. And it's it's it's a beautiful growth. It's a beautiful process, you know? We change every moment. But we also know to we have to know where we're coming from, know where we're at, you know that to know where we're going. Evolution. You know, so it's not for us to adapt to, but it's for us to know evolution and grow. Because when you start now, you don't have nowhere to go. So you know, we don't play full, and we don't play silly. We keep it real. So we have to keep it real with ourselves first. You know, we have to listen is music. One good thing about music when it's you feel no pain, the legend by man tell me that. So, because of that, and because we do have fear, and because we don't live by the law of Johnny's, which brings separation and segregation, because I rasta, we're born that. You know, we we love togetherness. So it makes it easy for me, you know in my consciousness to keep growing, keep evolving. And it's easy for me because that is who I am. I ain't trying to think, I ain't trying to sit down. I think that's what writing does with pen and paper, make it start come out of the character. Instead of giving naturally who you are. You know what I'm saying? And me also know this that sometimes them know what's good for them. You often fruit in yourself knowing what's good for you, so you can give it to the people. Like a song like we play. When I was putting out that song, they told me, no, I need a next song. So I'm the label side. I need a welfare song, something to show them this side and that side of me. And in my consciousness and my spirituality, I said nothing leap better. That's what I know from my ancestors. I leap the song. They start calling, yo, we glad you leap the song. Oh, well done.

SPEAKER_00: 12:29

You know, so I did your job for you.

SPEAKER_03: 12:31

Sometimes you have to know what the people like, because look at what happened, and then big up silent addy and big up um this coneil, you know, Carol, Miskan Neal, and big up Molly, skilly bang, sense here, shake it to the max. But silent addi, this canil, Molly, you know, they created that call. That was something that was going on. That wasn't a trend that was happening in the today's world. You know, that's not what the people, but the vibes, yeah, real, you cannot go around it.

SPEAKER_01: 13:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 13:04

Nobody knows what gang them style means. But when you keep your feeling pain at the badges, you really can't go around it. So you have to know what is good. Leave yourself open and be real as possible. And keep working, because the more you work, the more varieties you have to choose from. You know, what is great for more day. More you have to test the crowd. You know, you can't be up in a party and they say, I know God. Press play upon the song. And when you press play, you call the start move. Like them know the song from last year. First song, you know, I mean, we know that that's one to do.

SPEAKER_01: 13:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 13:41

So you can't play fool. Some things you have to notice one, some things you have to make the spirit lead, you know. It's a collective effort to the team too.

SPEAKER_01: 13:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 13:53

Yeah. So you have to keep your ears open, the mind open, and the eyes open, you know.

SPEAKER_00: 13:57

Yeah. So you talked about We Pray. How did the collaboration with Popcorn come about? Was that later in the process before you leaked it, or you leaked it with him already on it?

SPEAKER_03: 14:09

No, I leaked it with him, man. Actually, I look on, you know, because we voice the song 2016. I voiced my part 2016, earlier part. He voiced his part like the 29th of December 2016. And February, we had a discussion with the team, man. We look on him, he said Friday night, I said, yo, no, we are gonna eat the song. And he said, no, bro, you know. I said, no, we're gonna leave the song. I gotta lit the song. And he said, sure. So yeah, man, say, alright. All the vibes was on the block, you know, we have all the vibes, and when I leave, you know, I go, man, he drive and stop on foot and say, yo, you're cutting up, bro. He said, big up. So yo, send a song to Jamie, Petra, and Kobe. You say, all right, cool. Go home the night after I leave. Big up Jamie Petra and Kobe. Send it to them, sleep the Friday night, wake up the Saturday morning, the song everywhere.

SPEAKER_00: 15:11

And what was that feeling like for you? Trusting your instinct and seeing the reaction.

SPEAKER_03: 15:16

It was like, you know, said Jarel. You know, it's a confirmation again. Because you keep getting the confirmation, you know, say, well, Jarel. Got the big prayer for your instinct. You know what I'm saying? I would say you have to know when to follow your instinct or when to follow that instinct. You know, when to collaborate the three of them together to make it work. So it's not just one process, it's just keep on working. Like the scientists in the lab. Keep on experimenting, keep on working, keep on evolving, keep on growing, get the result. So that's what we did. Think the song, and that's how we we saw that song revive and go, you know?

SPEAKER_01: 15:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 15:55

And as you say, sometimes positive message is not because it never just bam. It made an impact, but the real impact was when we dropped the video six, seven months after in August. You know, we dropped the video, and then we started the song, it didn't take off a different type of dimension, you know, because it gives you why it's good. So and then we watch it grow 2017 up to this day, we see it again evolving. Every time that song plays first. So that's also a testament to positive music, but how much song that came up with me play is still playing today. It's still making that same effect today, even if it's playing, you know what I'm saying? So stay positive and big up everyone who is staying positive. Because I'm just lying, you know.

SPEAKER_02: 16:46

Listen.

SPEAKER_03: 16:47

Look at the Malis. Look at this. Look at Sisla. Yeah. Antony D.

SPEAKER_01: 16:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 16:53

Just name them. You know, they made international before some people thought they were international. Because of the message from one of the music.

SPEAKER_00: 17:03

Then tell me about releasing your debut album. You released that during COVID. Or like, did you did you plan to release it then? Or was it?

SPEAKER_03: 17:13

It was not planned.

SPEAKER_00: 17:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 17:14

But then the time come. I saw what time it was. It was just alright for me to give people a miscomfort, you know. They needed that comfort. But in the mentality, you know. It was a very serious time.

SPEAKER_01: 17:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 17:30

You know, a lot of people lost a lot of things. Life, you know, first and foremost, a lot of people lost life. You know, a lot of people gain. Early possessions, you know, a lot of changes were making in the time, you know. A lot of segregation was taking place because everybody has to be social distancing. You know, so it was only right. I said my list of the voice again, and most times, keep the people and mistake. Don't watch nothing. We give you that baby. Put them this. Now they need this, you know. So it's love in the house. You know, we make the decision, we put out the album, and we saw it, it grew two million streams on Spotify and Space of a month.

SPEAKER_02: 18:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 18:17

Because obviously everybody was home.

SPEAKER_02: 18:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 18:20

On the phone.

SPEAKER_02: 18:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 18:21

Nobody else was releasing music.

SPEAKER_02: 18:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 18:24

So, you know, and again, it was that comforting to the soul. No one eyes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 18:31

The other thing too, you know, you weren't able to perform it, you know, for people for a while. So what was that like being able to go on the road and seeing the digital, you know, data is one thing and hearing the chatter is another. But being able to finally touch the road and see how people respond to this project, like, what was that like after not being able to tour and then being able to perform it?

SPEAKER_03: 19:02

I mean, we still never perform that album, how we should perform. Now we're getting that time. So you see? Yeah. Everything's evolution. We sing the songs now, and even people that come to the rare songs.

SPEAKER_01: 19:18

Come on.

SPEAKER_03: 19:19

Yeah. Oh, I never know this. Yeah. You know, and they support dual. They know dual music, but they don't know the album. So you go back to what we said earlier, keep making positive music. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 19:33

Is it weird for you that, you know, you released this project a while ago, or even songs that you released, you know, a while ago. And they're just now discussed. I mean, I'm not, we were talking about this not too long ago. Like, music discovery is just so much different than it was before, like, you know, especially post-COVID. So, like, and you grew up in an era where you could see like these superstars, and as you are coming up, you're like, that's gonna be my trajectory. And then you get here and it's just like, whoa, it's completely changed. So, how is it seeing people discover your music for the first time, even though you've written it probably seven, eight years ago, and then released it as an entire project in 2020?

SPEAKER_03: 20:24

I mean, it was always, and it still gonna be a great feeling because I always say this. The music is as new as the first year's who hearing it now. So if you hear it for the very first time, it's brand new. It's a brand new record.

SPEAKER_01: 20:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 20:44

New. No matter who hear it, no matter how much time I played it before, no matter who I played it for, no matter who was buying it, it's brand new to that. 10 million new people hearing it, it's brand new to them. You can only give them your experience, but they're gonna tell you we just say this for the first time when we have it. You know what I'm saying? It's a new record to us. The date is because of realistically speaking, we met data. So we imprint, or it was released in 2017. But we never nature music because we never see about things that keep it stagnant to 2017 or to that time in life, you know? We make sure that we never date the music. No expiry date is not on it. So it's gonna be always fresh and new to you, the first user.

unknown: 21:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 21:35

I love that because I just heard like I just heard nice again. And I'm like, how did I not hear this song when it released in 2024? Like, yo, my next, and I'm grateful that you don't feel bad.

SPEAKER_03: 21:49

No, because because that's why we do the music where we do it, because we don't want it burnout.

SPEAKER_02: 21:54

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 21:55

It's too hard to try in song.

SPEAKER_02: 21:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 22:02

Versus we see the songs that do have more expire again.

SPEAKER_01: 22:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 22:06

Life will show us that, you know. So I give thanks that I am that exception. And I give thanks that the music keeps growing.

SPEAKER_01: 22:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 22:15

Yeah. After this dance. Because you're right, some people's songs just failed away with a win.

SPEAKER_01: 22:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 22:22

2025, you know much you know much songs came out this year that you never heard before, you know what songs came out last year that you never heard before. Going to resurface itself, reinvent itself because they never need it, you know, it's just a time. You know, while some of them was gonna pop at the moment and then fade away. Because then I asked what was the big dance record in 2010.

SPEAKER_01: 22:45

Even though.

SPEAKER_03: 22:46

So I'm saying, and you had your favorite. You know, you have a favorite artist in the new crap now, and if I ask you what's his favorite, what was his not from a specific year.

SPEAKER_00: 22:56

You're right, you're right.

SPEAKER_03: 22:58

What was your favorite song from the artist in 2021?

SPEAKER_00: 23:02

You just know the song that you like from that artist.

SPEAKER_03: 23:05

And maybe you can't even remember that one. You just know that what you just know a song or something now, because if I ask you random, what was that person's song? You'll be like, I know you'll be, I do it all the time. They'd be like, oh, you say you is this fan and you is this fan, and you is for this person, but they can't give you the answer for that. Yeah. And if you ask somebody like who studied trial and music, and he's a fine trial and music, they will tell you that. No, of course, we pray was released 2017. Of course, you released the whistle away back. Yeah. You know Rasta Fireway? Because we see the conversations come up, you know?

SPEAKER_02: 23:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 23:43

And people sing back some songs to me, line for line, word for word. I'd be like, how you do that? Because then me, I try to remember some songs, not for me, but for other people that I liked. And I used to sing it, and I can't remember it today.

SPEAKER_01: 23:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:00

And others can't remember it. But then when you give them conscious songs, I'm gonna put your song in a certain. When you are the behind curtain, you go all the time.

SPEAKER_01: 24:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:09

You know what I said, do it for the love, you know, do it for the likes. Please remember.

SPEAKER_02: 24:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:14

It's a part of you.

SPEAKER_01: 24:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:16

You do it for the love for real.

SPEAKER_01: 24:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:18

These are things that you can sing. You pray. Yeah. No matter which tongue you speak, you pray. And never say, I pray to our jar, ask the party, that's mine. Yeah. You know, that that's for me. You know, but where prayer is concerned, everybody speaks different tongues, different languages. We all pray.

SPEAKER_01: 24:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:37

You know what I'm saying? So it's gonna be good for you to say that's why that song everybody says we pray, is we all pray.

SPEAKER_01: 24:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:44

You know, and it don't feel no offense to nobody.

SPEAKER_01: 24:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 24:48

When you say that. So that's what we do. We don't make the music or make it the self. And you say, but asked you to give me the right voice to say this people. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 24:59

You know, my favorite, my favorite is Favorite Girl and is it more life? And I'll tell you why, more love. And I'll tell you why. On those two records, you balance singing and DJing perfectly. And the music doesn't override you, or like it's not an undertone, like it just flows really well. And you it's yeah, singing. Like when you're singing, I think you should sing more. Because I think that that tone of of singing is unique to you. And when you do it with the music, it just sounds so melodious because it's so different. So they complement like your production and your vocals when you sing, complement each other really well. So those are my two favorites from you. However, Situation and what we just need nice again. Nice again made it really vex. I love the sample. Is there a sample on Situation or is it just that one drop?

SPEAKER_03: 26:14

Yeah, it's that sample.

SPEAKER_00: 26:16

No, it's a sample.

SPEAKER_03: 26:17

And then the the sample of the producer, because he's a producer for nice again. See the breakfast.

SPEAKER_00: 26:25

And it's a budget sample on um nice again.

SPEAKER_03: 26:29

Well, this again, the beat, you know, I won't do that, the joytics. The joytics was in a certain way you look at corner in the box, billing a beat for somebody else. Yeah. That beat ain't got none to do with me at the time. But obviously, it has everything to do with me now. No. But at the time, he was billing a beat, he biting me to the studio. So we'd have been right here in the lobby chilling, and him down in the studio in the engineering room making his beat. He was billing it on spot. But while he was billing me outside, he said, he scraped me. But we have a conversation and J Tex, who for reading this? Yeah, let me try something upon it. Let me see how I go on. And I went around there, the first record. The length of that song, the beat, were you here? That was the very first thing. Oh really? I was after dumb. Maybe we changed like four words. Yeah. They jumble up away. You know? I'ma reinvent that demo and play it back. Does he have the demo? But when it was like maybe four or five words that was not said properly, you know?

SPEAKER_01: 27:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 27:41

We did voice it over, but that core is what you hear now. Yeah, and that. And you have some songs like that, you know, like I just did a song that named Love is in the house. And it we had the session and the session about two hours. But the song was the the length we wrote the song in the length of the beat. And then we take the hour to do the harmonies and the other. Because most of my sessions is only two hours. Never over two hours. And you always chip-chat out one hour, other vibes. The next hour, the music makes, you know. So we identify that process and we always do, you know, greatest thing we can always go back and be properly like evolve it again. Yeah. How to our liking. But that song, it wasn't like we were sitting there and doing the booji song. I was singing and when I retract there, girl, you make my day. But it's love in the house, because Boojo is one of my role models, you know. One of the ones I can that I look up to, you know. And he helped me to to also to carve my sound. You know, he helped me how to use my sound to because we have the same thoughts. And also from the same community, where is that Jamaica, you know. I come from Family Sensing, come from White and Barclay. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 29:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 29:06

Yes, uh, we have to walk past Moody Studio when I was coming from high school every day, you know, to go to my yard. So is is it love in the house, you know. So when we realized what I did, and that was also something for my subconscious. Yeah. Because we were never thinking about that. We never hear that song in a while. Yeah. I never when last we heard that song before I did.

SPEAKER_00: 29:28

A while, yes.

SPEAKER_03: 29:30

So when that came out, it just showed me that it's bigger than just iron eye. It showed me that you don't want that seed or that tree to grow that way, don't put that in it. Because what we got, that what I got installed in me from when I was a kid growing up, you see it coming out naturally. Because that was a testament to that too, because I never was used to that song. But when we go in there on the beach, let me sing, girl, you hate my day. And then when they say, Yo, I'm bougie that to me, I say, Oh yeah, well, good. We're glad to say I bought you then. You know, it worked better then, you know what I'm saying? So that was the vibe. So big up JTX, he never tried for sound fleet. Yeah. I know.

SPEAKER_00: 30:19

And then you and then you you roll with it. I I love it.

SPEAKER_03: 30:22

I sure love it.

SPEAKER_00: 30:23

And even situation like that, I love samples and references to catalogue music, even before our time. Yes, that's a popular, yes, I would know Budji right off the top. But I think sampling and reversioning old rhythms, old sounds really is creative in itself because it's very challenging to take in something that's already good, has already been great, and make it relevant for today.

SPEAKER_01: 30:57

Keep it great.

SPEAKER_00: 30:58

And keep it great, yeah. Because you hear some samples and it's just like, what is happening? But I think when it's done really well, it's really a testament. So big up the producer, cuz text, maybe. Dread text, yes, big up.

SPEAKER_03: 31:11

The situation, cuz we're gonna sing the songs for the situation again. That yeah, I went there with an acht.

SPEAKER_00: 31:19

And no, you're show off, no.

SPEAKER_03: 31:21

No, but never actually never moved. Okay. In the in in what you call it? When you enter in Bronx from out uh Greenwich.

SPEAKER_00: 31:34

Uh yeah, Westchester. Westchester. Yeah, yeah. So that period. Bob's come son like a Westchester. Can I say far?

SPEAKER_03: 31:43

No. So it's closer to that. But but but but big up big up the branch, you know? Yeah. He called me the same that one boat and we got two boats side to side. Big up technically, take across two boats side to side and one of the studio.

SPEAKER_01: 31:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 31:59

And I and I go and we go for vice. But two different beats, add something to the upcoming album that's coming. And we just say there's an album coming very soon. The situation is the second single, nice again. It's the first single. So we go for go add the next song to the album. And we had two past songs that we had demo for DreyTex. So we play them beat. While playing them beat, situation beat just jump out. Mr. What that? Right as Mr. What that somebody was on the phone going through a situation. That we look up and do to the first year, so I look stressed, and that's the nothing. Watch it. Yeah, beats a meet. So when that person walked out, it only influenced me to say, got myself caught up in uh stiff situation because I started. You know?

SPEAKER_00: 32:55

So that wasn't your situation, it was somebody else's situation.

SPEAKER_03: 32:59

But then I don't know what's going on over there. So I sing it to me. Only you know, see about my situation.

SPEAKER_01: 33:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 33:06

So that's how sometimes music creates, you know, the room, the environment, spontaneous. Yeah. It acts for the process. So that's one of the processes them too. You know, it depends on what's happening at the moment.

SPEAKER_01: 33:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 33:16

I watch been playing on my mind. Yeah. You know, so step out. So when he comes back in the studio, my heart say, what do you think? It's sound like something with me, I got you now. The man said, Yeah, what go on? The man said, Yo, you might expect a youth. Man, as you speak, you're a man. You say, come glad, live up your respect for everyone, man. You sad seen me. Yeah, so go on, why you sad? My wife at the home, and she had a baby. And I say, eh, well, you know, we can't sing about that situation no more, so we just go into real life situation. So I I sing real music.

SPEAKER_01: 34:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:00

I sing music. You know, I'm sing about it down. We're not stitching.

SPEAKER_01: 34:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:06

We're not informers. We know what to do.

SPEAKER_01: 34:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:09

The situation is there.

SPEAKER_01: 34:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:11

About make sure that people learn from this. Yeah. That's that was a learning process.

SPEAKER_00: 34:16

Yeah. It's a really great great song. Just like beginning to end.

SPEAKER_03: 34:22

Because even though you start it like that, the real message behind it was reassuring the one that you love. That's only you.

SPEAKER_00: 34:29

It's just you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:31

You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00: 34:32

You have a you have a good pocket for tender love song, you know.

SPEAKER_03: 34:39

I mean, I was raised in love.

SPEAKER_00: 34:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:42

I saw love, genuine real love. My mum and dad was my before I was born. I never hear my dad argue with my mom before.

SPEAKER_01: 34:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 34:54

Say to my mother, Miss Dancing, I feel a pain when my mock I touch him back. It dropped in her arms, died. So, you know, me see true love. The beginning of my conception to see the word dad, you know.

SPEAKER_04: 35:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 35:10

My grandma, you know, grew up in the church, you know, give things like background because it teaches me a lot. You know, we see things in there too, but we see love too. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01: 35:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 35:20

And where my mom and dad is concerned, I think that's true definition of love. I never seen my dad argue with my mom. My mom never went to the supermarket before. You know, sometimes I say, oh, oh Mom, coop.

SPEAKER_01: 35:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 35:33

Jamaica, she never shot before. That was my dad doing that every single Sunday.

SPEAKER_01: 35:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 35:38

You know, so you see band, you see truth, you see others too. The neighbours we see it in the community, you know. As you say, we grew up on smooth groove, body to soul. We grew up on love music, soul music. And that's something that I think is not here no more. You know, or not mean push-up like that, are not being represented properly. So I just played my part of representing love. Showing back my merging them of love them woman, and also showing the empress, yo, you're worthwhile.

SPEAKER_01: 36:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 36:17

Crown yourself, you're a queen, you know, what they do. On the spot for Bunny, there's a lot of that going on. Just for travel around the world, take a picture, put my Instagram, you know, them cool with that, you can catch them. You know what I'm saying? And my job show them the life work more than that. Love yourself, so somebody can love you for real. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 36:35

A reasonable reason, you know. Okay, so you talked about releasing a new project. So tell me about the upcoming project. You don't have to tell me the title because it's not ready to release yet.

SPEAKER_03: 36:45

No, I won't say the title. However, it's all about love. Okay. Song dedicated to love, dedicated to empowering, growth, you know, spiritual love, love how I got it, love how I was raised, love how I saw it, you know, it's from then. You know what I'm saying? I might not be the perfect lover like I was on my mom and dad in my relationships, but you know what? I took a lot of greatness from them. It has helped me reason and also not to break down my other part.

SPEAKER_01: 37:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 37:21

You know, my other. So even them lies to be because of what I saw. Yeah. You know, regardless of what my cotton loves in the house. Yeah. You know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 37:29

I'm sure your your mom and dad had their own challenges. I don't think any love is.

SPEAKER_03: 37:34

We don't see it, but it's you know, I will never do. I'm not wanting to judge me. Yeah. You know, I judge them.

SPEAKER_00: 37:40

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03: 37:41

They're not perfect enough if we keep it from me. But mommy know, I kept it, so I guess it never. Very true. You know, can't say that. They're not perfect enough for the hide it.

SPEAKER_02: 37:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 37:53

I can say that because that would be madness because I was there in their face. Yeah. Then if four sevens, I see where it could have got so.

SPEAKER_02: 38:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 38:00

And I realize the pops did.

SPEAKER_02: 38:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 38:03

Mom would get argue back. And I guess that was something when my grandmother tell me about a few mother, so just you get the knowledge more than all me they get it. They said, no argument with the woman.

SPEAKER_01: 38:19

You never win.

SPEAKER_03: 38:20

We did get that teaching too, but we go off sometimes. And they say, we can't speak to mine, partly go as mom and dad. No. Yeah. We never say that. Yeah. However, as son.

SPEAKER_02: 38:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 38:32

You know what I'm saying? Yeah, me see. The good old love. We're missing all.

SPEAKER_00: 38:37

So what are you excited about? Life. Life? Yeah, give thanks. Life.

SPEAKER_03: 38:42

Yeah, life is life, you know. You know, the music only getting better. I'm passionate about music. I love music. I love life. I love who asked the father.

SPEAKER_01: 38:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 38:54

I love who I am. I love what I do. I love people. You know what I'm saying? I love people. So yeah, I'm lover Jack Create. For real.

SPEAKER_00: 39:03

What are you most proud of to date in your musical career or otherwise?

SPEAKER_03: 39:11

And just keep on growing. I'm proud that I am where I am today, you know. And I see where I'm going, I see what's gonna happen, you know, and I also know what I need to do. That's what I'm proud of. The knowledge that I've gained. To know where I need to go.

SPEAKER_00: 39:32

How important is that vision for you? And and vision for people in general. Like what advice would you give to people envisioning their life in in a certain way that God has put on their heart versus letting external things?

SPEAKER_03: 39:51

I used to speak it because it can't be on the messenger, you know. I've taken the message because I used to speak it, but I see where I used to fight a shark to. But I also see where I realize where I fought a shark. Not making that mistake no more. Used to feel focus and stop distraction. That's what we think. You know, feed focus, next focus, swell up and then stop distraction mark at all.

SPEAKER_00: 40:23

So we talked about you growing up in the industry and how much it's changed. How has it changed for you in terms of just seeing from CDs to digital and now AI? Like, what what do you think about the trajectory of the current music business and how do you see yourself fitting into or not fitting into where you think it's going?

SPEAKER_03: 40:48

It's always a room to improve. That's how I see this new time because even where it is now, you know, is the social media that's selling the music. You know, kind of the creators to streamers sell music, it's no longer radio analyst. It's no longer the beaters on the radio alone. It's just still playing that part too. Everybody playing the part, but there's more to it. You know? And for me was finding what I was comfortable and that now, sitting here doing this interview, you know, just knowing that, okay, you need to promote the music. That's not working what it used to be no more.

SPEAKER_02: 41:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 41:29

We're going to sit down because that's not working and not promote your music. No. See what's going on, see how best you can apply what you do to make it work for your audience. Of course, you're going to take a little bit of ups, a little bit of down, like a move and bar. Don't have no fear. Not saying you must go here and dance, dance like everybody. Or farmful them silly jokes like everybody. You know, they play no part to make me smile. They play a part, dance, it entertain me. That's not you. You don't need to do that. You need to know what you need to do. I need to know what I need to do so I can be effective to these people. Be in their face while not boring them and not losing them, but keeping them engaged and receiving what I'm also giving that.

SPEAKER_01: 42:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 42:25

You know, so it's just for me to find that niche within myself to express it on the platforms that is there and provide it for us to promote and sell our music. And that's what it's doing.

SPEAKER_00: 42:37

Have you found your flow in terms of promoting?

SPEAKER_03: 42:40

Yeah, mummy. Took me some time, but I mean, we're fine. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 42:49

So you're in my home state of Connecticut. We're here at Unknown Clothing here in New Britain, Connecticut.

SPEAKER_03: 42:55

Yeah, big up unknown clothing.

SPEAKER_00: 42:56

Big up unknown clothing. So, what what brings you to Connecticut? Most people do not come to except Busy. Shout out to Busy Signal.

SPEAKER_03: 43:04

Yeah, big up busy signal, basically.

SPEAKER_00: 43:08

But um, we have such a big um Jamaican community, Caribbean community.

SPEAKER_03: 43:15

Wanna have such a big movement to love to, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00: 43:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 43:20

In the sense of Connecticut, I have a lot of talent. Holy battalion. But what I have come to learn is the mentality. The stigma that is left on their mentality as talented people. Oh, we can have a boss from Connecticut, oh, you can't rip. That's madness. Not with technology. Yeah. It's madness. You can go under a rock and make yourself a man and a woman today. You know what I'm saying? You can go on the top of the mountain by yourself. As long as the internet is there, you're gonna be that person.

SPEAKER_02: 44:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 44:01

Audience, you're gonna create your art just to learn how to create the audience. So over you're full of talent. Over you're full of reason why I should be here often.

SPEAKER_01: 44:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 44:12

Because we love music early.

SPEAKER_01: 44:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 44:15

And we realize that there's a lot of what I love here.

SPEAKER_00: 44:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 44:21

Music.

SPEAKER_00: 44:22

And I love that you're getting the support from people here and doing shows. I'm looking forward to your performance. Coming up. And you have a full band. So I love that. So, like, is this a start to you doing more shows either in the area or across the states? What do you see for yourself in the near future?

SPEAKER_03: 44:48

100% we're starting tour. We're looking forward to touring East Coast, West Coast, you know, states, Canada, Europe, England. Yeah. You know, but we're kicking it off here. Thank you. Thank you. And we keep we we're gonna do an East Coast tour.

SPEAKER_02: 45:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 45:05

You know, but we're building something here in Connecticut, the whole Connecticut that I think is listen. Music.

SPEAKER_00: 45:14

I'm excited.

SPEAKER_03: 45:15

Festival. You know what I'm saying? So it's a collective effort of everybody. You know, the Reggae and the Rice series. Yeah. First series features Joy Island.

SPEAKER_02: 45:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 45:24

But they also continue to do series along the way. So you're going to see more Reggae and the Rice with some mega artists to come in. Whether it's R Street Tavern, where we're keeping this one, 85 R Street, downtown Alfred, maybe it's New Britain, the next one keep. Maybe it's Mirge Point, the next one keep. You know what I'm saying? Maybe it's New Avenue, the next one keep. You know? And we're also showing love too. Because I know because of borderline and because of name, but mass, it's like CT too, you know. It's one key. So for me, I don't look on in a raster. It's like how many with January's. You know what I'm saying? One. You know, we understand why it's there.

SPEAKER_02: 46:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 46:06

You know? But it's one. So it's to bring all of these people from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, when they come from New York, you know. Know that love is here.

SPEAKER_01: 46:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 46:20

A whole lot of talent is here.

SPEAKER_01: 46:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 46:22

And greatness is here, you know. So it's it's it's growth. Reggae and the Rise series, you know, there'll be something that starting up here soon that goes by the name of Rubber Dog Fridays. Strictly reggae music. The same vibes like Dubwise, cheap in Jamaica, Kingston Dub Club.

SPEAKER_02: 46:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 46:40

Robber Dub Fridays. Strictly rubber dub music. Something different. Something that you can feel to bring a kid and feel comfortable. Yeah. Be inspired on a Friday night, you know, you do have work in the morning. You know, after coming from a long day, a week of work. Come drink some fruit juice, come drink some roots, some all the vibes, you know, come socialize and ever know who you might see.

SPEAKER_00: 47:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 47:05

You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00: 47:06

I like that you said bring the kids, because uh the kids are.

SPEAKER_03: 47:09

And that's a lot of vibes, so that's what we need.

SPEAKER_00: 47:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 47:12

I have to sow the seeds from young. Yeah. So the tree can grow straight, you know, not lean. So you have to bring them forward and start growth, rock and groove, you know.

SPEAKER_00: 47:23

Alright. Any last words that you want to share?

SPEAKER_03: 47:28

No. It's not my last words.

SPEAKER_00: 47:33

Yo, I never try to interview people that trick me like that.

SPEAKER_03: 47:38

It's not my last words.

SPEAKER_00: 47:39

It's not my last words. Okay, alright, we're gonna rephrase it.

SPEAKER_03: 47:42

Yeah, you know, we have some words. You know, I said it before, you know. I always want to tell them, no room for errors. Yeah. Perfect. We were born perfect, don't let them trick you. Because God never did anything wrong. God gave us conscience. And along the way, we use it. That's what shape ourselves in the pity, in our darkness, our light. Or we use our mentality. Toever, everything that the most I had created, I want perfect. You see what I'm saying? So there's no room for errors, feed focus, start, distraction.

SPEAKER_00: 48:17

Absolutely. And with that, thank you so much, Dre Island. I absolutely love this conversation. And um, if you guys are watching on YouTube or listening, please subscribe to the podcast. And until next time, later my peeps.

SPEAKER_03: 48:34

Love is in the