Known for his boundless energy and vibrant stage presence, Elephant Man has rightfully earned the moniker of music’s ‘Energy God’.
The renowned dancehall artiste stated that when he decides to lend his talents to a project, the atmosphere must align with his electrifying spirit. This was precisely the case when Billboard producer Kemar McGregor approached him to contribute to ‘The Recoup’ rhythm. Reflecting on his formative years, Elephant Man couldn’t resist the rush of nostalgia that washed over him upon hearing the project.
“I didn’t get my big break as a solo artiste until the 2000s, but I was with Scare Dem Crew in the ’90s making my way and forming my name, and I can say that era of music is from the gods,” he shared.
“For me, this riddim brings happiness, love and joy to the people, a natural vibe to make you party and be a part of music. Nineties music is the blueprint. That sound is what created the dancehall. So no matter what we do, we affi give it to that generation, and so I was excited to work on a song for this riddim.”
He said that his single, Nuh Shaky, is a testament to Jamaica’s authenticity. He expressed that when it comes to morals, for the most part, Jamaicans are solid people and so the track is an ode to righteous living.
“You know in our culture in Jamaica, certain things we don’t make wrong moves on; we keep it godly. We keep it real and hard-core, just like dancehall,” he said.
“When you see we, yuh see hard-core dancehall, hardcore Jamaica — black, rough. I’m giving you music to enjoy to the fullest. My song is just telling you we ain’t no walkover, no floor mat,” he added.
The response to Nuh Shaky has been overwhelmingly positive, with fans and industry insiders eagerly anticipating the release of the accompanying video.
“The reception so far has been crazy. All the disc jockeys, soundmen, everybody keep asking me about the song. They wanna know when I’m dropping the video. It’s just been a good energy. Good to go,” he said.
Elephant Man also lauded McGregor for reviving the essence of the ’90s with The Recoup, recognising it as a bridge connecting past and present.
“It was exciting to know that Kemar McGregor was dropping this riddim coming from the Dave Kelly era. You know Dave Kelly is a great producer, and Kemar is also one of the greats. So seeing him putting his touch on this, just representing for dancehall, it was a pleasure,” he said.
“I think this riddim is hard-core. The bassline, the drums, the energy that it brings. It gives that original dancehall the world is used to and loves to hear. It is one of my favourite riddims today,” Elephant Man added.
