Words by Corey Chase
Born and raised in Miami and Jamaica, DJ Corey Chase is a man of diverse musical interests. He’s laid down scratches for Britney Spears and Prince, produced tracks used by Frank Ocean, and worked with Damian and Ky-mani Marley. Among other regular gigs in the 305, you can find him selecting riddims and supplying the vibes at Dubwise Miami, every Wednesday night at Coyo Taco (aka the “Coyo Dub Lounge”). Look out for more from Corey on Double Barrel, his new mixtape for LargeUp (with DJ Gravy), featuring hip-hop classics and the reggae that sampled them.
Greetings, LargeUp family! Corey Chase checking in with this week’s Selector’s Choice. Without any further delay, I present to you a handful of tunes that resonate with me at the moment, in no specific order…
Pressure Busspipe – Run Away Pressure is, without a doubt, one of my favorite reggae artists. His sound is so unique, and now that he and the bredrin Tippy (I Grade Records…SALUTE!!!) are working together, the result is nothing short of proper roots reggae music. Heavy basslines, solid mixes, upful lyrics and militant melodies. And when the horns come in…boom bam badang!! Shot!! Youths need positivity in music, with all the slackness and f*ckery man ah sing bout nowadays. Pressure is one of those artists the youths can listen and follow.
Jordan Rakei – Get Up
This was a buck up I found on Soundcloud one night, and I’ve been bumping his music non-stop ever since. He still has yet to release a full album, but might possibly be one of my favorite artists…ever. Incredible tone, and very adept arranger and composer. Some of the best soul/reggae/R&B vibes I’ve heard in a while…and then to realize that it’s from Australia?! Like Jordan told me, the influences are Gong Marley, D’Angelo, and Tribe. How can you go wrong with that? You can’t. Thank me later.
Protoje – Bubblin
Pressure Busspipe feat. Midnite – Nothing No Wrong
Another big tune from the I Grade camp. Those who know me could’ve put money on that. Again, powerful lyrics, drum and bass lock een, and there’s just a great symbiosis when Vaughn and Pressure call and respond. Keeping the oral tradition alive and strong. This one always sounds incredible at Dubwise.
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Blackbird
One of the great bands of our time, from New Zealand…and definitely one of the great voices, in Joe Dukie. An epic of a song, clocking in at nearly nine and a half minutes, “Blackbird” never seems that long because of a solid arrangement, which is missing in most modern popular music these days. Awesome horns and percussion in this, and the tone of Dukie’s voice really sets it off. Great take on roots/reggae/dub from NZ. Big ups DJ Dharma putting me on this one!!
Skip Marley – Cry To Me
When Paul Fakhouri, bassist for Lauryn Hill and the Marley fam, told me Skip is the one, I had to give this a proper listen. After seeing his first performance at The Get Together Miami, and hearing a few tunes…I may have to agree. The son of Cedella, Skip is the latest to come out of the Marley camp, and he’s representing lovely. Stephen Marley just also released the dub version of this tune, tough as well.
Assassin – Mix This
Don dada. Happy to see him getting all the buzz right now. Sonically, none can test. Lyrically, man have concepts and flow for days, evident in this release on the Heaven Bless Riddim. Try nuh mix up the original with carbon copy!!! Slim girl mixed with a fatty, me a talk bout small waist, big batty!!! Pull up!!!
Kabaka Pyramid – Well Done
This tune talks about a lot of the issues in Jamaica right now. Things like China owning a lot of Jamaica right now, poverty, and the general corruption within the Jamaican Government. And it’s all hidden in a catchy reggae tune, produced by Jr Gong. Who’d have thought, you can actually wrap up things of substance in music, and people will actually support it? Well done, Kabaka.