Audio: Bruno Mars + Black Chiney Go Rub-A-Dub on “Show Me”

Words by Jesse Serwer—

Say what you will about Bruno Mars—and we’ll be the first to tell you we’re not in love with a lot of his stuff—but Hawaii’s first pop superstar makes music with broad appeal. His new album Unorthodox Jukebox lives up to its name, with a little sum’n for everybody, and that includes us.

For track No. 8, “Show Me,” Mars and his songwriting team The Smeezingtons linked with Supa Dups and his Black Chiney production partner, Mitchum “Khan” Chin. Dups and Mars have already established a strong track record with their work on 2010’s Doo-Wops & Hooligans, most notably the Damian Marley collaboration, “Liquor Store Blues.” Just like that one, this isn’t your typical, watered-down pop star version of reggae. Right from the opening drum shots, you can tell “Show Me” is the real deal.

While Dups’ riddim brings the moody, rub-a-dub vibes, Mars’ vocals conjure that era as well, with echoes of Sugar Minott and Gregory Isaacs. Any way you slice it, though, this tune is a scorcher.