Words by Nadine White
Besides obvious flair and talent, what does Keznamdi have in common with Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber and Rick Ross? Well, they’ve all created hits with Poo Bear, a songwriter/singer responsible for selling over 350 million records; together the duo collaborated on “Champion,” a single which topped the iTunes Reggae Chart after its release in October.
If you haven’t been following Keznamdi’s own blossoming career here’s a quick recap: Born into a musical family—his parents are Errol and Kerida Scott-McDonald of long-running Kingston band Chakula, and his sister is Kelissa—he’s been making music since the age of five. It was in 2013 that the world first got to hear him via his debut EP, Bridging The Gap, featuring the single “Darkness” with Kabaka Pyramid. This year he has dropped some of his strongest material to date, like the smokers anthem “10 Pound” and the herbsman answer to Jidenna’s “Classic Man” called “Ganja Man.”
We present to you, the stripped-back, unplugged music video for the iTunes Reggae Chart-topping single. The black-and-white clip offers a stripped-down, energetic show, featuring Kez up front and centre with the backing of a small group of musicians; better to get to know the song’s uplifting lyrics. Perhaps both versions of the song will be heard on the artist’s upcoming LP.