Blakkamoore Upward Spiral

Stream Blakkamoore's "Mek It Play" off 'Upward Spiral' deluxe edition

Jahdan Blakkamoore was born in Guyana and raised in Brooklyn, where he discovered hip hop and embarked on a career fusing the sounds of hip hop with reggae and dancehall. He and producer Andrew “Moon” Bain became two of the key collaborators on Snoop Dogg‘s 2013 reggae album Reincarnated, and all three of them connect again on Blakkamoore’s new album Upward Spiral, which came out earlier this year and gets an expanded deluxe edition on Friday (11/13) via Lustre Kings.

Blakkamoore and Moon Bain (who together form the duo PaperStars) co-wrote and co-produced much of the album together, and Snoop is on the song “Get Down Tonight.” “Some would say this is the biggest track on the album,” Blakkamoore said. “A party record with positive vibes with the Snoop Dogg feature on this one which is humongous. His opening lyric says it all, ‘the drinks on me cause I got it all, yup you bout to bang with the big Boss Dogg.’ I remember Moon telling his A&R, Justin Lee – ‘We want Snoop Dogg. We want a classic, positive vibes, Snoop party record with two verses and for Snoop to sing the hook with Jahdan.’ He delivered on every single point. That’s love and a huge blessings on the project from an icon. This track justifies the album title completely and reminds people that love is essential.”

The album also features rising Jamaican-born, Connecticut-based dancehall artist Alandon, Virgin Islands roots reggae band Akae Beka, and French ragga hip hop musician Biga Ranx, and the new deluxe edition comes with a few new remixes and the brand new song “Mek It Play,” which premieres in this post.

“‘Mek it Play’ is one I did for a UK vinyl release, around the time Moon was working on a dub album called Digital Ancient Dub,” Blakkamoore tells us. “Things kind of changed for that so I was happy to place it on this deluxe edition as a featured single. It’s really coming from the heart and soul fo. What classic dancehall culture is about. It’s like I am at the dance, hanging in the DJ booth and singing for the crowd. Old school, DJ and a singer, speakers and a mic, toasting to the crowd. Just an upful vibes for the people.”

The song’s reverb-coated, bass-heavy groove (produced by Moon Bain’s group Zion I Kings) is totally hypnotic, and Blakkamoore’s chilled-out delivery is perfect for it. Listen and watch the lyric video below.

Also watch the video for the song with Snoop Dogg and stream the standard edition of the album:

Upward Spiral Deluxe Edition Tracklist

1. “Play the Role” (Big Slap Riddim)
2. “The Code”
3. “Spotlight”
4. “Get Down Tonight” feat Snoop Dogg
5. “Change”
6. “Amazing Grace”
7. “Skyscrapers” feat Biga Ranx
8. “Underneath the Lights”
9. “Mash Down Georgetown”
10. “Golden Lights”
11. “Tomorrow Belongs to Us” feat Alandon
12. “Earth Cry” feat Akae Beka
13. “Red Ites”
14. “Body Talk”
15. “Take Time” (Perfect Storm Riddim)
16. “Take Time” (I Grade Dub)
17. “Mek it Play”
18. “Get Down Tonight” (Break Science Remix)
19. “Get Down Tonight” OGD Remix
20. “Golden Dub of Infinity”