BeatRoute Magazine BC Print E edition May 2017

BPM
KRANIUM
bringing modern reggae dancehall to the mainstream
VANESSA TAM
While reggae and dancehall music first got started
in Jamaica, over time it’s rich and colourful history
has transported itself all over the world to become
a movement that’s loved the world over.
Growing up in New York by way of Montego Bay,
Jamaica, Kemar Donaldson is one of the brightest
up and coming stars in modern reggae dancehall. In
just a few short years, Donaldson signed a deal with
Atlantic under the stage name Kranium and has already
collaborated on tracks with major artists like
Ty Dolla Sign, Tory Lanez and interestingly enough,
Ed Sheeran.
“The crazy thing is we first wanted to do the remix,”
Donaldson said over the phone thinking back
to how his verse on Ed Sheeran’s hit single “Shape Of
You” first came about. “Yeah it was so amazing that
when they reached out to us just like okay, I have
to come good on this record and that's what I did.
When you're doing a collab with an international
act in such calibre; when ya contributing ya have to
make sure that ya contribute right.”
As the nephew of the innovative Jamaican reggae
artist Screwdriver, Donaldson holds his art and his culture
first and foremost in all of the music he makes. “I
mean culture is something we're, it doesn't leave at all,
you know? Especially in New York,” Donaldson says. “I
just stay in tune with everything that's going on; I feel
like it never really leaves us.”
When asked about his thoughts on the current
trend of North American artists like Drake making
reggae and dancehall inspired music, he has no
problems with it at all. “I feel like people need to
understand that we are artists,” he explains. “Ya understand,
an artist's job is to be artistic and to be
artistic you have to try stuff. So if you are a country
artist and you say, ‘I wanna jump on a dancehall
record,’ by any chance go ahead and do it because
that's your job. I don't see nothing wrong with it.
I have hip hop songs in my record ya know and I
have afrobeat in some of our records. Ain't nothing
wrong wit it! Just like, do it right. If you're gonna do
it just do it right.”
He goes on to say, “I feel like we reaching a point
in life where the artist will always get backlashes after
a ting that's not supposed to be done because
as I said artists are supposed to go out and be creative
and extend and reach and try to push different
boundaries with music. Show me that you can do
some country song and pull it off. Show me [that
you] can do some reggaeton with a reggaeton artist
and pull it off. Show me [that you] can do some
afrobeat, some dancehall ya know so. If you wanna
go an explore, then you go an explore.”
Kranium performs at Venue May 20th.
Kranium believes artists are supposed be creative and try to push different boundaries in music.
16 BPM
May 2017