I-Octane In The US To Secure Hip-Hop Collab With Major Rapper
Reggae star I-Octane is stateside as he is networking with the major players in the US hip hop industry to carve out new opportunities, licensing deals and distribution partnerships for his record label, Conquer The Globe (CTG) Production.
The singjay has just landed a major collaboration with a well-known hip hop star. “I just completed a big collab with a major hip hop star but I can’t reveal who just yet, so the fans can look out for that. I am also shooting a host of visuals for songs that will be released in the next few weeks,” he told DancehallMag.
Even though Octane has had his hands in several things on the entrepreneurship side, his music has never slowed down. A barrage of upcoming releases are expected from the singer.
He will be shooting visuals for singles such as Check Out on the Child’s Play riddim for Landmark Records, as well as singles such as Rasta Love for Big Zim Records , Someone to Love for ZJ Chrome and Next for Good Good Productions.
These visuals for new singles will serve as the perfect holdover until his new album drops in 2021. “Mi just ah warm up the place until the album drops,” he said.
The Banga Phone deejay will also be dropping a new 17 track album, the long awaited follow-up to Love and Life which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Reggae charts and hit #1 on ethnic reggae charts in 21 different countries.
The project will feature superstar collabs with names such as Gentleman, Agent Sasco, Demarco, Da Professa, and Stephen Marley, alongside Octane’s protoge, Banxx, and his daughter Octavia.
DOUBLE DUTY
Octane is also doing double duty as the head of his own production label, CTG.
He has overseen the production of videos for artistes signed to his label, songs such as Escape on the Liquid Sunshine riddim featuring Banxx and Octavia, as well as a video for female artiste Poshh which was shot in New York City, and will be released next month.
In the meantime, Octane has several shows booked in the US over the next two months including one with Dovey Magnum on November 24th in Queens, New York, a show in Panama City, Florida with Dovey Magnum on December 6th, a show in Orlando on December 19th alongside Mavado and Yanique Curvy Diva, and a show in Atlanta on December 27th.
“Next year, Gambia request me again for a show in January 2021,” he said.
I Octane uses his lyrics to elevate, inform and inspire the youth, instead of focusing on the demoralizing aspects of human nature. He has a word of advice for young upcoming artistes.
“All young artistes should respect those who do it over a decade and still relevant. Don’t confuse legacy with hot, you have to be dominant in the first two years of your career, but I can count 20 artistes before me who were hot and now are nowhere to be found. As an artiste, you have to make long term decisions to take you to the next level,” he said.
Octane waxed philosophical as he pleaded with young artistes to “become a better version of yourselves”.
“The reason I survived so long is that I realized early that I will not be the favourite, even now. Those who ruled me out have become an inspiration, and I have run an excellent race. Time ah the master, you don’t have to be the favourite, just be the best version of yourselves,” he said.
Octane said that he feels motivated to mentor young artistes because of the personal fight he got while he was coming up.
“When I was younger and hot, the older artistes bashed me, and said I didn’t know how to get out of Jamaica, I was just hot locally. They didn’t share the knowledge of how to get into foreign markets and establish links, but I learned the hard way and I am ready to share that knowledge with everyone who will take the time out to listen,” he said.