Fully Bad’s Good Manners Prods Production Of ‘We Nah Smile Again’ Song With Skatta Burrell

The old adage that “good manners will carry you through the world” seems to have paid off, musically speaking, for rising Dancehall artist Fully Bad.

Unknown to him, one display of courtesy by him, back in 2016, had such an indelible impact on Double Jeopardy producer Cordell ‘Skatta’ Burrell, that he (Skatta) actually sought him out to voice on the first riddim he created since resuming music production late last year.

According to Skatta, during the entire 11 years when he served as a resident judge on the popular television reality talent series, Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall, Fully Bad was only the only person in the history of the competition, to return to say ‘thank you’ to him for mixing his music, one fateful night during the series, five years ago.

“When him finish deejay him come over and seh: ‘Skatta, give thanks fi di mix.  Give thanks fi gi mi dah strength yah.  Big up yoself’,” Skatta recounted of the incident which has stark similarities to the Biblical story of the Samaritan in the book of St. Luke, who was the only one of 10 men to return to express gratitude for an act of good.

The old school gem that “children with manners will get help from everyone and the ones with none won’t”, rang true for Skatta, as according to the celebrated Downsound producer, Fully Bad’s gesture stuck with him to this day.

According to Skatta, the gesture was also noteworthy since Fully Bad was associated with veteran selector Foota Hype at the time. “Memba dem time deh Foota nuh like a bone inna mi, an a Foota artiste and Foota artiste still come ova to I an I and seh ‘thank you’; show mi dah gratitude deh. Den if him a guh show mi dah gratitude deh, yuh nuh think it a guh stay wid mi.” he said.

“When di man come an seh ‘give thanks’ it stick wid mi.  An it stick wid mi up to today, suh mi always a pree him page an a si di tings dem weh him a do an a si him teck him time a rise up,” he added.

We Naw Smile Again

The result of that engagement is the reflective single We Naw Smile Again which has been earning the 26-year-old Cassava Piece native huge accolades since the song was released a few days ago.

Skatta had hinted that he was going to help a select number of artists to get their big break this year, under his new arrangement with Miami-based independent label SoBe Entertainment to scout for Reggae and Dancehall talent globally.

“Get ready to submit your Music. 2021 about to be someone’s year…,” he had advised young artists in a post on his Instagram page a few weeks ago.

Fully Bad’s haunting single We Naw Smile Again is a social commentary about perseverance as well as the plight of the youths of Kingston’s gritty inner-city areas and the inability of political leaders to empathize with them, or understand their struggles.   Despite the conditions, Fully urges his peers to not succumb to life’s pressures, or become disillusioned, even in spite of the State’s apparent failure to ensure communities are equipped with the social amenities conducive to a productive life.

He urges youth to be self reliant noting in one verse:

“Dem caaan press mi like grape in a vineyard
Have a dream, so mi deejay mi sing hard
Wi a dig inna di street, anyweh di pan a beat
Wi a bleach from Rockfort to Windward
From Cassava Piece go to Big Yard
Wi a encourage every youth fi look inward
Find yourself, know your purpose, low di circus
An money wi come inna surplus…”

Fully Bad told DancehallMag that in penning the song, he drew inspiration from three of Dancehall’s greatest lyricists.

“After sitting with Skatta and him challenge me to find a different, and deep meditation song mi first look into myself and then the current state of Dancehall.  I reflect back on when Kartel do a song like Life We Living and when Bounty Killer do Poor People Fed Up and when Sizzla do Simplicity and di impact weh dem chune deh have…  So mi just go back to the basic and say ‘we nah smile again’,” he said.

“Mi reflect pon the tings dem weh mi affi do fi survive and a whole heap a time mi affi encourage myself. All when nuttn nah gwaan wid the music too tuff, mi hold firm and never give into the pressure of di system and a suh come it find it me. Mi never rush it either; mi make the riddim talk to me and mi leave that small room fi di magic fi happen and mi talk from mi heart, and a suh come mi find it. Yea man,” he noted.