Foota Hype Says Many Artists Felt They Lacked Competence To Ride His ‘Dollars And Sense’ Riddim

Veteran music selector/producer Foota Hype is contending that many of the artistes whom he approached to voice on his Dollars and Sense beat had shied away, as they knew they lacked the competence to effectively ride the riddim.

Speaking in an interview with veteran journalist Teino Evans on his Next Friday show on YouTube, Foota said he chose to steer away from what is considered the norm nowadays in terms of riddims, and instead create an authentic Dancehall beat.

“Is a breath of fresh air.  Is not the norm like what is out there now, because is a original Dancehall riddim. It new, but it is clear like original Dancehall riddim.  And mi deliberately request dat,  because everybaddy a guh dat 808-pace and dat crazy-crazy suppm an dat is an American ting,” Foota explained.

“Suh mi transition di music to weh it did deh. Suh mi eva get di real strength from di artiste dem becaw some a di artiste dem caan even ride di riddim.   Some a dem from dem hear it, hear dem: ‘Foota mi nuh like dah riddim yah’.  A nuh like dem nuh like it, but is not di comfort zone.  Das why yuh si Busy guh pon it an coulda dominate it and Vegas dominate and Determine, because  dem know dah feel deh.  Dem a forward from da feel deh,” he added.

Foota said that with Dollars and Sense complete, he was now working on his next project, but would delay its release in order to give time for the current riddim to work its way up the charts.

“Mi start work pon mi second project already.  Mi have di riddim dem enuh, suh mi start record pon mi second project already, suh mi a gi dah one yah time fi soak and navigate… Suh wi naw guh drop di next riddim yet, but wi a work pon it from now,” the Cassava Piece native said.

Foota also sought to explain the reasoning behind the name of the Dollars and Sense riddim.

“Mi name di riddim Dollars and Sense fi one main reason.  Because everybaddy running dung money, wedda di money sensible or it nuh sensible.  Money has become the new drug fi human beings and it has turned a lot of people in stupid baboons,” Foota declared.

“Like everybaddy weh yuh si a do crate challenge because somebaddy a offer dem a bills US or two bills US.  Now when you do di crate challenge an bruck yuh ribs and buss yuh head, how much a yuh docta bill can 200 cover?  Suh das why mi seh some people a run dung di dollars and naw no sense,” he added.

The eight-track production features Chippinz And Choppinz by Busy Signal, Most High from Mr Vegas, Facety by Determine and Psalm 91 by Delly Ranx.  The other four tracks are Gabriella Kochella’s Friday Night, K. Nass’ Cheat Pon Him, Gucci Flava featuring Spready Glory with Hustlers and the title track Dollars And Sense, by Lockit.

Dollars and Sense was released on August 20 and came four years after Foota produced one of Nesbeth’s biggest hits Success Story, which became an anthem in schools and the wider Jamaica in 2017.

Foota is no stranger to Dancehall music production.  In 2016, through his Foota Hype Music label, he released the Dark Knight riddim, which featured a galaxy of stars including Beenie Man with Duppy in a Pretty Clothes, Aidonia with Fat 40, Demarco with We Run the World, and Bugle with Nuh Accommodation.   Spice and Macka Diamond also featured with Miss Universe and War respectively, Shane O with Evil, and Fully Bad, with Pelelele.

Foota also produced the Gully Creature Riddim, which featured the like of Bounty Killer with Nuh Friend Fish, Sizzla with Gunshot Yuh Get, Mavado with Touch di Road and Wyclef Jean with FBI.   The other tracks on the riddim were Bruk Out by Elephant Man, Mad Head And Sick Head by Mad Cobra and Predator, He’s Leaving You, by Ishawna and Never Hesitate by Munga Honourble.