Di Genius, Chino McGregor Infuse Classic Sound With Modern Twist In ‘Look A Girl’
The McGregor brothers, Stephen (Di Genius) and Chino have released a new single, Look A Girl – a melody-packed earworm of a tune that first debuted at the just-concluded Reggae Sumfest.
Released on July 30, the song – which takes listeners on a rollercoaster ride of melodies and varying flows – features all the hallmarks of a classic modern McGregor tune.
Sonically, the backing instrumentals to Ben E. King’s 1961 classic, Stand By Me, appear to form the backbone of Look A Girl’s appealing sound. The iconic instrumental, known for its blend of Soul, R&B and Doo-Wop elements, charms yet again in this iteration with its prominent and groovy bass line, which lends itself perfectly to the McGregor brother’s vision for a light-hearted yet somehow contemplative track, which is sprinkled with realism and a bit of frivolity.
Shunning the run-of-the-mill approach to a ‘girl song’, the McGregor brothers – as they refer to themselves in the Anton Anderson-directed music video, which appears to thematically bounce between the modern and Motown eras (choreographed two-steps, vests and tailored suits etc) – make use of at times cheekily-positioned lyrics to take issue with men who are more concerned with guns than they are with women.
That conundrum drives the eye-catching music video, starred by actor Dale Elliot, as the brothers indulge in their own interpretation of Doo-wop-esque dance moves, while imploring other men – mostly Jamaicans – to refocus on women.
The Doo-wop vibes largely consistent throughout the song fade only to accommodate the up-tempo deejaying employed by the brothers, who make it clear that they are not and won’t ever choose guns over women. The brothers even joked that the song’s central message – that idle men should go ‘look a gyal’ – may be a more effective crime plan for Jamaica. That sentiment was further employed as a means of ridiculing the men identified by the brothers, whom both Chino and Stephen admit would be better off visiting ‘roun’ a Back Road’ – an area in Portmore, Jamaica, popularized by sex workers – instead of bragging ‘bout dem Glock load.’
It’s not the first time a McGregor has embarked on such an experiment. Stephen was pivotally involved in the production of Jada Kingdom’s 2022 hit, GPP – which utilized a similar rhythm to bridge Kingdom’s predominantly Dancehall sound with the backing track’s heavy R&B and Soul influences.
Watch Look A Girl above.