Skatta Burrell Says Kehlani’s Sampling Of ‘Coolie Dance’ Riddim Is Proof Original Dancehall Isn’t Dead

Dancehall producer Cordell ‘Skatta’ Burrell‘s 21-year-old Coolie Dance juggling riddim has been sampled by yet another American star, this time multi-platinum songstress Kehlani for her new track After Hours.

“I am extremely grateful because I promised myself one day I need to sit down and count the amount of features Coolie Dance has had with international acts, and it has been quite successful.  It is almost 25 years since that riddim has been out, so its great to know that you can do work and it spans the test of time,” Skatta told DancehallMag.

Released on April 4, After Hours is the lead single from Kehlani’s upcoming fourth studio album. Skatta, who is credited as a songwriter in the new track, pointed out that Coolie Dance’s ability to stand the test of time was another piece of evidence that authentic Dancehall riddims cannot be deemed dead or a relic of decades ago, as they have remained in demand, and keep getting sampled over the years by some of the world’s biggest megastars.

“They say original dancehall is dead but this riddim was built to cater to a Dancehall audience, because that’s where I am from.  And then it sprung wings and it flew right out the airport and took on an international presence for itself.  And has been doing wonders ever since.  So, it’s just a good thing that’s happening right now with this Khelani’s release,” the Downsound executive said.

He urged Jamaicans to support the song, noting that it was a huge boon for Dancehall music, regardless of the nationality of the artist singing on the beat.

“Her label has huge plans for this record and so far it is going exceptionally well… glad to know that they did the right thing and contacted the right personnel and everything was done properly and respectfully, and I give thanks for that.  So, check out After Hours as soon as you can.  Support it, stream it.  It is still Dancehall music no matter which artist, it is still Jamaican,” Skatta said.

Coolie Dance was released in 2003 and has since been sampled over 60 times, including the original 20 tracks that first appeared on the riddim, among them Elephant Man’s Genie Dance, Vybz Kartel’s Please, Red Rat’s Round and Round, Bounty Killer’s Yuh Gawn, Ce’Cile’s Give It To Me, and Sizzla’s Mama Africa. 

In 2004, the compelling nature of the beat attracted Mr. Vegas, who previously told DancehallMag that he had to “buy” his way onto the riddim for the song Pull Up, a collab with Wayne Anthony. It was the first song on the Coolie Dance riddim to achieve international success, spending two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 98.

Later that year, American twins Nina Sky and rapper Jabba used the riddim for Move Ya Body, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the UK Singles chart. The song was later certified Gold in the US (500,000 units) and Silver in the UK (200,000 units).

Elephant Man used the riddim again for Jook Gal (Wine Wine) with Twista, Youngbloodz and Kiprich on his 2004 album Good 2 Go. Jook Gal spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 57, and two weeks on the UK Singles chart, peaking at No. 41.

Culo, Pitbull’s 2004 debut track with rapper and producer Lil Jon, had also used the Coolie Dance riddim. It spent 20 weeks on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 32.

In May last year, Skatta went into celebration mode courtesy of the Queen of Femme Pop, Beyoncé Knowles, who had incorporated Nina Sky’s Move Ya Body into live performances of her song Move from her Renaissance album. 

The Calabar High School old boy had noted that Beyonce’s sample had added to the many accolades he continued to garner from his creative works, adding that he created the beat “in 2002 with headphones on My MPC2000 on a NY trip in My Friend @chapchaps living room in Yonkers”.

In the meantime, Khelani has described Move Ya Body as among her favorite songs ever.

“One of my favorite songs of all time, but also just like to be outside […] and everybody just moves is —no pun intended—is ‘Move Ya Body’ by Nina Sky and I remember walking around the house like ‘Why has nobody sampled [this]?’ Because those drums are so recognizable and everybody just loses it,” she told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe.

“It’s one of those things where it drops and everybody goes, ‘Woo,’ and bends their knees and puts their hands on their knees.  Coming out of this pandemic to global tragedy to global tragedy to global tragedy, I was like I’m not really in a space to make something that feels super jarring or super sad. I’m very outspoken about these things, but I want my art to provide some kind of life and fun. I wanna hear this outside and I wanna feel good,” she added.