UK Rap Duo Young T & Bugsey Put Their Spin On A Classic Sizzla Song
British rap duo Ra’chard “Young T” Tucker and Doyin “Bugsey” Julius, who rose to prominence with 2019’s Don’t Rush , have put their spin on Sizzla‘s classic hit, Solid As A Rock.
Released on April 25, the new track, titled Rio Grande, was produced by Young T, who was born in the UK but raised in Port Antonio, Jamaica. He shared that the title refers to the largest river in Portland and that he believes they “kept the essence of the old song” while putting a spin on it “to make it more current.”
“It’s a tribute to the timeless classic Solid As A Rock by reggae legend Sizzla [in] which [we’re] paying homage to Sizzla while adding our unique spin to the song. I chose to sample this song because it’s an iconic Jamaican song that I grow up listening to as a kid; it’s a Jamaican classic that has a strong meaning behind it,” he told The Star.
Produced by the late Bobby ‘Digital’ Dixon for the Da Real Thing (2002) album, Solid As A Rock is Sizzla’s most sampled track, particularly the line “They will never ever take my crown,” which resonated with several U.S. rappers.
Ja Rule was the first to sample the track for his song My Crown (2003), while his long-time rival 50 Cent did the same on another track titled My Crown (2012). Jay-Z is also among those who have sampled Solid as a Rock for his song Crown (2013).
Young T encouraged fans to pay attention to the original song’s hook, which says: ‘You can’t keep a good man down, always keep a smile when they want you to frown‘.
“In infusing [music] I think it adds to the sound, makes it more current. It could be a spin that creates a whole other sub-genre to the sound/genre, so I think it’s good,” he said. “Any form of experiment and trying to see what you can mix and blend is good.”
Rio Grande also arrived with an official music video that was shot in Jamaica.
According to a release, “The video frames the vibrant tapestry of Jamaica’s rich culture, providing viewers with a vivid glimpse of the country’s natural and enchanting beauty through the eyes of the duo.”
Young T and Bugsey, who is from Nigeria, met at age 15 and have been making music together ever since. Their hit single, Don’t Rush with Headie One, went viral after the ‘Don’t Rush Challenge’ became popular on TikTok.
Since then, they have earned props for songs such as Strike A Pose with Aitch, 4X4, Gangland, and Ay Caramba.