Producer Don Corleon To Drop New Reggae Juggling Riddim, “Finally”
A year after Beenie Man listed Don Corleon as one of the music producers whose migration from Jamaica has left what he described as a “void in Dancehall”, the iconic beatmaker has announced that he will be dropping another Reggae juggling riddim, aptly named Finally.
“I’m one song away from completing my New Reggae Riddim you asked for it !!!! So I delivered Coming soon!!!!!! All for the culture I love so much!!!” Corleon announced on Instagram recently, adding later that he works on his own timing.
His announcement evoked excitement from his fans and his colleagues, among them Canadian disc jockey Junior Rodigan, who dubbed it the “Return Of The Don” and “Papa Keith” Walcott who said he wanted to debut the riddim in Florida.
“Let’s go!!! 🙌🏿 I gotta be the FIRST to play it in Miami!!” Walcott said.
Producer Bread Back also cheered Corleon along declaring: “That is it!”.
“Love this move 2 years ago we spoke on a live I asked you to drop back 5 one drop projects and i said i know you are comfortable where you at and it might not be profitable but jamaica needs it. Your response was that it wasn’t about the money . Well, I’m glad the love is showing more than ever,” one fan noted, to which teh St. Elizabeth native replied: “Yes my bredda Timing is everything I never rush vibes”.
Since making the announcememt, Corleon has teased several of the songs, among them Tarrus Riley’s Kisses Don’t Lie, and untitled tracks from Christopher Martin, new artist Taye Louise and a track from Virgin Island’s Pressure Buss Pipe.
Whilst speaking in an Onstage interview in May last year, Beenie Man had said that the migration of the Drop Leaf mastermind and other producers such as Rvssian, had left Jamaican artists in a dilemma, as the two were among the last few of a vanishing breed of the island’s music producers of substance.
Over the years, Beenie has recorded a slew of songs for Don Corleon, among them Come Again in 2006, Know Better on the Bankrobbers riddim and Dat a Gwaan on the Baheba riddim in 2010 as well as Nah Beg No Friend on the Tropical Storm riddim.
Beenie, during the interview with entertainment journalist Winford Williams, had rued the days when producers guided and led the way for artists, which had resulted in a slew of global Dancehall hit songs.
“Di whole a di bad producer dem, dem nuh live a Jamaica again. Don Corleon, him gone; him nuh live a Jamaica again. Yuh have Rvssian. Those are the last producer dem. Mi a tell yuh di honest truth. Caw dem man deh actually produce, siddung and produce a song. Dem can write lyrics, gi yuh a likkle punch line, gi yuh a likkle verse right deh suh and sen yuh inna di right direction,” Beenie Man had declared.
Beenie had also pointed out that what exists today on the Jamaican music scene leaves a lot to be desired, as persons ascribing themselves the title of producers appear to be only creating beats and sending them to artists to voice whatever they wish, and offering no further input.
Don Corleon, a native of St. Elizabeth, rose to prominence in 2002 with his Mad Ants Riddim and later followed up with Egyptian and Good To Go, and hit singles such as Elephant Man’s Pon Di River, Pon Di Bank and Sean Paul & Keyshia Cole’s Give It Up To Me.
In 2005, after numerous dancehall hits, he introduced the Drop Leaf Riddim, which featuring hits such as tracks like Sizzla Kalonji’s Be Strong, Jah Cure’s Longing For, and Gentleman’s Intoxication.
Following Drop Leaf, Corleon released Seasons Riddim with notable tracks such as Morgan Heritage’s How Come and Fantan Mojah’s Thanks And Praise.
He also cemented his legacy in the music industry, having contributed to several Billboard-charting albums, including Sizzla’s Rise To The Occasion, Sean Paul’s The Trinity, Rihanna’s A Girl Like Me, and Gentleman’s Confidence.