Brutal Crankstar celebrates Independence with ‘My Island’ music video

Dancehall sensation Brutal Crankstar on Friday released the official music video for his hit track My Island, featuring an up-and-coming artiste, marking another milestone in his mission to elevate Bajan dancehall music on the global stage.

In a press release, the star expressed his commitment to showcasing My Island as a celebration of Bajan culture. Working with rising talent Trinity Weekes was a seamless experience for the artiste, he added, as their long standing connection fostered a brother-and-sister dynamic.

He said: “With this song, I chose to highlight some of the nice cultural things in and around Barbados as this song is about Bajan culture, the creativity and the team behind the project and my music. Working with Trinity was easy despite her being a new artiste because we always shared a brother and sister relationship from a very long time ago as we were both raised in the same household.”

The music video follows the success of Brutal Crankstar’s second album, Spring King released on April 13 under his Zifirecords label. The 13-track album delves into the artiste’s life journey, blending influences and paying homage to his roots.

He said: “This album is a culmination of my life both past and present as both of these worlds inspire me in my music. I grew up in St Thomas and most of my youth was spent in Porey Spring with my childhood friends. My cousin started his own business, Spring Kings, which paid homage to our roots. 

“Therefore, it was only fitting that I did the same with this album to remember where I have come from. This album is also somewhat of a follow-up to my last album, Brute to Brilliant, which highlighted the trajectory of my life so far, the bad and the good. Spring King highlights all of the good things that have been happening in my life and shows the versatility of my music.”

He revealed his preference for freestyle creation, with all 13 songs being spontaneous expressions. The title track holds a special place for the artiste, symbolising his growth as both an individual and an artiste.

The Gine On People’s Choice Awards Dancehall Artiste of the Year expressed his desire to spotlight Barbadian talent. The album features collaborations with new and emerging artistes, aiming to provide a platform for their voices beyond conventional genres.

The tracks and featured artistes are: Spring King, Tell Me Why, Beans, A+, Toxic (Barri G and Smooth), Bad Gyal (Maya Amara), My Island (Trinity), Pain Away (Gillani), Oh Yeah (Faith Callender), and Lavito (Barri G). Brutal Crankstar goes solo on She and She and Lost Away. 

“Expect to hear my reality, my truth, growth, and versatility,” the dancehall star declared. “The lyrics throughout the album were crafted in a way that any listener across the globe could understand them in both the literal and figurative sense. Sometimes our dialect is not very accessible or understandable to persons who aren’t Bajan, so I take that into consideration when the lyrics are flowing.” 

He highlighted the collaborative process with Music Core, owned by Shawn Spencer and Jared Cox, in producing the album. He urged listeners to recognise the diverse talent within Barbados, transcending popular genres like soca or pop. The artiste emphasised the need for unity and encouraging support for local talent.

The Spring King album is available on major streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, Deezer, Audio Mac, YouTube, and global radio stations, according to the release. (PR/BT)