Weh Dem Up To: Anthony Red Rose targets Europe with new EP

Dancehall and reggae artiste Anthony Red Rose has an interesting project out just now. ‘ No Limit’, a five-song EP produced by Lenky Marsden, borrows from the past and sees the project going back to the days when ‘versions’ were the norm. Each of the songs has a dub version, also known as a disco mix, which is heard after the song is played out.

Red Rose told THE WEEKEND STAR that the project was born out of “a reasoning”.

“Me and Lenky were just thinking about this EP thing. Every EP that comes out of Jamaica, the music format is one way, so we came to the conclusion that if we added a little flavour by using the versions, it would make a difference. People in Europe buy dub albums a lot, so we figured that it would have special appeal to that market,” he explained.

The entertainer, whose given name is Anthony Cameron, says that the EP is distributed by VPal, an arm of VP Records.

“There is a collab with Bounty titled Bun Dem, which is getting a fair amount of play, but you know how the thing go locally,” he said without elaborating.

But Red Rose is also intent on putting out an album for 2020.

“EP is a ‘now’ thing, and that’s all good, not knocking it at all. See Koffee drop a EP, and it get nominated for Grammy. But as an artiste, you have to have an album to represent yuh brand, between 10 and 14 good songs that people can sit down and listen to,” Red Rose said.

In-between his other job as a sought-after producer, he has also released a few singles, the most recent being Colours of Love on the ‘Pocketbook’ riddim, produced by Riddim Twins Sly and Robbie.

Red Rose, however, has not been wearing his performance cape much, especially on the local stage.

“I have been to Europe for a number of years in succession, and I am waiting on my US work permit to be renewed. Additionally, I have been doing a lot of productions. I produce for other people, and they pay me for this,” he said, adding that sometimes when local promoters call for shows, they are asking “for a strength”.

“When I fly out and do shows, I get paid, but every time a man call in Jamaica him a beg a ‘strength’. So how I strengthen my family if I am always giving a next man a strength?” Red Rose asked.

Known for songs such as Family Man, Babylon Be Still, Never Get, featuring Anthony Malvo, and Rumours, with Malvo and Cobra, Red Rose’s production partnership with Malvo in 1995 produced Simpleton’s smash hit Quarter To Twelve. The rhythm led to numerous versions and the release of the one-rhythm Quarter To Twelve, featuring contributions from Beenie Man, Cobra, and Snagga Puss.