D Prototype puts interesting twist to ‘Total Lockdown’

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown regulations have seen animations ticking all the boxes in terms of compliance and, with this, a surge in interest. Among the entertainers who have been cottoning on to this format is up-and-coming dancehall artiste D Prototype. His singles, Total Lockdown and Send A Ting, have received encouraging response from social media.

"For Total Lockdown we have over quarter million views across all platforms and that is excellent," the Florida-based D Prototype told THE STAR. "Our decision to use or not to use animation all depends on the message, and we used animation on both because we felt that this complemented the message."

D Prototype, whose style fuses catchy melodies with witty lyrics, describes himself as an independent artiste and a songwriter who has penned lyrics for several established Jamaican and international artistes. On Total Lockdown his lyrical prowess comes to the fore as he describes the world bitten by the COVID-19 bug, amid a persistent chant to "find a way" and "see brighter days".

Although he is happy with animation process and the subsequent attention from a stay-at-home world, he is not committing to releasing all his music videos in this format, regardless of what the new normal is in a post-COVID-19 world.

RELATABLE MESSAGE

"This song and video has been getting a lot of media attention because we all ah go through the same situation, and it is relatable. So we just put it in a form of melody and lyrics, so give thanks," he said.

D Prototype, who says his main musical inspiration came from artistes such as Garnett Silk, Maxi Priest and Damian Marley, wants to contribute to the already rich legacy that the music possesses.

"I want to do this in a variety of ways and styles that are refreshing, entertaining and thought-provoking," he said.