Rebnant looks to carve out own niche

US-based dancehall artiste Rebnant is amping up promotion of his latest single, Bring It Back, a summer banger geared towards the females.

"The idea for this song came from just surfing on YouTube while around some friends, and I found a beat and mi buss a freestyle on a beat. I saw an immediate reaction from the females. This is definitely a song for the ladies," said Rebnant, whose given name is Fabian Johnson.

The song is co-produced by Cook Shop Entertainment and Passadon Music. Rebnant has been busy compiling a catalogue of songs for an EP.

"I am excited, the feedback has been great. The girls dem love the song and that was my goal and my intention, for the women to enjoy themselves in the dancehall space. There are plans to do the video," he said.

Rebnant grew up in Claremont, St Ann, where he attended Claremont All-Age and Ferncourt High schools. He wrote his first song, Down in the Ghetto, while seated under a grapefruit tree in his community; the words were inspired by his rough upbringing. Years later, he migrated to live in the USA and joined the US Marines in which he served for four years. He dedicated his life to music after that.

"But I had to get a job to support myself. During this time, mi used to fix people's AC, but every chance I got, I wrote songs consistently whenever I felt a vibe," he said. He took the name Yardie Bwoy, performing as a 'yardman style rapper'. He performed at shows in Miami, West Palm Beach and Atlanta, carving out a decent underground following. It was during this era that he scored his most successful song, No Stressing, that racked up 250,000 streams on Spotify. The song was produced by Grammy nominated producer Jon FX.

But he felt that he needed to change the direction of his music, hence the name change.

"I told myself I was done with music, but then I spotted the word 'remnant', a small particle or substance left over. I am the forgotten one but mi de ya same way," he said. Rebnant said he is focused on making relatable music and charting his own course within an industry whose standards he consistently defies.