Don Yute adding ‘class’ to dancehall with new album

Dancehall artiste Don Yute is making a comeback with his new album, Resurgence, that will introduce a more rejuvenated side to the '90s singjay.

"I'm coming back with a modern classic flavour. Everybody knows that I drop in the classic bracket from the '90s, so I'm just resurging with new sounds, new vibe, but still keeping the essence of classic. So I'm reviving Don Yute with a more modern sound. It's just a breath of fresh air for your ears and it's modern classic," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Don Yute said the 12-track album matches the current energy and musical dynamics of today's generation but has "more world appeal". Resurgence is set to be released by August. Though his musical rebirth will have some persons cheering him on, many are questioning Don Yute's status and if he's satisfied with where he is today. Some believe he could've been "at the top" with other successful artistes from his era.

"It's management and political [reasons locally] why I had to make a different move and making my own waves with [reggae artiste] Little John and [international superstar] Usher and people liked that. The opportunity opened up right in the time when the politics [in music] in Jamaica was a little bit too much for me," he said. "So I had to take the opportunity, which gave me several gold and platinum records," he said. "I wouldn't seh I would be up there with the Sean Paul and Shaggy dem, because fi somebody like Sean who seh, 'A you show dem di game', I don't think I need to be up there with them. It was an honour for me to be a part of that movement." Owning his own recording label, Golden Child, at the age of 17, the Yuh Own Di Man artiste said he's quite satisfied with where he's at, and the great contributions he has made to impact music, while being able to uplift his colleagues.

With the new generation of artistes taking over with a new sound, a difference in flow and content from what Don Yute is accustomed to, he believes his comeback album will continue to create impact.

"I even have a single on the album called Holiday, and as people hear it dem jus guh crazy; and it's very relatable to both generations. It [highlights] not just what's happening now, but it addresses the fans that miss the classic sound. I'm not trying to do what my sons dem doing, because I also have to please the mothers and fathers of this generation...so is not like I'm saying I'm coming in to take over. I'm just coming to put a touch of class," he said.

While other industry players view trap-dancehall as a 'watering down' of the original reggae sound, Don Yute said he enjoys the new flavour added to the genre.

"In some cases the sound is very similar, but I even like the modern sound productions. because with technology, it adds variety, and I love the different flavours and the modern beats, because I'm for the music. Is just you now have to know how to reinvent yuhself on any beat, which is what I did. I've been on rap beats years ago that give me gold records. So I endorse the sounds that they're using," Don Yute said. However, he said he doesn't believe modern artistes are doing "message music".

"It's more about boasy and raw [unfiltered] stuff; and there's a lot a horror in a lot a di badman song dem - but it still works."

The artiste, who is best known for his Wayne Wonder collaborative hit single, Loving Excess, recently released the single Who Dem with Miami-based rapper Sippired. His other recent track is Run It Up.