Dancehall meets reggaeton - Charly Black & De La Ghetto set to turn up the heat

Dancehall hitmaker Charly Black joins forces with Latin music icon De La Ghetto for the high-energy track Vitamin D for Energy.

Produced by the BL tha Hook Slaya, the cross-genre anthem promises to electrify global audiences, blending infectious Caribbean beats with Latin fire.

For BL tha Hook Slaya, bringing the two powerhouses together was a dream come true.

"Let me first start out by saying Charly Black and De La Ghetto are two of my favourite artistes in the world," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"Charly is the greatest commercial dancehall artiste in the game right now, due to his ability to make everything sound like it's on the radio with his brilliant melodies and hooks. And the same goes for De La Ghetto on the reggaeton side."

The producer revealed that the collaboration came from his long-held vision of fusing dancehall and Latin music on a global scale.

"It has always been a dream of mine to fuse dancehall and Latin artistes on songs that could extend around the world," he shared.

"First, I reached out to my co-producer Jah Wayne for Charly Black. Then, I connected with my long-time, trusted friends El Marciano & CNO, who are deeply tied into the Latin movement. I asked if we could bring De La Ghetto to the table, and they made it happen. I was beyond excited!"

BL tha Hook Slaya said that crafting this fusion track felt natural.

"I grew up with my best friend, Saul Mateo, who is Dominican. His mom, Aleysi, played Latin music constantly, and that sound drew me in heavily," he explained.

"Super Cat, Buju Banton, and Capleton were my idols growing up. I listened to them over and over until that sound was embedded in my brain. So for me, it was an easy transition to fuse those sounds while keeping the authenticity of both dancehall and reggaeton."

BL tha Hook Slaya believes collaborations like this are crucial for the global expansion of dancehall.

"I think it's extremely important for music in general, but especially for dancehall. Dancehall is one of the most special genres in the world, yet it's underappreciated. We need more light shining on its artistes and the unique elements it represents," he said.

"Contractor Music has been a big driving force behind me, and I'm grateful for his guidance."

With Vitamin D for Energy set to drop in April, early industry feedback suggests it's already a certified banger.

"Executives are saying this track is an absolute smash! I hope every club and radio station around the world gets this record, because it's pure energy and joy," he said.