Combining American Hip Hop and Caribbean Dancehall
by Howard Campbell
LOS ANGELES – Since their first meeting at a Los Angeles nightclub several years ago, Belizean rapper JStylez and Jamaican deejay E-Dee found they had a lot in common musically. They have recorded a handful of songs together, the latest being Count up Ya Blessings, which also features American rapper Jredie.
E-Dee, who like his colleagues are based in Los Angeles, co-wrote the song with them. He describes the single as a blend of, “American hip hop and pop culture and Caribbean dancehall.”
Count up Ya Blessings, he added, has a strong social and spiritual message.
“JStylez being an inspirational influencer and spiritual artist has a motivational message behind every lyric in the project, encouraging others to appreciate life and be grateful for what is there, rather large or small and to keep faith even through the hardships of life, understanding that God is hope and can do all things for anyone who believes,” E-Dee explained.
Although he was born in Belize, JStylez was raised in Southern California where his admiration for artists like Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Blackstreet and Usher developed. He has also released the singles, All The Glory and Angels on Standby, this year.
E-Dee is from Clarendon, a rural parish in central Jamaica that has produced artists such as Toots Hibbert and Freddie McGregor. He is also an actor who has appeared in movies such as the biopic, Out The Gate.
Jredie’s solo work includes songs such as Celly and Distant Cousin.
