US label collaborates with Chino

Virginia-based label Berta Records has teamed up with reggae/dancehall artiste Chino for its latest release, Can't Get We Down.

The song is to be released tomorrow, accompanied by a video which was directed by one of New York's most-sought-after directors, Kenny Gray. Tomique 'Fresh' Williams, CEO of Berta Records, explained his decision to work with Chino.

"From the start, we wanted a reggae-roots vibe with some dancehall influence, and we knew to get that done, we needed an artiste to make dancehall and roots music who would also be believable. We also noticed that Chino has been doing more live reggae performances and releases, so we knew we could create something magical if we got him on this track. So, we reached out to him with the idea, and he did not hesitate," said Williams.

He said that Chino was very professional in his music and brought much knowledge to the table.

"However, his most noticeable traits are his attention to detail and willingness to accept feedback. We've done work in the past, so we have a clear understanding of each other's expectations which make working together much more effortless," Williams said.

Venturing into music production was inevitable for Williams as his father owned a sound system called Speedy Roots.

"I grew up in music, but I started to take music seriously while I was in the eighth grade at Oberlin High School. A group of friends and I started to make music, but I initially started as a DJ/selector. After graduating, I decided to dabble in music engineering and production, so I got some gear and started recording with my friends. To improve my mixing skills and train my ears, I would ask sound systems to mix their dubplates for free," he explained. "Fast-forward to 2016, one of my friends introduced me to I-Black Lion, who helped me connect with artistes on our first professional project, 'Fresh Groove' riddim with artistes like Bugle, Soul Skelly, Kibaki, I-Black Lion, and Jah Vinci. From there, we continued to create reggae projects with a mixture of seasoned and young artistes."

He said that with Berta Records, the primary mission is to create well-produced reggae songs and connect with the intended audience through proper data research.

"Our primary focus is the fans, and maintaining a consistent production level is what we strive to do. Producing hit music is the aim of every record label, and we share the same aim. Still, we also understand that the fans are the ones who thoroughly decide and make a song a hit. Thus, we aim to connect with our intended audience consistently by producing music they are yearning for."