They work with Skillibeng, Valiant, Teejay, and even Kraff, but the big compliment by Vybz Kartel paved the way for them. Bringing the elite to Guyana
Kevin Balgobin, founder of the Slingerz Records brand with Teejay
Dancehall is a main part of Jamaican culture, but it doesn't just stop on this island. If you travel a little further down on the map, in the Caribbean you will reach Guyana and you will find a lively and kicking dancehall scene out there.
One of the main reasons is the #1 sound in the country, Slingerz Family, which shares their time between the USA and all over the Caribbean just to make sure to bring the big dancehall players such as Popcaan, Shenseea, Teejay, and others to this small country.
In the last two years, they entered the production world and launched their Slingerz Records and maintain consistency in the development of their brand. We decided to dive into their world.
From Left: Kevin Balgobin & Troy Balgobin alongside Skillibeng
"Well honestly it was Vybz Kartel that suggested it when we were holding a reasoning, we were talking about the links and the Slingerz brand. how big the actual brand is and what we can actually do in dancehall if we stepped into the production part of the business. so in 2020 I decided to go ahead on with", explains Kevin Balgobin, founder of the Slingerz Records brand.
The sound tightened the belt from the first moment and aimed at the biggest dancehall stars. They are responsible for the songs like 'Feel It', 'Want Party' by Teejay, 'Love Experience' which is the Uptop Boss featuring dancehall female star Jada Kingdom, and also '15' By International Dancehall act, Skillibeng.
"Working with two of the biggest names in dancehall is truly a blessing. Teejay and Skillibeng are both extremely talented artistes and working with them are very easy. thankfully Skillibeng placed one of our productions on his first album which was a great look. Teejay also placed a few of our productions we have on his upcoming album so it’s a great look for Slingerz Records", he said.
Jamaica's rising dancehall stars also jump on the bandwagon and join the building resume of the sound when Bigss Don, who gained viral recognition that made him a promising dancehall artiste teamed up with them on 'Money Rain' which was released last year.
And as for the importance of social media, according to Kevin it is everything. "Nowadays social media is everything. it’s a bit challenging to know which social tool to use to properly get your song out there and recognized. but by far TikTok is leading because from a song that goes on there and the audience catches on to it it’s safe to say the song 'buss'".
Not only Bigs Don is among the new names working with them as they recently released 'Immortal' featuring the dancehall newcomer, Kraff, a song produced together with the managers of the young gun from St. Ann, Tepa Music, and tightened with a video by the top video directors, Shane Creative and Ruppi with their new brand, 'Now Or Never Crew'.
"Kraff versatility and work ethic are extraordinary. He’s a very talented artiste, and he has a great vision for his music and how to target his audience. His flow to me is what separates him from a lot of the new artiste out there. Kraff is destined to become one of the biggest names in Dancehall", he is full of compliments for the young talent.
The stamp from Vybz Kartel The sound keeps Guyana's dancehall scene active and every year they land some big names in the dancehall industry for the local patrons. There were already Shenseea & Teejay in past and this year it would be the fast-rising star, Valiant, along with one of the promising talents, Stalk Ashley, who is expected to land in the Caribbean country on the February 25th for a big event on the Leonora stadium.
"Dancehall is huge in Guyana, I would say it’s the number 1 and go-to genre in the country right now", Kevin states. "I’ve known Valiant about 2 years before he 'buss' in the industry, and it was destined to happen. He was very determined and really put in the work to make it happen. it was just patience and time and he made it become a reality. I'm extremely proud of him and how he capitalized off of the 'Kotch E Hat A Lie' viral video and followed it up with the biggest songs we're hearing in today's Dancehall", he added.
"it was destined to happen. He was very determined and really put in the work to make it happen. it was just patience and time and he made it become a reality".
Vybz Kartel's involvement in this sound's journey has already been mentioned here, but the blockbuster came with the compliment they received during his song, 'It's A Sin". if you needed any proof of their greatness in Guyana, it showed up. "Big Up everybody in Guyana, Yow Slingerz", was that punchline that put their name on the map.
"This by far is the greatest accomplishment achieved by Slingerz. It’s like having today’s Michael Jackson or Bob Marley hailing you and your country in a song, it’s truly amazing and appreciated. Vybz Kartel is the King of Dancehall, so for him to recognize us and our people shows that we’re actually doing great in the Dancehall industry. This also opened up a lot of doors for me in the producing business, it was a life changer indeed. Big up to Vybz Kartel, I could never thank him enough for all that he has done for Slingerz. Free Vybz Kartel, Gaza Forever", he put a stamp.
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