Super Cat’s Return Hailed After Release Of First Music Video In 20 Years, ‘Push Time’
Many longtime Dancehall lovers, particularly in New York, are hailing the release of Super Cat’s new single, Push Time a collab with artiste and producer Salaam Remi, as the great comeback of the Wild Apache, for which they have long been yearning.
A week ago Salaam shared the official video of the song on his social media pages, and said the production, which is a joint effort of Wild Apache and Louder Than Life Records, will be one of the tracks on his upcoming Black on Purpose album.
“SuperCat Returns!!! PUSH TIME with @SuperCat_DonDaDa is the First single and Video from Cat in many years. And I’m Proud to have this as the Latest Song From My Forthcoming Black On Purpose LP. Just in time for Labor Day. Let’s Go!!” the nine-time Grammy-nominee had stated in the caption.
Push Time, a social commentary on crime and criminality, was recorded on the rhythm on which Super Cat, Nicodemus, and Junior Demus voiced the single Cabin Stabbin back in 1994.
The Black On Purpose album, which is to be released soon, is expected to feature other Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall acts including Spragga Benz, Stephen Marley, and Chronixx.
The music video for the song is Super Cat’s first in 20 years and shows the deejay, on the streets of New York, strutting around and singing with a folded umbrella in his hand, while a handful of men look on and few women gyrate beside him. Scores of his fans dropped fire emoticons and said they were happy about his return.
When American producer Swizz Beatz, acknowledged Super Cat stating: “The mighty Boss is Back!!” there were calls for him to note the many reminders that have been posted for month, by Jamaicans, calling for him and his colleague Timbaland to invite Super Cat to participate in one of the upcoming VERZUZ clashes.
Push Time also received support from Jamaican artistes Chi Ching Ching who posted “Yo this is amazing bro”; Teflon Zinc Fence who classed it as ‘Solid’ and Charley Black who erupted with one of Jamaica’s longstanding curse words: “B_mbo claaat now!!!!!!!!!!”
Gramps Morgan also gave the Apache Indian the thumbs up, while a thrilled Busta Ryymes also stated: “The Original Don Dada Supercat Speaks!”
One fan said that Super Cat had remained true to his craft, and never made the years affect his musical abilities.
“Some artists let time stale dem, but Cat still a Don. Man pick up from where him leave off,” he said.
There was a handful of dancehall fans though, who said although they were fans of the deejay, with this latest song, they remain unimpressed.
“I love cat but this missed,” jelanibarrow said, while another man, commenting on the YouTube video declared: “Big up Super Cat everytime. Much respect to Tek in the video. … but as much as love new music from Dada, sorry dat nuh mek it, general.”
In a recent Gleaner interview, Salaam said he has been an associate of Super Cat since the 1990s, and that after reasoning with the Kingston native about the state of the communities and the worldwide unrest, initially recorded the first version of Push Time, and then adjusted some of the lyrics after the death of George Floyd.
A rude boy of dancehall, Super Cat, whose given name was William Maragh, was a dominant deejay in the 1980s and up to the mid-1990s. The Under Pressure artiste was also one of the first dancehall artistes to go mainstream, forming alliances with Hip Hop superstars including Heavy D, P. Diddy and Biggie Smalls.
In the early 1990s, he relocated from Jamaica to New York, where he signed with Columbia Records, and released the 1992 album Don Dada and The Struggle Continues in 1995. He was also featured on the remix of Kriss Kross’s mega-hit Jump in 1992.
Super Cat virtually disappeared from the music scene in the late 1990s, only making intermittent appearances over the decades, his last engagements in Jamaica being Sting 2013 and Reggae Sumfest 2016.
Super Cat’s first releases included the 1986 hit Boops, which made a mockery of sugar daddies, and like many other words coined by artistes, became enshrined in the Jamaican Patois vernacular.
He was also one of the first Dancehall dejays to glorify and immortalize the Clarks brand of shoes as a fashion statement and the footwear of choice for Jamaican men, in his 1985 single Trash and Ready.