‘Up For The Challenge’: RDX’s Delomar Talks All-Female ‘Pink’ Riddim
There are a few factors to consider when producing and promoting an all-female juggling riddim: internal conflict among the women, industry politics, and if you’re Delomar, closed doors because of your RDX association.
Despite these challenges painted by the singjay/producer, he has dedicated a riddim project to female artistes. The eleven-track vibe, aptly ribboned Pink, includes D’Angel, Macka Diamond, Pamputtae, Lisa Hyper, Yanique ‘Curvy’ Diva, Goody Plum, Tall Up, Raine Seville, Sasique, Pretty Devil, and Kim Weirdo.
“We (RDX) have been producing for quite a while and have a lot of projects with Shella Posse Music and Apartment 19 Music,” Delomar told DancehallMag. “This is my first project as Delomar and not as RDX Music, and it’s also the first project from my new label Rekit Ralf Music.”
The concept of an all-female juggling riddim isn’t new, but it surely isn’t something you hear every day. The last time dancehall had such a production was one year ago with Shab Don Records‘ Sexperience riddim which hosted 13 female artistes. Similar productions include Rude Gyal Music’s Love Wine riddim (2017), the Shanti riddim (2016), and Spice‘s Gal Click released in 2013.
Delomar’s motivation for highlighting women in music stems from wanting to see them prosper. In curating the Pink riddim’s roster, he said a text was sent to all female artistes, and he worked with those who responded with interest. He said it was important to balance the offering with artistes from different generations, while adding diversity with dancers-cum-artistes Goody Plum and Tall Up.
“I have to choose the right young artistes and carefully structure the songs so dem connect and resonate with people. Yuh haffi sing songs weh resonate with people cause the industry will turn their back on you but the people dem nah go do that.”
Among the songs doing the rounds are Lisa Hyper’s Smile, D’Angel’s Talk About, Macka Diamond’s Pink Pearl, Goody Plum’s Tun Up, Raine Seville’s Community, Pamputtae’s Hook, and Pretty Devil’s Run Things.
Promoting unity
In getting the women together, Delomar said he was oblivious to any feud taking place, particularly the online spat between Pamputtae and Lisa Hyper.
“I think that was one of the hardest parts in dealing with the juggling as I didn’t even know because it nuh really out there like that because their professionalism outshines the feud,” he said. “RDX has travelled everywhere inna di world, has experienced so much and made so many landmarks, so I know the road and I’ve walked the road to tell them that this is not the way to go, unno haffi unite. I’m a male artiste… we know how fi get our way even if we nah deal with other male artistes. People will work with us. Not many females inna di business so it’s easier to push you aside, worse if you don’t have any unity.”
With the music industry’s cries for greater female representation, one would think this project and others alike would attract major support from industry players. Delomar said this isn’t the case.
“None of these DJs weh seh dem waan see more females inna di business are contributing to it so no matter how yuh shub it inna dem face, dem nah contribute to it so I have to find different windows to let them know that this is here and even if you’re not paying attention, it’s going to be here,” he said. “That’s how it is, anno everybody meant to lead… Sometimes dem see some things a gwaan and den dem jump pon it but because dem have dem brand recognition once dem play a song den everybody feel like a dem buss it, but not really.”
He added that experiences have made him resistance-ready.
“Being in RDX teach me a lot of things because di amount of people weh turn den back on certain projects… We have a song called Shake Your Bam Bam and nobody looked on that locally and we used our platform internationally to buss the song. It took nearly two to three years after it hit a foreign to come back to Jamaica so me understand the fight weh me a go face. To be honest, if I wasn’t getting a fight with the juggling I would be clueless cause me nuh used to everybody just a pick up weh me put there and work with it.”
Accompanying the project is a medley video now available on YouTube.