Ten Questions With Reggae/Dancehall Producer Jeremy Harding
Veteran Jamaican music producer Jeremy Harding is reflecting on some of the most memorable experiences in his over two-decade-long tenure in the music business, where he has earned a stellar reputation for contributions to Reggae and Dancehall music.
Harding, best known for hits like Beenie Man’s Who Am I, has seen how the business of making music has transformed since the 90s and has donned many hats along the way, from disc jockey, radio host, artist manager to engineer, and more. Having worked closely with some of the genre’s giants, Harding told DancehallMag which of these personalities he was most proud of collaborating with, and revealed how they have impacted his career.
In this interview, the music mastermind also shared some insight on the current state of Dancehall.
You have been in the music industry for over 25 years now, how has it been?
It’s been a wild ride to say the least. A lot of disappointment, a lot of conflict and a lot of personal relationships have suffered through jealousy, misunderstanding and opportunism.
But along with that has come great success and fulfillment as well. It’s a very unforgiving business. When you win you win big and the world loves you for it. But when you lose, it’s easy to end up on the trash heap if you don’t have your wits about you. It’s really 90% hard work to get that 10% of pleasure. Fortunately, I’ve been able to experience the magnificence of that 10% to the fullest.
As an online educator while consulting with VP Records, what has contributed to your success?
I think the ability to constantly evolve, to constantly pivot. The landscape is forever changing in the entertainment industry. What you may have valued as a unique skillset 10 years ago is now commonplace or even made redundant. I’ve been a guitarist in a band, a deejay with a radio show, an advertising jingle producer, a mixing engineer, an artist manager, a University lecturer, a conference presenter, and an online instructor. They say the average person has 7 professional careers during their lifetime. I’m looking towards numbers 8,9,10 🙂
You trained at Trebas Institute in Montreal, Canada. How important has your education been to support your career?
I think it was critically important especially as it was just at the cusp of the digital revolution of audio recording. I managed to have a foot in the traditional process whilst taking the leap into the new unknown at the time, and to experience the development along the way.
I was the first record Producer in Jamaica to record to a computer hard drive. I was the first Jamaican producer to use AutoTune on a song. And by many accounts, I was the first record Producer in Jamaica that could be reached by email when email became a new form of communication. So the aggregate education of a tertiary institution definitely gave me an added advantage in being able to progress quickly through the changing landscape of the industry, technological and otherwise.
As artist manager to Reggae superstar Sean Paul between 1995- 2012, You won 3 Billboard No. 1 spots while selling over 10 million records. What does it feel like working with the best in the business?
I remember being in an elevator in a very fancy hotel in New York City with a music industry executive who knew the journey me and Sean had made to get there but nevertheless still looked at us and remarked “Man you guys are living waaaay above your level”, to which we responded “What are you talking about?? This IS OUR LEVEL. We are right now the BEST that Reggae or Dancehall has to offer. We have earned our spot at the top. This is exactly where we’re SUPPOSED to be.”
So we not only got a chance to work with the best in the business, at the time WE were the best in the business. There’s no doubt in my mind at all, we climbed the highest peak and we planted our flag. We planted a flag for Reggae and for Jamaica. It’s still up there 🙂
You were the executive producer for Beenie Man’s Who Am I in 1998. How does this rank in the best of your work?
Well not just as an executive producer, but that was the record that really affirmed my ability as a record producer period, and opened the doors to so many more opportunities. I played every note, I recorded and mixed it as I do with all the records I’ve made. Without that record, it’s arguable that my career or even Sean’s may never have blossomed the way it did. That record has continued to be relevant to current generations by being sampled and reinterpreted year after year and has earned its status as an iconic song.
In terms of my work as a record producer, if there’s one record I’ll forever be known for, it’s that one.
Tell us about Red Bull music academy. What lead you to contribute to the online educational arena?
Red Bull Music Academy had a fantastic program at the time where they would create incubator units in various cities across the world, basically setting up a musical “camp” and learning center if you will in temporary spaces to house artists, musicians, producers, disc jockeys and engineers. It was designed to nurture creative communities in locales that wouldn’t necessarily have access to those sorts of facilities. The program was invite only, at no cost to the participants. It was a wonderful opportunity and I’m glad I was a part of it. I’m still in touch with some of those students even 20 years later!
Name some of the Reggae/ Dancehall artists you have collaborated with in the past; which ones can you single out as best to work with?
Well in addition to breaking and managing Sean Paul for 17 years, the list is very long, but I’d have to say being a part of Beenie Man’s biggest single ever Who Am I (Sim Simma) is definitely a highlight.
I also produced the song Nike Air which launched Mr. Vegas‘ career. I consider my work with Elephant Man Log On as a milestone as well, he’s another artist I had real chemistry with.
I managed Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor for 5 years as well and helped launch his career with a publishing deal at EMI music. I’ve worked with many amazing and talented artists throughout the years, but most recently I’m really proud to have worked with Kabaka Pyramid with our cover of Nice Up The Dance released last year. Exceptional talent and all-round good human being.
You said you were a radio personality, disc jockey back in the day. Did you enjoy that gig?
I loved working in radio and as a disc jockey. It made me understand how music was received by different audiences, not just us as the creators but the consumers as well. Of course, back in my day, you had to carry around crates of records and music was a lot more exclusive and expensive to come by as opposed to the ease now of downloads or sending some files by email. In a way it made you appreciate music a lot more, it didn’t feel as disposable or fleeting as it does now. But I consider deejays to be musicians as well in a different kinda way, so my respect for them endures no matter how time changes. I still have a mixer and CD players and a laptop with Serato software in my studio. Every recording studio I build I always have a deejay setup in there somewhere!
What’s your favorite Bob Marley Song?
Exodus
Do you think the reggae/dancehall music business is growing? Are there more professionals and artists getting a greater piece of the pie?
The business has grown but the pie itself really hasn’t. I think we need to focus on creating a bigger pie. Or creating more pies to share at this point.
Reggae/Dancehall is no longer about a handful of Kingston record labels and a poster of the same couple dozen artists on a major stage show each year. It’s now about different styles in different parishes and artists and producers in the diaspora that are getting recognized without having to “run” Jamaica.
Basically put, a Dancehall star can practically come from anywhere right now with full acceptance from the fans. All of us need to recognize this globalization and embrace a wider community instead of just worrying about which tune is trending on YouTube this week. There’s so much more to sustaining an industry than that alone.