Sugar Cane gets a rave review

“The groove I have developed over the years comes from constantly learning music by theory and by ear, as well as the different music cultures and the culture of music production. This song is inspired by the upbeat vibe of Afrobeat, from a Jamaican angle, that people can relate to,” he told the Jamaican observer.

Sugar Cane was distributed by VPAL Music on May 10.

The St. Thomas resident said the connection to VP Records/VPAL Music came through other artists he is associated with.

The single also references the late Robbie Shakespeare, who Nelson said he admired and hoped would be part of the project. Luckily, he’s working on another project that will feature Shakespeare’s other half, Sly Dunbar, on drums.

Meanwhile, Nelson reasoned that the shift in reggae and dancehall is due to a lack of accessibility of emerging acts to the seasoned artists.

“I think it’s mainly because of the generation gap between today’s artists and those who came before us. A lot of talent is not being nurtured to shift the focus to authentic Jamaican music… a lot of people making music now don’t have access to people who have knowledge,” he said.

While he hopes to work with Sean Paul, Shaggy, Shenseea, Beres Hammond and Spice, Nelson implores other rising talents not to take shortcuts as they strive for stardom.

“Use your craft and take the long way to perfect it. The side of your vehicle that is missing will come back to haunt you one day, so you need to polish all sides; from the performance, to the notes, to the lyrics,” Nelson told the BBC Observer.