Kush Arora – Rasta Azonto Riddim

Our last release, the Calling All Girls Remix EP, featured a remix by DJ and producer Kush Arora. In his interpretation of the Robzilla produced original, he came with his signature dark-industrial sound. This is the same sound that really left an impression on us last year when he sent over his remix of Gyptian’s Wine Slow, and we decided to release it on our Six Years Deep anniversary compilation. Now having put out two of his remixes, we’ve decided to release a Kush Arora original, the Rasta Azonto Riddim!

Besides Kush’s instrumental, the Rasta Azonto Riddim EP features versions by Jamaican artist Blackout JA, and the Zimbabwean vocalist Pops Jabu. They each go off in their own way on Kush’s instrumental, but instead of Jamaican dancehall as the rhythmic reference, the beat is based on the Ghanian dance sensation Azonto. Blackout JA makes a call for people to stand up and fight for liberation, and Pops Jabu sends a warning that African warriors (from all over the world) are coming! And with that, the Rasta Azonto Riddim stays firm within Dutty Artz’ tradition of politically minded, cross-cultural, and transnational collaboration.