Multi-hyphenated radio personality and recording artist Brush1 has teamed up with dancehall luminary Elephant Man for his latest soca track titled “Shell It Down,” produced by the vivacious ZJ Sparks and Dan Evens out of Martinique.
Released February 1, the track is currently available on all major digital platforms and has been garnering attention from soca fans worldwide. An infectious offering, “Shell It Down” shows Brush1’s growth and understanding of the soca genre, yet despite having a Jamaican style, the track still feels authentic in its presentation. This latest project also allowed him to work with producer Dan Evens from Martinique, which he felt brought out something that was always inside him but couldn’t tap into prior.
In an interview with Prism Marketing Consultants, Brush1 revealed that the inspiration for “Shell It Down” came from the soca season’s energy. He noted that when Sparks sent the rhythm, he immediately felt that it sounded like a “mash-up” rhythm, and they collectively decided to create a “mash-up-the-ground” song. After initially laying the track, they listened to it repeatedly and felt like something was missing, so they sent it to a few artists, and Elephant Man emerged as the perfect fit. The song is an energy song, and Brush1 describes himself as an “energy” person, so it made sense for the Energy Gad to be on it.
According to Brush1, “working with ZJ Sparks and Dan Evens is always a unique process. They prioritize quality and strive to get the best out of their productions.”
Brush1 enjoys working with them because he knows whenever they commence a project, it’s going to be long hours in the studio to get it right. Explaining the creative process, he stated, “There is a lot of back-and-forth in terms of tweaking the song, and they maintain very open and honest communication about what the song feels like it can do.”
Brush1, who also goes by the moniker “Brush1 the Road Marshal“, has been doing soca music for several years but was born and raised in dancehall, so making a dancehall track is relatively straightforward for him. However, soca has certain elements that one needs to be immersed in to understand fully. Over the past few years, he has travelled to Trinidad numerous times and has grown to understand the little nuances, phrases, and even the structure of their music. Being in the studio with other soca artists and seeing how they create has helped him better understand the soca genre.
“Working with local producers is great, but working with producers from other islands can add an extra layer of finesse to a track.” He added.
Brush1 hopes to work with producers from other islands, such as St. Vincent, Grenada, and Trinidad, in the foreseeable future. “Shell It Down” is a power soca track at its core, with a high tempo and energy that makes you want to jump, dance, and wave your flag. The beat is infectious, and the lyrics are commanding, making it a great addition to any soca playlist.
Currently, on a worldwide stint, the entertainer has been to several countries on his exploits, including Trinidad, Germany, Italy, France and the Dominican Republic, performing in several capacities, including DJ, host and recording artiste, while connecting with various performers and producers from different countries and dispersing his music.
In closing, Brush1 remarked that overall, he had a great experience working on “Shell It Down” and faced no significant challenges. However, highlights that his only ‘real challenge’ was keeping up with ZJ Sparks’ energy in the studio.
