Antigua’s Newest Music Studio Establishes A Distinct Brand Of Soca Music

July 17, 2009 – St. John’s, Antigua... Pioneering music producers, Deejay Charlie and Hugo Augustine of MaddLabb Studios, have established a distinct brand of crossover soca music with their debut riddim, RAWSHUS.  MaddLabb’s energetic 2009 Carnival offering is scheduled to hit Antiguan airwaves on Monday July 20, 2009.
 
Deejay Charlie, the brainchild behind the RAWSHUS sound, sought to capture the raw energy and wildness of Antigua’s Carnival.  In a reminiscent moment, the producer reflected, “I wanted to revive the real bacchanal of Carnivals past.  Of the days of Benjie’s lime on Redcliffe Street where Chickie carried the swing keeping the place hoppin’ until the wee hours of the morning.”  Inspired by the traditional music of iron bands, the veteran DJ and the first ever Heineken Green Synergy winner built a sound fusing the rhythms of iron, soca, steel pan and US southern urban vibrations known as crunk.  Tracks featured on the riddim are Move by Mac Truc, Never Stop by Promise, Jump Up by Fucha Kid and Magical Bumper by Kenne Blessin.

MaddLabb is Antigua’s newest musical production house representing a collaboration between two of the country’s leading talents.  Augustine, an accomplished musician formerly of Crush and Taxik Band fame, joined forces with the DJ in May 2009 to launch the studio.  With a mission to revolutionise music productions in the region and to establish an internationally recognised Caribbean brand of music, the duo is determined to take Antigua’s 2009 Carnival by storm.

Revellers can expect pure RAWSHUS-ness from the MaddLabb scientists in the lead up to Antigua’s Carnival which culminates on Carnival Monday August 3 and Tuesday August 4, 2009.  In the words of the DJ, “U jus cah feel d riddim...u have 2 ride it!”

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RAWSHUS
U cah jus feel d riddim...u have 2 ride it!

RAWSHUS is raw.  RAWSHUS is wild.  RAWSHUS is pure Antiguan energy.  Drawing on the authentic rhythms of traditional iron bands and the steady boom of the Benna kick bass drum, MaddLabb Studios’s debut production is bound to mash up any Carnival.  The energetic cross over soca riddim ignites a frenzy of recklessness fusing the rhythms of iron, soca, steel pan and crunk.

Keep the adrenaline pumping and the fete grooving with fast paced RAWSHUS tracks including Move by Mac Truc, Never Stop by Promise, Jump Up by Fucha Kid and Magical Bumper by Kenne Blessin.

Look out for pure RAWSHUS-ness on the road for Carnival since u cah jus feel d riddim...u have 2 ride it!

Become part of the RAWSHUS Revolution on Facebook and on YouTube.

Visit MaddLabb Studios online at: www.myspace.com/maddlabbstudios

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Deejay Charlie
Producer/Director, MaddLabb Studios

Considering himself the last of the hopeless romantics, Antigua’s leading DJ, Deejay Charlie, has asserted himself as every man’s girl’s favourite disc jockey.  With a smooth old school flow and a hint of new school flavour, Charlie sets the tone in a party with his suave touch and fluid versatility.  Dubbed the ‘madman’ of Antigua’s airwaves, the veteran DJ revolutionised Antiguan radio in 2000.  His production of the first live DJ-ing programme, Afternoon Mix Til Six, aired weekdays on Observer Radio and quickly rose to become the number one programme on air.  The candid call-in segment, Make It or Break It, took a critical look at music and was often the source of much controversy.

His skill has garnered the attention of music professionals and fans regionally and internationally.  In 2002, BBC’s digital urban radio station, 1Xtra, published an original Deejay Charlie soca mix which was presented as a gift to specially invited guests at their annual Christmas party.  A master of the turntables, the Antiguan DJ copped the first ever Heineken Green Synergy title in 2003.

With eighteen plus years of DJ-ing experience under his belt, Charlie is no stranger to the music industry.  His passion for music and drive to create has fuelled his vision to not only play music but also produce it.  This led to his partnering with his long time friend, musician and mentor, Hugo “Mbutu” Augustine, in May 2009 to launch MaddLabb Studios.

The MaddLabb scientists are determined to leave their stamp on the Caribbean’s music industry with their commitment to professionalism and the highest standards of production.  Soca fans worldwide can stay tuned for MaddLabb’s debut riddim, RAWSHUS, which brings untamed wildness to a Carnival near you. 

Visit Deejay Charlie online at: www.myspace.com/deejaycharliemadman and on Facebook