CARIB VOXX had the opportunity to sit down with the multi-talented producer YowLevite, a rising mogul in the music industry. Hailing from the cool hills of Manchester, Jamaica, he has been making waves with his genre-blending production and undeniable passion for the craft. In this interview, he discusses his new single with Qrush, Pain Mi Feel, along with some of his biggest career highlights and what’s next. In addition to Pain Mi Feel, his recent work includes producing the 11th track, Amout, on Vybz Kartel’s Viking 10th Anniversary album, as well as playing a key role in shaping the sound of Spice’s Mirror 25 album, where he contributed to multiple tracks.
Who is YowLevite?
YowLevite is a grounded, talented, and jovial music producer and mogul in the making from the cool hills of Manchester. At my core, I’m creative, passionate, and deeply curious. I’m the kind of person who listens not just to music but to people—their stories, struggles, and triumphs—and channels that into the work I do. Growing up in the rural side of Jamaica taught me resilience and how to make something out of nothing, and that’s a mindset I carry with me every day.
What Inspired Pain Mi Feel?
This song was actually done in 2020. I remember being at the studio (Frenz For Real) one night making the riddim, but while I was doing so, I had flashbacks. At the start of the year, I resigned from my job as a brand manager to pursue my dream of doing music full-time. My six months of savings were exhausted in the first two months, and my family and friends had no idea that I wasn’t working anymore. I used to sleep at the studio, but I knew all of that was just for a period of time because I was putting in the work that would make me bound for greatness.
My bredren Wowsky introduced me to Qrush, and we had good chemistry in the studio. So, while making the riddim, all I could hear in my mind was the chorus, “Dem nuh know the pain mi feel.” I told Wowsky about the idea, and he called Qrush on the phone. I played the riddim and sang the chorus. When Qrush came to the studio, we spoke about the song and what we wanted to envision, and the rest is history. Qrush is an extremely talented writer with strong vocals, and you can hear the raw emotion in the song—that’s what resonates with people when they listen to the record.
What Has Been the Biggest Highlight of Your Career Thus Far?
I’ve had quite a few. The first was being able to contribute to Dexta Daps’ album, Vent, with the song Obviously, which was a collaboration with Beenie Man. That album charted on the Reggae Billboard charts.
The second was being featured on Vybz Kartel’s single Temptation and, from there, being able to compose riddims for his releases while he was incarcerated. Our most recent project, Amout, produced by Vybz Kartel and TJ Records, mixed by Redboom Supamix, currently sits at #2 on the YouTube Trending Charts.
Last but not least would be working on Spice’s Mirror 25 album. That project pushed my capabilities as a producer after being responsible for 25 of the 26 tracks, covering a range of genres including R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Amapiano, AfroBeats, Reggaeton, Trap Dancehall, ‘90s Dancehall, and more. That project gave me the opportunity to work with and meet the great Busta Rhymes, Lola Brooke, Kimani Marley, Patoranking, and many more. The album reached #45 on the iTunes worldwide charts, #2 on the US and UK iTunes all-genre charts, #1 in many countries on the iTunes Reggae charts, and also #7 on the Reggae Billboard charts.
What’s Next for YowLevite?
More music! I have a lot of music set to be released under my label, and that’s where I’m putting most of my attention. I would list names, but for now, I’m keeping that a secret. However, I have unreleased records with Grammy-winning artists and other big-name acts, spanning from 2020 to date.
