Drew Stewart is representing reggae music and his home, East Kingston. After approximately 13 years of making music/songwriting, he honed his craft and is now one to be reckoned with in the music industry. He has worked with the likes of Nature Ellis and Knolij Tafari. They are also included in his upcoming EP.
CARIB VOXX asked him about the recent shift in name from “Music Mansion” to “TNF Music”. Drew was using the studio name as the record label, so he decided to come up with a separate name for his label. He explained that he made a spiritual shift in his life, therefore, it replicated in his music as well. Hence the chosen name ” Then Now and Forever Music”.
Reggae from East Kingston
On the upcoming EP, Drew collaborates with various musicians and artists to make six tracks, namely: Jahmali, Dejour, Teko, along with the two artists mentioned above. He also worked with musicians like Barnabas, Danny “Axeman” Thompson, and others. EP entitled “Drew Stewart presents Reggae from East Kingston” will be released July 19, 2019. We can definitely look forward to that!
In naming his EP, he garnered inspiration from all the reggae acts, including himself, who were born/bred or both in Kingston, in particular, Bob Marley and Chronixx who have made a huge impact on Reggae music. Stewart states that based on his experience most of the reggae acts originated in Kingston or surrounding areas. This EP is likewise a representation of his background and studio in East Kingston. Apart from his EP, fans can expect singles from
Nature Ellis ft Drew Stewart – Love Me
“Love Me”, a track on the EP by Nature Ellis and Drew Stewart, gives a nice mellow vibe which suits a day at the beach. Its cool beats will win over the hearts of anyone who listens. Out now on all digital media platforms!
“Reggae is the voice of the people…”
– Drew Stewart
As for the current state of Reggae music, he says it is good and bad. He’s impressed by acts like Junior Gong and Chronixx. Drew states, however, that there is a paradigm shift. It’s not speaking for the people as it should be but is now watered down into sexual music and lyrical battles. He hopes it can move away from the stereotype of the one drop beat. He even made reference to Third World and Peter Tosh representing the diversity of reggae.