BILLBOARD-charting producer Cordell ‘Skatta’ Burrell is one of the few people immune to the collective doom hovering over the reggae-dancehall industry during the last few years.

In a dancehall milieu today where bonafide crossover hits are harder to find than a sumo wrestler’s bellybutton, ‘Skatta’ remains unfazed. He has mastered the art of ‘breaking through’; the art of sounding different and new while doing so with credibility and style.

The hits will come, ‘Skatta’ believes.

“I am still enthusiastic about making music, there are people who think that we are in a slump, but regardless of that, when you turn on the radio, you still hear songs that inspire you. I live, eat and breathe music, and I have been at this so long, it is impossible for me to do anything else,” he said.

Maybe so, but ‘Skatta’ has become a celebrity in recent years because of his role as a celebrity judge on the popular Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall contest, which is aired live on TVJ to millions across the country. Skatta’s witty one-liners, flashy wardrobe, street-wise bragadocio and sage advice have made him a hit with viewers.

“I am just grateful to represent dancehall even as it is beamed into people’s living rooms. It is all about a lifestyle and I am glad to share this knowledge with artistes and the wider public,” he said.

‘Skatta’ announced his arrival on the world stage several years ago with the Nina Sky single, Move Ya Body, an addictive song built on the Coolie Dance, a playful rhythm with bouncy well-placed it synthesizer beats. Released on April 27, 2004, reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Urban music and rhythmic top 40 stations quickly added the song to their playlists, sending the song up the charts. It hit the top five on both sides of the Atlantic and also reached the top five of a world combined R&B chart based on the US, UK, Germany, France and Australia.

Major articles on Skatta in the urban entertainment bibles such as Billboard, Vibe and Source magazines followed, and collabos with hip hop stars Twista, Pitbull and Lil Jon propelled him into the spotlight. Skatta had arrived.

“Coolie Dance was a great experience because we took the Jamaican route first and watched as the riddim propelled itself into the hearts and minds of hip hop producers and artistes. It had a distinct identity and it created this movement, this buzz, this driving force that still stands today,” Skatta said.

Known for his signature drum sounds and his space age production, Skatta has now joined forces with Down Sound Records (DSR) for the past 12 months, during which he has tasted chart success with the monster hit, Street Hustle, with red hot rookie Specialist. Other successful projects include the HYPE TV Top 10 ensemble mash up hit, When We Roll featuring The Force, a loose, talented collective from the DSR roster, and Specialist’s Gallis Anthem, which hit the upper reaches of most local

“There are challenges, but it has been ultimately more rewarding because we have far exceeded our expectations in the first year. We have identified new talents such as reggae singer Nature, whose new single, World Peace is quite dominant on radio right now. Things are looking up,” he said, flashing a metallic. braces-inspired smile.

And with several new projects on the horizon, there’s just no stopping Skatta. You can bet your house on it.