THE friendship forged between reggae singer Jah Cure and R&B/hip hop singer Keri Hilson at the 2009 staging of Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay, has resulted in a collaboration titled World Cry. The song was written and produced by Mostdevotedmusicanalive better known as Pooh Bear.

Pooh Bear whose real name is Jason Boyd, has written and produced songs for a number of top names drawn from the R&B, hip hop and rap scenes. His name is credited on tracks including Chris Brown’s I Can Transform Ya, 112’s Peaches and Cream and Usher’s Caught Up.

According to Pooh Bear, the inclusion of Hilson on the World Cry recording, was suggested by Jah Cure. “I didn’t think about putting Keri on the track, it was Jah Cure’s idea to have her. The end result is quite good. I think it’s a modern day We are the World record,” Pooh Bear said in an interview at Shaggy’s Big Yard studio in Kingston, recently.

Jah Cure who was also at the studio, was equally excited about World Cry. “It’s a really good song and its touching on world issues and topics that people can relate to. This song is a good look, and for me its good to talk about other issues that people are facing”.

Jah Cure said the link with Hilson came about naturally. “She is a fan of mine and I met her at Reggae Sumfest, when she wanted to take picture with me. We exchanged numbers and we talk on blackberry messenger every day. She said she always wanted to do a song with me,” Cure explained.

Cure said that although he always wanted to record a collaboration with Hilson, he was waiting on the right song, that was satisfying enough to have her on board.

Pooh Bear who said it was his first time working with a reggae artiste, has a lot of expectations for the World Cry single. “World Cry is a message to kinda wake up everyone because there are war issues, hunger issues and poverty. And that’s really touching,” said Pooh Bear.

Jah Cure who released the album The Universal Cure via SoBe Entertainment/Danger Zone Music Group last April, is coming off a successful 2009. He topped the charts with two popular singles You’ll Never Find and Call On Me, which featured American R&B singer Phylisia.

Keri Hilson won two awards last year, namely the Soul Train and BET Award for Best New Artiste, is up for two Grammys in the 2010 Grammy Awards.

Her debut solo album In a Perfect World has sold double platinum. To date she has racked up hits on the Billboard charts including Slow Dance, Turnin Me On, and Knock You Down.

She recently hit the Top ten on the Billboard R&B chart alongside R Kelly on the collaborative single Number One.