Curtley Alexander was just eight years old when he saw Bunny Wailer and Jimmy Cliff in concert in his native Dominica. The power of reggae resonated with him as a fan and he is determined to make similar impact as a producer.

Known as Fyahball, he is based in the United Kingdom where he operates Royal Muzik Productionz. Since 2010, he has worked with mainly roots artistes from the Caribbean.

“The reggae/dancehall scene (in the UK) has definitely evolved. I think there are less younger producers doing hardcore reggae,” said Fyahball, who describes his productions as “heavy bassline, tough one drop and steppers”.

Among the current releases from Royal Muzik Productionz is Hero, a dancehall jam by singer Aima Moses from Dominica. It hails firebrands who sacrificed for the black cause, such as Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, Patrice Lumumba and Emperor Haile Selassie I.

The Rock — a collaboration between another Dominican, Ras Judah, and Ras Attitude from St Croix — is reminiscent of British reggae, circa early 1980s while So Smooth, another dancehall track, is co-produced by Iffacush out of Trench Town.

“My productions are very diverse although my favourite productions are reggae rhythms,” said 42-year-old Fyahball who was raised on music. His father and uncle were members of Mamouth, a band that played Cadence, a creole sound popular in Dominica.

But there was always space for Jamaican music especially when he became a sound system operator in his homeland. Fyahball’s preference for fiery dancehall acts like Anthony B, Jah Mason and Mr Perfect earned him a moniker that has reverence in Jamaican roots circles.

The coronavirus put a skid on Royal Muzik Productionz, but Fyahball still plans to release two reggae albums before year-end and a vinyl project in the first quarter of 2021.

— Howard Campbell