Meteoric producer Charles Sponge was about to wrap up the promotion of his popular World Press project when he envisioned Capleton’s vocals on the riddim.

“He had recorded a song for me for a new project coming up which I probably won’t release until December, but the way him sing I just hear him on the World Press riddim,” Sponge told BUZZ.

“I said to him, ‘I know you gave me a song already but this riddim is already out. How you feel about going on a riddim that’s already released?’ and he told me to send it and the same day that I send it is the same day him sing the song. That’s how talented he is,” Sponge added.

The result is an upbeat track Burn Up the Streets, a chanting of solace and success despite the hurdles and naysayers that accompany life’s journey.

The vibrant visuals premiered on Friday and have since attracted more than 70,000 YouTube views.

“The feedback is pretty good and the streaming is going,” he said. “Capleton did the big song with DJ Khaled (Where You Come From) but he has not dropped a song on a riddim that is actually a hit riddim for a long time… The riddim already worldwide so to put Capleton on a project that is already successful is just a bonus. I’m really proud and glad that he wanted to be a part of it too cause he could have easily said no.”

The golden strategy 

The World Press riddim has defied the common fate of several productions which lose their spark after a month. It debuted in December and has yielded hits like Mavado’s Not Perfect, Alkaline’s Real Dawgs and Dovey Magnum’s Respectfully. Besides the riddim having “soul” as Sponge described, its extended shelf life is also attributed to the segmented marketing of a single at a time.

“My mission is to mek the riddim be one a dem riddim that last forever like a Diwali or Buzz riddim or one a dem from back in the day,” Sponge said. “This riddim is one of the first that you could categorise as dancehall-reggae so that’s why I try to keep every artiste current as much as I can even though some people believe that Mavado’s song is the best song on the riddim which in my opinion we can’t debate that but the Capleton is really creating a buzz right now.”

The riddim also includes talents like Shaneil Muir, Bugle, Jahmiel, I-Octane, Gyptian, Beenie Man, Denyque and upcoming artistes Knaxx and Dre Zee.

“Yuh haffi try reach the ears a everybody cause when somebody will listen to Capleton dem won’t listen to Alkaline or Intence so there’s something on it for everybody. A longtime dancehall nuh get a riddim like this.”His Sponge Music label, a partnership with his sister Tanya Williston, has been scoring hits and massive features since its establishment last year. Their credits include Beenie Man’s Verzuz-inspired Do You Want to Be That Guy and Alkaline’s NuhWife. For Sponge, there’s no hidden formula, just “blessings from the Lord. I believe strongly in God and with God anything is possible,” he stated.