FIFTEEN years ago, Ding Dong topped local charts with his solo hit Badman Forward Badman Pull Up . It changed his life forever.

Recorded in late 2005, Badman Forward Badman Pull Up was released early the following year.

“The first song that I was featured on was Wacky Dip by Voice Mail which was produced by Don Corleon. It became a classic and it was huge from an artiste’s perspective. But Badman Forward Badman Pull Up was the song that opened the doors for me,” Ding Dong told the Jamaica Observer.

Badman Forward Badman Pull Up was initially a dance move that Ding Dong created within his community of Nannyville in Kingston.

“I wanted to build a dance, because at the time people wanted a change from the other dance moves that were popular. I started the movement in Nannyville first, but I developed the dance when I went to England to do a tour. Then when I was in New York, Ricky Blaze (beatmaker and producer) said he had a riddim. He said the only song he could hear on the riddim was Badman Forward Badman Pull Up,” Ding Dong recalled.

He continued, “I was in Future Vibes Record store on Church Avenue in New York, and I was drinking a Magnum, and Ricky brought the riddim. We then went to the recording studio and I did the song in 15 minutes. The song was not mixed nor mastered. It is the raw recording that was released.”

Ding Dong said he was advised to alter the song and add more lines to it. However, he decided against that move.

“I called Matterhorn (selector Tony Matterhorn) and me say: ‘Madgie (Matterhorn’s nickname), me have a song name Badman Forward Badman Pull Up’. Him say cut it, ‘the title too long’ and I said: ‘No’. The first time the song was played was Day Rave (a popular party at the time in Nannyville). Then we took it to Weddy Weddy Wednesdays and then to Passa Passa. Hotta Maestro and Little Richie dem pull it up bout 50 times,” continued Ding Dong, whose given name is Kemar Ottey.

He said that up until that time, he didn’t consider a career in music.

“I didn’t take music serious, I just did it for fun. Sometimes you get goosebumps just thinking about it. I realised that this was way bigger than I expected,” said Ding Dong.

“At that time, gangsters and thugs began dancing in the parties. My song drew people out of them shell and the song became a worldwide giant without a music video. We used the impact of the song and the dance to move the world,” Ding Dong asserted.

As the song topped local and regional reggae charts, Ding Dong’s popularity soared. He said the song’s success opened several doors for him musically.

“ Badman Forward Badman Pull Up mek me go sign to VP Records at one point. At the time I was young and if I know what I know now, back then, then I would’ve been in a better place. I still don’t regret it because it brought me to where I am today. That song gave me the attention from a large independent label, while giving me the credit that I needed as the next big dancer out of Jamaica. Nuff artistes never did like it, dem fight it. If you ever know the struggles. I had to work the streets each night to get the song promoted. That song also opened the door for another big song I did, Dip Again with Elephant Man. However, career wise, the next big thing was Holiday with Chevaughn. The journey for me has been a long one,” said Ding Dong.