IN an era when music trends change at the skip of a beat, singjay Boss Champs moves with the times. On his EP International Commodity he introduces the TropHop sound.

International Commodity is scheduled for release in January. According to the Los Angeles-based artiste, TropHop is a blend of genres he admires, including dancehall, Afrobeat, hip hop, and rhythm and blues.

While they are looking at a broad demographic, Boss Champs and his team have eyes on Latin America, which has been receptive to fusion music for many years.

“I am absolutely looking at those markets and really any market that vibes with it. I’m not restricting myself and music to any genres in particular. So, whatever the people like and whatever the people hear, I’ll be there,” he said.

Boss Champs was born Nico East and is originally from Independence City in Portmore. He has done the rounds in Latin America, performing in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia which are considered his strongest markets.

So Dangerous, Won’t go Home, and Need Your Love are some of the songs from International Commodity, which has Mike Lynn, head of Big Ego Entertainment as executive producer. Lynn is best known as former president of Aftermath Records, owned by Dr Dre.

Boss Champs has been recording since 2012. Prior to music, he was an actor who appeared in movies like Portrait of A Woman, Sealing Your Fate, and Aleta: Vampire Mistress.

Last year, he also expanded his brand with Polished, a clothing line with compatriot Errol McCall.

— HOWARD CAMPBELL