Skip Da Line pins hopes on Foot Play
A few years ago, while working as a photographer at several dancehall events within the tri-state area, Skip Da Line realised his music.
“I started a website called www.skipdaline.com and I did photography at all the hot events and that’s where I began to interact with music producers, media, entertainers, selectors and even promoters. I decided to transition to music and I kept the name. Making those valuable contacts at that time, have helped me on my musical journey,” Skip Da Line disclosed.
Describing himself as an international artiste (he does dancehall, R&B, Latin, and Afrobeats), he doesn’t put himself into a box.
“I live in New York and so I try to do music that’s commercial, sort of a mix in between and bridge it with different markets. However, Jamaica is where you have to get the acceptance first,” he shared.
Skip Da Line’s latest single Foot Play features popular street dancers Gabbidon and Pata Skeng. He said having both featured on the song was strategic.
“Me being in tuned to the Internet, I had a beat with an uptempo vibe for the dancers. I knew Gabbidon from before, he was always in the streets and he created the dance. He linked Pata Skeng and we made the song happen,” said Skip Da Line.
The collaboration has so far been well-received and Skip Da Line is quite upbeat.
A video for Foot Play was recently shot in sections of the Corporate Area.
Originally from Spanish Town, Skip Da Line (real name Donovan Nelson) has resided in Queens, New York, for half of his life. Getting into music was inevitable.
“I found music from the influence of my dad. He was always playing music in the home and I saw the artiste lifestyle first-hand because he and Merciless are friends and he used to come by the home with some of his friends. I decided to try it and so far, music has been pretty good,” said Skip Da Line.
Earlier this year, Skip Da Line scored success in the Afrobeats market with the song Wine So. The song racked up impressive numbers on social media thanks to a video clip with endorsement from a group of orphaned children from Africa called Ghetto Kids that went viral.
“Wine So is so far my biggest song to date. I reached out to the Ghetto Kids on social media and they did a video and posted it. It got over eight million views and that traction kinda pushed it to the world. It’s my highest streaming song so far and brought a lot of eyes to my work,” said Skip Da Line.