Wayne Wonder drawn to the message of Because It’s Time
Having spent most of his youth in the hardened enclave of Dunkirk in east Kingston, Wayne Wonder knows the negative impact gang violence has on communities. He did not hesitate when asked to support Because It’s Time by White Flag, a multi-artiste song released on December 1.
The track is co-produced by five producers including Jamaican Sean Roy Strachan. It also features Vincentian artiste Kevin Lyttle, American rapper and singer Sean Kingston and Mya and Dutch singer/dancer Shaffik Mohammed.
Wayne Wonder had collaborated with Mya on If I Ever (Sean Roy Remix) in 2011 and got involved with White Flag after hearing the concept behind Because It’s Time.
“I’m fully on board with this project, we all need peace in di world. Di gang violence in Jamaica, di gang violence in Latin American countries, di total chaos. We need something to soothe that,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
Sixteen artistes are on the single which is done in four languages and funded by five record companies. Proceeds from the project will go to programmes supporting the Colombian police force and global peace.
Known for dance hits such as Joyride, Keep Them Coming and No Letting Go, Wayne Wonder welcomed the opportunity to record a song with such a serious and relevant message.
“Well, dis show dat Wayne Wonder voice relevant. Dis is a good look,” he said.
Along with Buju Banton, Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffiths and Cham, Wayne Wonder was instrumental in the success of Penthouse Records and Madhouse Records during the late 1980s and 1990s.
No Letting Go, recorded on producer Steven “Lenky” Marsden’s massive Diwali rhythm in 2002, is his biggest hit to date. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart one year later, and was certified gold in 2022 by the Recording Industry Association of America for 500,000 in sales.
