Two years after Sean Paul’s Like Glue earned gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), producer Tony Kelly has earned another accolade from his enduring Buy Out rhythm project.

Last Friday, the BPI issued a silver certification (200,000 units sold) for the song Nuttin Nuh Go So, which was recorded by singer Notch, formerly of the Billboard-charting singing and deejaying duo Born Jamericans.

Released in 2001, Buy Out rhythm spawned several hits, including TOK’s Money to Burn, Like Glue (which climbed several Billboard and European charts), Miss LAP by Beenie Man, Gal Dem Every Time by Sadiki, Drive Me Crazy by Mr Easy, and Real Niggas by Twice featuring Spragga Benz.

When the Jamaica Observer caught up with Kelly on Saturday he was not surprised at the certification by the BPI.

“If you know me, you ago know that I live by ‘expect the unexpected’ and I make music with visa. I also put my all into each and every project, with the mindset of you’d never know which song or songs are going to take flight and stain the world,” said Kelly.

The songs on the Buy Out rhythm, including Notch’s single, were recorded at Kelly’s Lounge Studio.

Interestingly, although the project was released in 2001 on his K-Licious label, the beat was created at least five years earlier.

“Classics are just that, classics, and since the rhythm came out and was well received it has been in various conversations every year. So, yeah, the new generation was destined to know about it; either from social media or hearing it when they were younger and seeing how it moved people — feel-good, happy music.

“The Buy Out rhythm was 5 years old before it was voiced on and released. It was made around the same time that I created the Bookshelf rhythm. I love to experiment and go against the grain, you know, like creating a new path. And when I get new equipment (rackmount keyboards at the time) I’d dive into the sounds to see what and what [may] stimulate me and give me a vibe and speak to me like ‘use me, use me’. And then my creative juice just starts flowing,” Kelly explained.

The first song that he wrote and recorded on the beat was Mr Easy’s She Drives Me Crazy.

Kelly spoke about working with Notch.

“Notch is one of the easiest but more technical artistes to work with. Easy in terms of his melodies and his pen game is off the chart, so he comes prepared. Technical in terms of all the pieces and backgrounds he has in his head. As long as you have an empty audio track he’ll find a spot to put a harmony, ad lib, filler. An amazing artiste,” said Kelly.

He added: “I’ve always been a fan of Notch and his sound, and we’ve been friends for a while through music, so the Buy Out just called for melodious songs because of the movements that the progression of the beat provides. So that was an easy decision to offer him a chance to create this monster song.”

Kelly, who is the brother of veteran producer Dave Kelly, began his journey in music working as an engineer for several producers before he started his own label.

Among the major hits that he has produced are TOK’s Chi Chi Man, Sean Paul’s Deport Dem, Sasha’s Dat Sexy Body, and Tanto Metro and Devonte’s Everyone Falls in Love.