LATE last month, veteran dancehall artiste Spragga Benz released a reloaded version of his 2025 album Endeavors. The expanded 13-track edition (Endeavors Reloaded) features new collaborations with Sean Paul, Stonebwoy, Agent Sasco, Tarrus Riley, Sizzla, I-Wayne, JC Lodge and the late crooner Cocoa Tea.

Endeavors Reloaded is executively produced by Spragga Benz (given name: Carlton Grant) and co-produced by Lamar Reynolds. It was released through LMR Pro Productions and Red Square Productions.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday, Spragga Benz explained the decision to release a reloaded version of the chart-topping iTunes project.

“The original album was released with more of a focus on getting the record out within a certain time frame, which meant moving forward without certain guests who matched the vision. Time has allowed all the guests originally envisioned for the different tracks to make their contributions, polishing the project,” he said.

Spragga Benz said working with experienced producer Lamar Reynolds was a good vibe. Reynolds, who is Jamaican but based in the United States, is best known for his work on singer Kranium’s Nobody Has to Know.

“LMR is family. It’s always a great vibe, and creatively, we speak the same language. Just a good vibe and experience, always,” he shared, while acknowledging the work that went into the project.

“It was a team effort, but the vision was always clear. I have a strong team that works together to make things happen — Red Square Active!” the artiste said.

A wide cross section of artistes are featured on Endeavors Reloaded, mostly veteran acts. However, missing from the project are collaborations with some of the newer acts currently permeating the dancehall space. Asked if this was intentional, Spragga Benz said, “No, that wasn’t intentional, and I’ll probably do that on the next project. I’m already working with some newer names on a new Remix EP for the Asia/Africa market.”

A pioneering voice in Jamaican dancehall since the early 1990s, Spragga Benz built his catalogue on hits including Love Mi Gun, Could a Deal and Girls Hooray, and reached international audiences with
Turn Me On, his collaboration with Kevin Lyttle, which climbed to No. 4 on the U.S. charts and No. 1 in Denmark. He is also known to film audiences for his lead role as Wayne in the cult classic Shottas (2001), alongside credits including Brooklyn Babylon (1999) and Unbelievable (2025).

The veteran deejay was once signed to the US based Capitol Records, a major label that has worked with popular R&B, pop, adult contemporary and alternative music acts through the years. They include Katy Perry, Halsey, Doechii, Lil Baby, Beck and country acts Luke Bryan and Keith Urban.

Spragga Benz spoke about his relationship with the label, which released his major label debut project
Uncommonly Smooth, which spawned the hits A1 Lover (with Chevelle Franklyn), Hardcore Lovin and Spanish Harlem with R&B legend Ben E King.

“At that time we were inexperienced, and coming into a major record deal was exciting. There are a lot of lessons I’ve learned since, and things I’d do differently today. I think it all depends on what the artist wants to achieve, and making sure the label fully understands the vision and creative direction. If those things align, there can be a lot of benefits — but that’s not to say it’s any better than being independent, with total control of your music and creative expression. We live in a digital era where technology has opened up other solutions and access to platforms for distribution,” Spragga Benz shared.

He said that the Capitol Records collaboration helped increase his global presence.

“Capitol Records was a great experience at the time — just another step along the journey that’s added to my global presence. It started before Capitol and continued after. The work and the journey continue,” he said.

Asked about his response were he approached to work with a major label today, Spragga Benz declared, “I can’t say exactly — it would depend on the deal structure and the opportunity.”

Spragga Benz has always been active in the community and giving back has been one of the initiatives that he is passionate about.

His Stay in School Programme, which was renamed the Carlyle Foundation (named after his late son Carlyle), assists families who experience the financial burden of back-to-school expenses.

“We haven’t been as active this year as we intend to be. The plans are in motion, and we intend to continue working towards keeping children in school and helping parents meet the financial demands, especially in this difficult economic climate. I was able to provide book bags and supplies, among other donations, for Hurricane Melissa victims, but this is an ongoing project. Anyone interested in donating to the schools or children can reach out to me or my team via IG or e-mail — sevenstarent@gmail.com.