Top acts for Everybody Hates Chris album
Popular music producer Christopher “Sky Bad” Wright is bringing his story to the forefront with the 13-track album Everybody Hates Chris released on October 2.
The project features Malie Donn, Valiant, Squash, Demarco, Mortimer, Afro B, Beenie Man, Byron Messia, Rygin King, Tommy Lee Sparta, and Barbie J bringing together different voices and styles to reflect the producer’s musical range.
For Sky Bad, the title speaks to the resistance he has faced while building his career and his determination to use those experiences as motivation.
“Everybody Hates Chris is not about literally believing everybody hates me. It represents the obstacles, doubters, criticism, and negativity that can come with trying to build something for yourself. I want the project to tell the story of turning pressure into progress, and proving that you can come from wherever you come from and still make it to where you want to be,” he explained.
The album developed gradually, with Sky Bad taking time to find the right artistes, production and overall sound. Rather than work towards a rushed deadline, he focused on giving each song its own identity while ensuring it contributed to the wider project.
“I didn’t want to rush it just to put out a body of work. I wanted every song to have its own identity and make sense as part of the bigger picture,” he said.
His choice of collaborators was guided by what each artiste could bring to the music. Established relationships opened some doors, while introductions and direct outreach helped secure other contributions. Coordinating schedules, locations, and creative ideas required patience, but the growing collaborations also pushed the album beyond his original vision.
“I wasn’t just looking for big names. I was looking for voices, personalities, styles, and energy that matched the records. The goal was to create a project that could move between different sounds while still feeling connected,” Sky Bad said.
That approach is evident on My Woman, which pairs Afro B’s Afrobeats influence with Squash’s raw dancehall energy and Demarco’s vocal and songwriting style. Sky Bad wanted those differences to complement one another, giving each artiste room to contribute something distinctive.
Other tracks include Heart Beat Different with Demarco, With Myself featuring Mortimer, Stush with Beenie Man, and Up & Down featuring Valiant.
Sky Bad believes his ability to understand artistes is central to his work. While he takes a hands-on approach in the studio, he also makes space for their ideas, allowing the records to evolve through collaboration.
“I’m not trying to make every artiste sound the same. I listen to what makes each person unique and try to build around that. I believe a producer has to understand the music, but also understand the people making it,” he said.
Born and raised in Devon, Manchester, Wright’s musical foundation began with playing drums in church. By fourth form in high school that interest had developed into deejaying, eventually leading him to work as a party and radio DJ.
Between 2018 and 2020, he built his profile through releases including Squash’s Ohh Lala La, Excelerate and Fi True; Daddy1’s Bro Gad and Share It; and Teejay’s Badmind & Jealousy and How. His catalogue also includes Tommy Lee Sparta’s Godfather, Legends and Vanilla, along with Squeeze and Lit by the late Trinidadbased artiste Rebel Sixx.
He also produced six tracks on Khago’s 2018 album Walk A Mile, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. His rhythm compilations include Black Henny, Dream House, Mega Moves, and Lost Soul.
With Everybody Hates Chris, Sky Bad aims to bring those experiences together in a body of work that establishes his identity and demonstrates his versatility. The artwork’s message, “from the block to the top”, reflects the ambition behind the album.
“It’s about where you start not determining where you finish. Coming from the block means understanding struggle, sacrifice, hard work, and having to create opportunities for yourself,” he said.
“For me, personally, I want Everybody Hates Chris to establish my identity as a producer and show people what I’m capable of creatively. This is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a statement about where I’m coming from and where I’m going,” the producer continued.
