Skatta does the ‘Coolie Dance’ with new publishing deal
Producer hoping to help colleagues reap similar benefits
Published:Sunday | December 7, 2025 | 12:06 AM
Producer Cordel ‘Skatta’ Burrell says he is looking to replicate across the local music fraternity his recent global success from a lucrative publishing deal. Having joined forces with Reservoir Media Inc, an independent music company based out of New York, through reggae and dancehall publisher Abood Music, Burrell says the new venture will assist in talent development and in cementing Jamaica’s musical legacy worldwide.
In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Burrell said the partnership will allow stakeholders to acquire catalogues across local genres as well as sign and develop entertainers and songwriters. He went on to explain that Jamaica remains a giant in the global music space, an industry with limitless opportunities and untapped potential, especially as it relates to up-and-coming talent.
“Companies have always been interested in Jamaica’s music; however, for years, there have been gatekeepers who have access to these entities but choose not to open them up to the new generation. We’re trying to break that cycle with this partnership,” Burrell said. “Dancehall and reggae have an undeniable influence all across the globe and have brought a lot of collaborations. I’ve reaped huge success from dancehall and reggae, and to know that Reservoir and Abood saw that and wanted to partner with me to further solidify the genres’ global impact is a great honour.”
The producer, who has so far reaped huge rewards from the joint venture, said dancehall and reggae have the potential to really dominate on a global scale, and believes that by bringing resources together, collaborating on multiple projects and allowing everyone an opportunity to spread their music across the board, the music can move to even greater heights.
‘Opened a lot of doors’
Skatta’s critically-acclaimed Coolie Dance Riddim, released back in 2003, which featured hits such as Elephant Man’s Like A Genie; Vybz Kartel’s Please; and Cecile’s Give It To Me; was acquired by Abood Music in 2020 and was published in the United States through Reservoir Music. He said that the ‘riddim’ has resurfaced globally in territories such as Asia, India, and Eastern Europe – Turkey to be exact – where he has the number-one riddim, “enjoying millions of streams and not to mention sales”.
“This partnership has opened a lot of doors for me and has given me a new zeal for music. The main goal is the full advancement of the reggae and dancehall culture, and I wish to further push my fellow producers, artistes, and other co-workers through this same door,” he said.
Founded by Othman Mukhlis in 2001, Abood Music is a publisher of Jamaican music with a catalogue spanning decades of success and deep relationships across the industry. According to Mukhlis, his respect and adoration for Jamaica runs deep as the country remains a global music powerhouse with a talent pool that far outweighs its geographic size.
“For such a small island, Jamaica’s influence on the rest of the world socially and culturally is totally unrivalled. My family and I have been coming to Jamaica numerous times a year for over 35 years, and I can say that it is a very unique and special place,” Mukhlis shared.
“This new joint venture allows me, more than ever, to reward the talent in Jamaica with the recognition and rewards it richly deserves. My publishing company and label (Jamdown), and Skatta have long and very successful histories in the music industry so far as finding, developing, and creating global success for artistes and producers out of Jamaica. Now, with the backing of Reservoir, we can take things to the next level and reconfirm ourselves as the global market leaders in this genre.”
He further explained that “for artistes/ producers in Jamaica, we can discover and sign talent at ground zero, build them up in Jamaica and the global dancehall/reggae markets and social media, etc, then take them to the next level globally”.
Reservoir President and Chief Operating Officer Rell Lafargue said the company was pleased to partner with the Jamaican producer and Abood Music in ensuring that dancehall continues its global ascension. Lafargue said Reservoir is looking forward to “supporting the voices of established and developing Jamaican creators alike as we work to amplify their artistry, expand their global reach, and continue to elevate Jamaican music on the world stage”.