Additionally, the song "Change" saw its U.S. debut on Rootfire. Art directed by co-producer, guitarist Andrew Moon Bain and edited and filmed by Birhan Tonge, the music video features choreographer and dancer KYx Kajiiko along with a dance crew from Kampala, Uganda. It beautifully captures footage from Ethiopia, and Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica to name a few, with Kajiiko and crew taking center stage.
Reflecting back on the song's inspiration, Blakkamoore recalls, ""Change" is a special song for me because of how it came about while I was on a short tour in Munich, Germany with M1 of the hip-hop group Dead Prez I had the opportunity to met 58 Beats a.k.a. Markus Klammer. When I went back to Munich the next year with Moon to play a festival and my tour manager Mathias took us to Markus' studio. Moon was on his way to fly out but came in and laid the guitar down in one take and had to dash. Afterward Markus did the drums and bass and "Change" was born." He continues, "It's a song about the plights we all face in society today with homelessness and global wars. This record speaks to the hearts of those who see and feel the need for a shift in the way we do things in the world."
Moon agrees and says, "This is my favorite song on the album." He adds, "We were on tour in Munich as a part of a cultural arts grant and on the last day, on my way to the airport they told me we had a studio session, unbeknownst to me prior. I put down the guitar and we started the direction of the sentiment, I had to dash to catch the flight...I got home with this track in my inbox." He continues, "Luckily with the video Birhan had some great footage from Ethiopia & Jamaica that worked great with what Kaji shot in Uganda. Some of the moments he captured with the little kids are super tender."
The new album, Upward Spiral Deluxe Edition is a reflection of Blakkamoore's envisioned musical growth. It first manifested to Blakkamoore and producer Andrew Moon Bain while working with Snoop Dogg on his album Reincarnated (2013). But it was a few years later when the duo came back to work on the album, working on new material in-between other projects. During the creation process with Upward Spiral, Blakkamoore and Andrew Moon Bain solidified their writing and producing relationship and created the moniker PaperStars*. The succinct writing partnership has produced a new album stacked with standouts and amazing collaborations that confirms Blakkamoore's place in the frontline of the Reggae Revival and beyond.
Blakkamoore is a multi-talented and Grammy Nominated artist and producer with writing and producing credits with artists like Snoop Dogg, Diplo, Major Lazer, Wyclef Jean, DJ Premiere - to name a few. Originally from Guyana, Blakkamoore lived in Brooklyn where he found and fell in love with hip-hop culture during his defining years. He began to mix his musical influences by creating and producing new sounds from genre blending hip-hop with dancehall and reggae; and has created a sound that nicely fits into any fan of conscious and soulful music.
In the time of COVID-19, Blakkamoore is spending more time at home producing, writing, and collaborating on new material. Although his tours were canceled, he hopes to get back on stage to share the new album with fans. He reflects, "I hope things can resume quickly and safely, I would love to tour this album and songs. Creating and recording songs are a total joy, the next best thing is performing it for the wonderful fans we created it to inspire on a live show. I pray we get that chance."
