Rreecey, Eggy Dan out with Stink and Dutty

Singer Rreecey has released a new single titled Stink and Dutty, done collaboratively with her friend and fellow artiste, Eggy Dan.

And while Rreecey says she’s open to marketing and promoting her music, using all available tools, however, she makes it clear, she is not in the business of selling her body, arguing that women should not be made to suffer for their integrity.

That position, according to a media release, is Rreecey's response to the suggestion that "in order to be seen and heard, as an upcoming female artiste in the soca industry, physical exposure is necessary."

Somewhat daunted by this, the New York-based artiste says she finds herself caught between being passionately driven and angered.

Despite that challenge, Rreecey says she will press on, promising to continue her momentum with hopes that she can prove herself worthy of airplay and event bookings in the Carnival season ahead, the release said.

Stink and Dutty was written by Jason "Shaft" Bishop, one of the Caribbean’s most requested songwriters. The duo say they have found tremendous support in Shaft’s camp, highlighting that with Bishop, they have been given great music, and even better advice.

“Jason is really good at what he does and he guides you really well. He’s a good one,” said Eggy Dan in the release.

Having survived a major car accident in which he suffered severe back injury on Mother’s Day, May 12, Eggy Dan, aka Marvin Lewis, is on the road to recovery.

“I’m not back to my usual self just yet but I am doing physical therapy. It’s been very hard. I haven’t been working, but with the release of the new single, we made the sacrifice needed recently, visiting Tobago for a promotional run, ahead of Tobago’s Carnival,” he said.

That experience, however, altered his view on the business somewhat. He lamented that people in the industry are very good at making false promises, the release said.

“There is a lack of proper accountability in the soca music business, with no redress available to upcoming artistes. People behind the scenes are taking on certain roles and giving assurances, but they’re doing it for money, not for the love of the artform,” said Rreecey.

While in Trinidad and Tobago last month, Rreecey and Eggy Dan recorded new music at Millbeatz Music and are excited for the unveiling of these projects.

“We’re looking toward the end of the year and we’re excited to share these new songs with soca lovers,” said Rreecey.

They plan to release two groovy soca songs individually, in the next few months.

Rreecey said she has taken on the task of personally becoming acquainted with leaders in the industry, including event promoters, in a bid to manage risk, after unfortunate experiences in the recent past.

Friends and fans of the artistes have been very observant of their growth, the release said.

“It’s always great to get the feedback of the people who have seen our development over time. Sometimes it’s difficult to manoeuvre as new artistes, and it doesn’t help when seasoned artistes refuse to share their knowledge and offer advice,” Rreecey said. Eggy, however, recalled fellow entertainer, Preedy’s words of support to him.

“Preedy told us it won’t be easy but he said we should just keep pushing.”

For both these entertainers, there is a strong will and desire to create long-lasting music.

“I want my music to live on. I don’t want to create disposable music. That doesn’t make sense,” said Eggy Dan.

Rreecey says despite the challenges for new artistes choosing soca music as their outlet, she remains steadfast in her approach.

“It’s really tough in New York now, with a lot of promoters becoming artistes and even hiring themselves. This could hurt the culture because if legitimate artistes who take this craft seriously are continuously overlooked, what can we expect in ten years?”

Rreecey and Eggy Dan are pushing through with visuals and additional marketing, being a major part of their promotional thrust in the months ahead. The release said they are working dedicatedly to bring good music, enjoyable vibes and long-lasting quality to the soca scene.

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