L3 Magazine 2016 May ft. Randy Valentine

His is one of the most refreshing voices to join the Reggae and Dancehall genres. At times his voice is innocent (when singing about Love), at times forceful (when singing about change), and at all times, his voice is engaging. You can’t help but listen to what he has to say.

Readers have been asking for an interview with Randy for more than a year. They want to know about him, and, so do I so here we go!

NVC: Your name suggests you have a duality! Randy – the straight talker, and Valentine – the lover! Is this close to accurate?

RV: I’ve never seen it like that, but now that you mention it, I guess yes, that’s close to accurate. I’m an advocate. I’m an advocate for love, and I’m an advocate for Randy the straight talker. So yes … that is accurate.

NVC: North America was introduced to your voice on the Bring Back the Love project which featured foundation riddims from Studio One, Peckings and Joes Gibbs and we loved you on that. Years later, you released original material, and another mixtape, Radio Music, which features throwback Hip Hop riddims.

How do you explain your love for the old, and our love, your fans love, with your new sound?!

RV: It’s coming from me growing up amongst people older than me. I have to mention my Father because he always had me around music; all genres of music, and the classics in particular. Also, I worked in production and was working with Juvenile kids who were having trouble in school or just coming out of prison; they would send them to my studio – J.O.A.T Productions and we would work with them. Working with them, and seeing and hearing their love for the older chunes as well stayed with me.

Merging those together became an easy thing, and that became a part of how I like to make my music.

NVC: Your fearlessness becomes bolder as the years forward. Your cover of Justin Beiber’s “Sorry” is original while respecting the greatness of the song. How much influence did you have on that production in addition to the vocals?

RV: The instrumental was done 100% by Kheilstone Music from New York. Kheilstone is the same man who produced the song “Treat Her Right.” He’s a very talented producer. He forwarded the instrumental, and when he did, he said I have a riddim for you – Justin Beiber. When he said that, I passed it up thinking “yeah right!” When I got the riddim and the words, without me even knowing the song, the riddim and the words fell right in to place.

I couldn’t help but love the chune because it was really, really good. The reason why it doesn’t sound like the original song is because I wasn’t listening to it and hadn’t heard it when I recorded this version. What you’re hearing is me reading the lyrics and performing them as I’m hearing the music.