Big tings a gwan in Klash City. 77Klash has been hard at work on his riddim The Swarm and now it’s time to show the world. With the Aidonia version “Ah You” aka “Hot Fuck” already blown up Klash is turning his attention to promoting some of the other artists on the riddim, including local BK hero Jahdan.

Here’s Jahdan’s version of The Swarm, recorded with Noble Society partner Delie and providing the title cut for the riddim. I just saw them do this live last night in NYC and they FUCKED UP THE PLACE. Big tune, serious. The song received Download of the week on iTunes last week and garnered thirty thousand downloads in a very short time. The entire riddim segment (including a very surprising version by singing white girl Allison Faith) is available for sale on iTunes. All money garnered from sales will go to making more hot music, so make sure you go and vote with your dollars for our movement. This, along with a riddim medley of The Swarm will be featured on the forthcoming Iron Shirt street album which is in the mixing stages. This will be the debut release on me (Matt Shadetek) and DJ /Rupture’s new Dutty Artz label.

You heard it here first. Dutty Artz is the new movement, a label and family of like minded individuals living in Brooklyn. Rupture and I have gotten sick of putting up with people not understanding how to move with our music or second guessing us and have decided to take our business fully into our own hands. Already the initial line up of releases and projects is looking very powerful indeed. After a few years of running Shadetek Records independently I had gotten sick of doing business and wanted to just focus on music, but the result was a loss of creative control as I started dealing with P+D deals, labels, etc, all with their own opinions about how and what I should put out. Now, taking the power and stress and responsibility into my own hands I feel more focused and motivated than ever. There’s no risk without reward so we’ve decided to put our money where our mouth is and go hard. Watch this space.

And, for those of you who may have missed it, 77Klash’s excellent vocal of his own Scallawah riddim (popularized by Turbulence with his number one smash hit “Notorious”) now has a youtube video. I actually really like the still photo aesthetic they’ve utilized here and long wanted to do something similar after seeing Chris Marker’s excellent experimental film La Jetee, which 12 Monkeys was based on. Here you have a Jamaican version, with running title commentary, 77Klash featuring Tonto Marijuana “Ratings”. I’m still learning to use this new blog so this video was fucking up my formatting, it’s at the bottom.

Thanks to Sam and the good people over at The Fader blog for linking this up as well. Also thanks to Yardflex.com for this article on Klash with a mention of our project, along with the fact that we got included on EA Sports Madden ’08 soundtrack, the Madden franchise is one of the biggest selling video games in the world. Our distorted ass fucked up BK grime tune is sharing space with Justin Timberlake, Swizz Beats and a bunch of famous rock bands. If you had told me this would have happened a few years ago I would have called you a liar, but there you go.

Journalists, bloggers, this is the text of the press release, copy and paste it into your articles: In 2007, 77Klash has been busy concocting his latest riddim opus, The Swarm. Influenced by electro-rock and old school reggae, The Swarm features several notable artists including Luthan Fyah, up and coming superstar Idonia, Brooklyn Anthem singer Jahdan, the international dancehall phenom Vybez Kartel and a host of Jamaican voices new and old. The riddim is smashing up dances from Kingston to Brooklyn. The Swarm Riddim, now available for sale on iTunes is also available on Klash City Records with distribution through Bob Marley’s legendary Tuff Gong label on 7″ 45. With this and his future project 77Klash is set to usher in the new generation of reggae vibes. 77Klash and Jahdan along with Matt Shadetek are responsible for last years underground smash Brooklyn Anthem, currently featured on EA’s Madden ’08 soundtrack. The Swarm riddim medley will be featured on Iron Shirt’s forthcoming street album, the debut CD release on Matt Shadetek and DJ /Rupture’s Dutty Artz label. Also check out the Youtube vids for the tunes on the Swarm, and if you’ve been living under a rock, Brooklyn Anthem.

THE SWARM WHISKEY BAGGIO & LUTAN FIYAH:

THE SWARM AIDONIA “AH YOU”:

BROOKLYN ANTHEM:

plus, 77KLASH feat. TONTO MARIJUANA “RATINGS” (on Klash’s Scallawa riddim):