Capleton Reveals How a Studio Experiment Turned “Or Wah” Into a Dancehall Classic

More than two decades after “Or Wah” became one of dancehall’s biggest anthems, Capleton has revealed that the hit wasn’t even recorded on the iconic Stepz Riddim that made it famous.

Speaking at the launch of the Soul Food Festival in Canada on Thursday, June 25, the Fire Man shared the little-known story behind the 2004 classic, explaining that his vocals were originally recorded on a completely different rhythm before Renaissance Records’ Jazzy T and his team transferred them to the now-legendary Stepz Riddim.

“I didn’t actually go into the studio and record on this track,” Capleton said. “Big up Jazzy T, the whole Renaissance family. I was in Europe and someone called me and said, ‘Capleton, you have a number one song in Jamaica.'”

The reggae veteran said he had been touring Europe for nearly six weeks and had no idea the song had exploded back home while he was away.

“I said, ‘How me have a number one song in Jamaica?’ I wasn’t even there,” he recalled.

Capleton explained that “Or Wah” was originally recorded over the Thunder Club rhythm. However, Renaissance Records later “flew” his vocals onto the Stepz Riddim without requiring him to re-record the track.

“I can’t believe they actually fly the song because the song was done on Thunder Club originally. They actually fly the song on the Stepz rhythm,” he recalled.

The veteran deejay said the seamless transition was only possibly because of his vocal performance and musicianship.

“It shows how important it is to be on perfect key,” he said. “You have to stay on key. When a song is on perfect key, they can fly it from any rhythm.”

Or Was was eventually found a home on Capleton’s Reign Of Fire album (VP Records), but the success of the song almost never happened. For one, the melody was first used for a more explicit song aimed at women, but he eventually decided against releasing it.

“The first song was a girl song I did first. But the melody was so bad, I said, ‘No man, the melody is too bad to leave like that,'” he said.

Instead, he searched for a concept that radio stations could embrace.

“I said, ‘I have to find something I can play on the radio.’ And that’s how I came up with ‘Or Wah.'”

Released in 2004, “Or Wah” became one of the standout tracks on the legendary Stepz Riddim and is a fan favorite in Capleton’s live set.

Capleton is set to perform in Canada at Soul Food Festival on September 12.