Italian rapper collabs with Byron Messia

In a "proud" cultural exchange of melodic flow, hard-hitting Italian rap artiste RondoDaSosa broke musical barriers with an international, collaborative track featuring Caribbean megastar Byron Messia in their new single - LIVIN.

"I am very happy and really proud of how the public has reacted to the new single. Coming from Milan, Italy, I don't think a lot of people would have expected this collaboration with a big Caribbean artiste like Byron Messia. But that was the point; to surprise my fans, and the world as well," an excited RondoDaSosa told THE STAR in an exclusive interview.

The artiste, who has been a huge fan of Messia since he first came across his raw, unfiltered melodies and 'in the streets' aura, said he knew he was going to land a collaboration with the Talibans hitmaker.

"Online, we started conversing, and when he was in UK for some shows, I told him to come to Milan to the studio. He came through and we made a classic. No email sessions, real life only. Italy to the Caribbean is an unstoppable combination," shared RondoDaRosa.

LIVIN, a track which blends an energetic island vibe from the rhythmic flow of the St Kitts native, Messia, and seamlessly combines the soothing melodies of RondoDoSosa, captured the attention of both artistes' fans, who were left stunned at the "perfectly aligned" collaboration. Supporters have already pushed the video to more than two million views on YouTube, since the release of the video two weeks ago.

RondoDaRosa expressed hope that while fans are captivated by the melody and enjoying the beat, they are also following through with the message being conveyed, which is "to live life right now".

"We outside livin' now, don't wait, life moves fast, enjoy every moment. But also, we always, always remember those that we lost. And we live for them. Comin' from the places Byron and I come from, a lot of friends and family we have are not around any more to live it up, so we livin'," the Sturdy rapper said. "I just always want to make great music and make the people that listen feel good."

For the artiste, this collaborative single is more than just making music with a Caribbean singjay, but he cherished the lifestyle and similar cultural experiences and plans to make his presence felt more on the islands.

"Caribbean life can be a lot like life in Italy. We love food, music, beach, sunshine and family. I know these things are important in both cultures. My first trip to the islands was just a few months ago to St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, to film this music video for LIVIN. It was a very special experience, [and] oxtail is my favourite food. It was delicious there," he reminisced. "But I cannot wait to visit Jamaica, I have many friends there and want to record some music on the island. Soon forward!"

He said that when he and Messia linked up, the enery was natural.

"Byron is a great artiste and friend, we definitely will be working together in the future for sure," he said.