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Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Keanu Gordon is the brain behind the dancehall music production house DethWrld Records. Adopting the moniker ShotbyDeth or simply Deth, from his days as a cinematographer and photographer, the 26-year-old has had a hand in ushering in some of the most popular visuals in present day dancehall like, Intence’s Nuh Talk Long and 450’s Time Fi You. Now flexing his musical muscles, the dancehall rising star says he is indicative of a new era of dancehall and wants to help usher in a new generation. Giving us a sneak peek of what he has in store, he caught up with The Gleaner’s 5 Questions With…
1. How did your journey into music begin?
My father... my earliest moments in music carried me to the studio close to Big Yaad and from desso, watching Movado, and just falling into music. He was just rolling with a lot of people who were artistes. I even went to Ardenne so me being there, me buck up inah nuff people weh do music and leaving Ardenne, dem same people deh a do music. Franc White, Alkaline, Koffee, Dunwell, the list goes on. Seeing all of those people at my school and seeing them come out to doing so much stuff it made me go into music fully as an adult; but the early stages is all daddy.
2. How did the production side of your career start?
It started during COVID. I used to shoot videos... strictly videos and photography but then COVID happened. I wasn’t a fan of going out there and trying to catch that so I just moved into the next best thing. With music, I’ve always wanted to do it so that was like the tipping point for me.
3. What has been your favourite record to work on so far?
“Probably Tun Di Ada Way right now. Mi and Iwaata always have these stories of how these songs get recorded but that’s how we know they’re hit songs so definitely Tun Di Ada Way.
4. You mentioned wanting to create music not just about women but for women. Why is that important to you?
Because it’s not a lot of people do that nowadays. A lot of the songs are about them in ‘that’ way. The music I’m doing now is directed towards women in the way to make them feel comfortable, to make them feel sensual, to make them feel like girls; to make them really show their woman energy. So it’s songs for women, not about women. Only a few artistes really cater to that so I just wanna be one of those producers that you see the minority and try to cater to that as well.
5. What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on the Calypso Waist Riddim, Ebony Riddim, Buckingham Riddim revamped, Deadman Riddim also revamped. That’s the riddim with Clip Tall, I’m actually putting a few more artistes on it. I have a whole heap a stuff planned up. Stuff coming out with Swanny, I have a song dropping with him very soon. More works with Alkaline, more works with 450, you name it. And there’s a couple artistes weh the media might write off and the world might write off but me do music based on weh me like. So if I’m a fan of you, more than likely we a go lock in and there [are] a couple artistes weh pass on me think them too talented fi go by the wayside; we a draw back fi dem and go dem a energy.”
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