Blvk H3ro: Man on A Mission – a delicious musical cocktail, infused with vibrant sonic energy and his signature ‘joie de vivre’
Album artwork by Acquille Dunkley
(Delicious Vinyl)
The Grammy nominated artiste assembled a galaxy of the finest international and local guest stars from reggae, to dancehall to Afro beats as part of his ambitious mission to achieve the widest global reach for his studio album: Man on a Mission.
Graphic design by Acquille Dunkley
Jamaican music is an established powerhouse on the global stage, with the islands rich musical heritage influencing artistes across various genres from the late Sinead O’connor, Amy Whinehouse right through to rap icons The Fugees and Kanye West.
Among those talented musicians is Blvk H3ro, a charismatic and multi-talented singer / song writer / producer. A musician who’s electric energy you feel before you even see his signature megawatt smile that precedes him.
This latest album ‘Man on a Mission’ showcases his steady growth as an artiste and his incredible ability to infuse his music with inspiration from diverse sources.
In this article, we touch on some of the inspiration behind his music and examine the influences that shaped this groundbreaking album.
Early life and background
Influenced by his community (he grew up in the church, his Dad is a pastor) H3ro found himself drawn to music from his early years. Growing up in Portmore, he was naturally immersed in the vibrant sounds of conscious reggae, hardcore dancehall and hip-hop.
When he realised that a 9-5 was not his style and his passion for music grew, he began honing his craft and expanding his musical knowledge from the beach stage at Jamnesia Surf Camp to now appearing on stages throughout the USA and the UK.
Musical style and influences
H3ro’s music defies categorisation although it is firmly and proudly rooted in reggae music. Influenced by Jamaican legends such as Sugar Minott through to Bounty Killer as well as international artistes such The Fugees and Drake, his exuberant musical style transcends borders and offers a fresh take on Jamaican music. His music is both danceable and listenable.
Genesis
And it all started with his ‘H3ro’s Day’ mixtape: a compilation of seven tracks of mixed and unmixed work, launched via Soundcloud in October 2015. The mixtape served as an open invitation to the wider public to skydive into the wild world of Blvk H3ro for the very first time. And it is here the emergence of the theme of movement is also seen for the first time on the emotive track six: Journey.
Illustration by eyedealist
The Reggae Sound Project followed some time after – a precursor to his 14 track Immortal Steppa EP. (Executive Produced by Brian Welsh and released through NYC based DubShot Records/BHM).
Again we see recurring themes of movement on tracks like the heartfelt ‘Feet don’t fail Me’ and ‘Movin On’.
Artwork by Richard Nattoo
And in the peak of the pandemic, when artistes were forced online or disappeared completely, Blvk H3ro, unperturbed, unveiled a seven track EP ‘New Millenium’, a stunning and innovative dancehall collab with Wayne J and notably Skilibeng featuring on the ‘Young Boss’ (remix).
All the above is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to peeling back the layers of this musicians catalogue and sheer talent.
His numerous features range from having three tracks (I’m Alright, Whatever Happened To The Have Nots? And Gravy Train) on UB40’s (the most successful reggae band of all time) 2022 album ‘Bigga Bagga Riddim’ AND opening for them at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 2023 to his first Grammy nomination where he was nominated alongside Ghana’s Rocky Dawuni in the Best Global Music Performance category for their duet ‘Neva Bow Down.‘ Not too shabby for a humble Portmore youth right?
Man on a Mission: a labour of love.
H3ro hopes to capitalise on the success of his previous works by collaborating with the likes of Skillibeng, Anthony B., Dre Island, Tee Jay, Demarco, Laa Lee, Zenya , Kojo Funds, Winky D., Vylet Stone, Soko 7 and Blaq Pages, further expanding his global reach and impact.
The 15 track offering is a culmination of eight years of the eclectic, stylish and charismatic Jamaican musicians graft in the music business. The studio album, released today, August 18, 2023 represents another significant musical milestone on this creative’s journey. Released after relentless hard work and creative exploration from Jamaica, to the US to the UK, the reggae album expertly merges an array of genres including dancehall, hip-hop, neo-soul and afro-beat, creating a unique and refreshing sound. The highly collaborative album begins with the joyous and message laden ‘Mission’ . This powerful ode sets the tone for the rest of the album, inviting us to unravel and discover the intricate layers and diverse musical influences weaved throughout.
Through its 15 tracks, Blvk H3ro masterfully combines the previously mentioned genres to create glorious summer banger’s like ‘Celebration’ with earworm lyrics that just get stuck in your head:
“Life is a celebration /aye aye / cups up / this is a toast/ me an’ mi friends outside / an we doin’ the most…”
‘Celebration’
I spoke with Blvk H3ro about MOAM during his whirlwind UK tour in June. He shared some intriguing insights into the inner workings of his creative mind.
Photos taken by lizzy brown at Tileyard Studios, London
lb: So, like what really drives you? How do you come up with all these ideas to create the type of music you do?
BH: I was an executive producer before I was ever an artiste. We all know what sounds good…from we a baby inna di womb! So there’s not a day since me born. Hear what mi a seh? Not a day since I was born that I not been listening to music. When me a shower, when me a f**k, when me a cook, when me a clean, when me a sleep. Ask Brian if a lie. Mi fall asleep listening to hertz. And waves on the shore and seagulls.
lb: Ok, so you’ve been asked this question a million times but what drives your work ethic? And how do manage to keep calm.
BH: Mi drink mi Chamomile tea. Mi young yuh nuh but I’m like an’ old man yuh nuh.
lb: (lol) What makes you an ‘old man’
BH: Mi grow up wid mi gran’mother. Sixteen years. So mi ole. Mi know how fi deal wid bush tea.Mi know every trick in the book because she teach mi.
lb: If you could produce an album for anyone – name one artiste you’d love to work with.
BH: Bounty Killa. Any day mi get a chance fi produce an album fi Bounty Killa….Right now mi jus waan produce some people album. Mi have some project puddung already. It’s just timing.
lb: With the album about to drop – what’s the vibe?
BH: I just feel so motivated right now. I just feel this mad energy.
lb: How do you maintain that motivation though?
BH:I wake up with one thing in mind. How am I going to accomplish it today?That don’t mean the end goal yuh nuh. Just how am I going to accomplish ‘it’ today. What is ‘it’? Spread yuh bed. Mek some tea. Drink some water. Tek a walk. Do a one likkle push up. Do a likkle yoga stretch fi ten minutes. If yuh can…You know how much tings yuh jus’ accomplish? yuh know wha yuh jus’ do for your adrenalin?
Blvk H3ro’s dynamic vocal range, his undeniable energy and charisma really deliver on bops like ‘Annabella’, ‘Good body’, and ‘Shenseea‘ creating some sexy reggae vibes, while expertly infusing his catchy lyrics with hypnotic beats to deliver deeply personal and relatable experiences with ‘It nuh Easy ‘and ‘Drive‘. A love song to his true love ‘Jane’ is a whimsical ode to all things 420. ‘Crazy World‘ showcases the surprising vocal talents of Skillibeng who shows off his singing chops on this lively song of resilience and empowerment.
This album solidifies Hr3o’s rightful place as an influential artiste within the diasporic music scene and he proves he is well equipped to meet the needs of the ever evolving musical landscape. ‘Man on a Mission‘ is also a testament to his growth, his versatility and unwavering dedication to creating music that really connects with an audience and can translate to whatever environment it is experienced in.
He, along with his supportive management team – Lesley Cooney, Brian Welsh, Alysha Jweinat (Delicious Vinyl) came to together and really created something special. H3ro has made it no secret that it is his mission to bring a Grammy home to the team. And I have no doubt in my mind that whatever Blvk H3ro wants to accomplish, Blvk H3ro will achieve. Cups up!
Man on Mission out now on all digital platforms.
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