By Lisa Morgan
It seemed as though rumors of an amazing reggae band coming to the desert blew into the valley like a distant, stray, thunder storm. In one week, I had sat down with three different people and had heard the name “Rasun”. People tell you a lot of things when you write about music, and at times it’s hard to decide what is worth investigating. And besides, we have a lot of incredible music being made here, in all genres. But when Cameron Chaney, great grandson of Lon Chaney (old Hollywood’s “Man of 1000 Faces”), owner of Phantom Productions and award winning producer called me, I had to take notice. He MADE me take notice.
First message: “Hey listen, Lisa. I’ve got some friends that are new in town. They are reggae, and I mean, they are bad ass! They’re going to blow it up out here, and you need to interview them. They are number one in Jamaica for the last two years, and are an icon. They live here now! They are two white brothers who have a recording studio next to mine. Call me! You’ve got to hear their songs. They have a good story.”
Second message: “Please don’t forget about my friends. You have no idea how good their new album is. I know you guys are busy, Lisa, but guaranteed, they’re the best story here.”
After a bit of phone tag, I had Rasun Jahmal Dinoto on my phone. I have to say that my friend Cameron did not, in the least, exaggerate. The story, the music, the heart and soul of what is about to take place here in our own Coachella Valley, has the potential to send sonic shock waves across the planet, with the desert at it’s epicenter. I will touch on that story now, and look forward to bringing you the full account in the very near future.
Rasun was raised in Sonoma, California, and began singing with his father’s band, “Strictly Roots”, at the age of 12. By 14, he was playing drums for the group full time. With the passing of his father in 1998 the torch was passed to Rasun to become lead vocalist for the band. Five years later, Rasun and brother Don Juan Cartel signed their first record deal.
Having recorded with such artists as Shock G, O.A.R., Beenie Man, Crooked I, The Jacka and Glasses Malone, they have also been featured in over 35 singles, including “Program Director” by OAR, “Independence Day” by Fiji, and “Hard to Walk Away,” for TJ Records. With all their accomplishments in a genre that has only seen limited commercial success in America since the passing of Bob Marley, Rasun is poised to make a big difference with the release of their newest album.
At the urging of their manager, they chose to relocate after spending the large part of the last decade in Miami. I spoke to Rasun. His voice was smokey and thick, with an accent not native to California, but the result of a life steeped in more than a genre, but in the lifestyle that he was raised in. He showed no signs of arrogance or impatience at my busy schedule that had delayed our conversation. Instead, he humbly and openly shared the little things that were significant to the day, and passionately expressed his goals and hopes to be heard and make a difference. “We have an office and studio. Everything is looking good. I am looking forward to working here with the full band, and hopefully what we do here will get us around the world. As soon as we got to town, we met Ronnie King (local success story and head of A&R at EMG Dream Loud in Los Angeles). He told us, ‘You’re perfect here! You’ve got to stay.’ He has been super supportive. A lot of cool stuff is happening in a really short time. We have three singles and an album coming out as soon as late summer. We have some international dates in Africa and Spain, and if all goes well, our album, ‘Love Another Day’ will be ready for release before the end of this year.”
The new single “No Turning Back” off of the highly anticipated upcoming album Love Another Day will be available on iTunes, June 3rd, and can be pre-ordered NOW. The album was produced by Don Juan Cartel and will be released through DonRa Music/Zojak Worldwide. Love Another Day is the follow-up to Rasun’s praised EP, Mixed Emotions. That EP featured two hit singles, “Hard to Walk Away” and “Love You the Way I Do.” It’s been nearly two years since the release of Mixed Emotions and fans of the American-born, reggae artist have been eager to hear his latest material.
The conversation we shared made it clear that Rasun is focused on making this desert his home and growing some Southern California roots. He also showed strong, instinctive business savvy. But as the conversation came to a close, he gave a statement that I believe captures the spirit of what this artist is all about. We were discussing the spiritual aspects of reggae when he shared, “Guaranteed, the right thing to do, you know, is to spread a little love. There’s enough of everything else going around. We gotta put our little two cents out there, and try to bring something positive. That’s the stuff.”
You can check out the music and the artist at the following links:
Love You The Way I Do – youtube.com/watch?v=Rlz6nWhobOs
Hard To Walk Away – youtube.com/watch?v=TH5Vo0TvKwM
https://www.facebook.com/rasunmusic
