Bolt drops love-laced Escape Riddim - Christopher Martin says project is a ‘big deal’

Dancehall/reggae singer Christopher Martin fully endorses the body of work done by sprint legend-turned-producer, Usain Bolt, on his sixth album titled Escape Riddim.

The album, which is produced under the A-Team Lifestyle label, is set to be released this Friday.

"Yuh done know seh di general is a legend, suh him having an avid interest in music is a very big deal and for me to be a part of this project is a really good thing; being able to express myself the way I did. [With] Escape Riddim I feel like it have the cadences and different type of melodies that come with it, which [brings several] different topics to your mind. So I had to sieve through to come up with the songs that I have on the rhythm. But [overall], it was awesome and I felt great about it," said Martin, whose singles Drive Me Crazy and My All are featured on the album.

Other featured artistes on the album include D-Major, Busy Signal, as well as up-and-coming artistes Lia Caribe, Jahzeal and Kyann.

Due to the diverse flow of the rhythm, Martin said it was a hard choice to lay down just one track on the album because both of them stood out to him.

"They are both very special, one is high in toxicity and the other one is the usual Christopher Martin - the girls are my core fan base suh mi a cater to dem from jump street, and dis riddim brought out dat kind of vibe. Mi gi di girl dem mi all," Martin stated.

No stranger to Bolt's production, Martin said he will be looking forward to working with the "great producer" again.

"As much as how Usain is like a brother to me, we've been friends fi years and when he chose to be a part of music, it wasn't anything very frivolous, it's something that he really enjoys. He loves music, loves to dance and he loves the culture itself. He is gonna be here for a very long time and I expect to be in music for a very long time, so as long as I'm here and he wants my support in music, I'm gonna be there."

Bolt said the inspiration and energy for the new album is an infusion from the music that influenced him.

"Growing up we enjoyed all the subsets of dancehall music. As we continue to dive into the production of music, we will produce music that influenced us. Lovers' rock dancehall always give that smooth rhythmic soul feeling which is the tone of the Escape Riddim. Every artiste expressed themselves in a unique way thus allowing this project to cover all the many emotions of this type on reggae lovers' rock beat," said Bolt.

Despite its release date, the album is expected to set the tone for Valentine's Day. Martin said that he felt like the project is a special gift to him, as that is his birthday.

"But I feel the timing and message is right because for me, addi girls dem mi a deal wid, Lia's [song] is dealing with love, self-love and empowering yourself, so it's straight love. With the potency of the songs, the topics and what they are saying, I think it's a good gift to choose if you want supm to listen to Valentine's Day, Escape Riddim is your choice," the singjay stated.