Johnny Osbourne ‘nuh’ partial
OLD-school singer Johnny Osbourne’s music is reaching out to a new generation with Jah No Partial, the latest hit from producers Major Lazer.
Osbourne’s 1980s track Mr Marshall is sampled in the single which is currently number 44 on Billboard’s Dance Music Club Play chart. The track is also climbing several European dance charts.
An excited Osbourne shared how the collaboration with Major Lazer came about, with the Jamaica Observer.
“Major Lazer contacted me after he got some dubs from me through a friend. He said he loved the songs from my past catalogue of music and he really wanted to do some work with me. He invited me to a listening party for the song and the reaction from the crowd was great,” Osbourne explained.
Osbourne has done several appearances with Major Lazer to promote Jah No Partial, including a ‘sound’ clash at Wembley Arena in London.
An accompanying music video, which also features Osbourne, has achieved over one million views since it was released on YouTube in December last year.
Asked how he felt about his music connecting with a younger generation, Osbourne said: “Where music is concerned, I am not stuck in any zone. I always try to reinvent myself and build on what I have done to enhance my work to reach a new market.”
The artiste says he has been financially compensated for his work on Jah No Partial.
“When Major Lazer is doing anything major they try to include me in it,” Osbourne added.
Born Errol Osbourne in 1948, he rode reggae charts in the late 1970s and mid to late 1980s with songs like Ice Cream Love, Folly Ranking, Yo Yo, Water Pumpee, and Buddy Bye.
A past student of Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston, Osbourne’s career started in the 1960s as lead vocalist for The Wildcats.
Producer Winston Riley released his solo debut album, Come Back Darling, in 1969. In 1999, the title track was covered by UB40 who took it to number 10 on the British singles chart.
Jah No Partial is credited to Major Lazer featuring Flux Pavillion. Pavillion is a dub step producer from England. Major Lazer formerly comprised producers Diplo and Switch. The latter is no longer a part of the team.
Major Lazer has worked with a number of Jamaican acts. Their debut album Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do, featured collaborations with Supa Hype, Leftside, Mr Vegas, Turbulence, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal, and TOK.
The Vybz Kartel collaboration Pon Di Floor was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Dance chart and a club anthem in Europe.
Last year, Major Lazer produced the song Push and Shove, by No Doubt featuring Busy Signal.