With over 20 years as a recording artiste under his belt, Rasta Blacspade knows the importance of getting the best musicians, especially for a roots-reggae project.

He did just that for I Love You, his first EP, which was recently released. It is produced by Dub Chemist, who has worked with roots luminaries such as Linval Thompson and Carlton Livingston.

Based in New York, USA, Rasta Blacspade said the recording sessions were productive, which can be heard in the EP’s six songs.

“l am excited knowing that I wrote all the songs, the production is great in a sense that we have some of the greatest musicians alive on it,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Saxophonist Dean Fraser and bassist Flabba Holt of the Roots Radics Band are two of the musicians who played on I Love You, which contains the title song, Hail Jah , and Rasta Live.

The St Catherine-born artiste disclosed that he and Dub Chemist wanted the songs to be diverse to expand his base.

“I want to reach out to audiences outside roots music. This is an EP for everyone, because it speaks to issues which affect families across the world,” said Rasta Blacspade.

Born Wade Douglas, he is from Brown’s Hall in rural St Catherine. After graduating from Tacius Golding High School, he worked as an auto mechanic, then moved to Kingston for greater opportunities to record music.