Reality Chant

Gabriel "Messenjah" Calcott is a Christchurch-based reggae producer who operates Reality Chant Productions. With a vision to gain global exposure for his music and also to introduce some of the leading contemporary Jamaican vocalists to New Zealand audiences, he embarked on an extensive series of cross-cultural collaborations. The resulting 'Kings Highway' album took three years to complete, involved twenty different recording studios around the world, and features twelve international artists who recorded their vocals over five of Messenjah's original riddums. Music 101's reggae reporter Dubhead talked to Messenjah about the logistics involved in the project.