Quality control from Jahn Vito
THE dancehall landscape is dotted with as many producers as there are artistes. Competition is fierce, something Jahn Vito was aware of when he got into the business two years ago.
His West N East Entertainment label has produced several hit songs such as Talibhan by Skeng and Stalk Ashley, Red Eye by Rygin King, and 10th Floor by Brysco.
The St James-born Jahn Vito said he knows the importance of distinguishing himself from a packed field.
“Teamwork and vision. Also the production of the tracks plays a major role. If you listen to the productions, you can hear something that stands out, that is why the tracks like 10th Floor by Brysco and Talibhan by Skeng and Stalk Ashley go down as hits in the books of modern dancehall. For me and my team, it’s not about the quantity of tracks, it’s about the quality of the record,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
While he considers the Skeng/stalk Ashley collaboration West N East Entertainment’s most commercially successful release to date, Jahn Vito says Red Eye is its most powerful statement. The single was released in 2021, months after Rygin King was shot while attending a funeral in Westmoreland.
Injuries from that incident left the deejay paralysed.
“I just thought it was an opportunity for him to speak about the situation through his music, being that everyone was wondering what was happening with him and that’s what he did,” said Jahn Vito.
Born Jahnoy Rutty, he attended Cornwall College. While a student there, his eldest brother gave him a compact disc player as a gift and he used it to wear out albums by the Fabulous Five and Sanchez.
At The University of the West Indies’ Mona campus — where he majored in pure science and geography — Jahn Vito’s interest in music and production grew. In 2018, he entered the music business as an artiste manager; three years later, he launched West N East Entertainment.
“My inspiration to get into music is more of a self-motivated decision. However, anything that I’m involved in I always aim for the best results possible. Hence, I always motivate myself and my team that we are shooting for the best result for every track,” he said.