From the Parish of St James Jamaica the cd-freak got his early exposure to music listening to Barry G clash David Roddigan on the radio and walking to dances at nights with his friends where he would stand around the "control tower" watching the selectors and hoping they lift and drop the "echo chamber".
From there it was onto cassette collection as he amassed a treasure trove of dancehall cassette with his favorites being the Stereo One vs Redman Promotions with Lt Stichie, Hornsman, Rickie Stereo etc taking it to Wolfman and company. If a High Bias TDK was broken it was opened and fixed with scotch tape and then put back together such was his love for the music.
Blessed to see Jack Ruby, Ticka Music and Kangol promotions in his mobay area it was only when the CD-Freak lived in Portmore for a short time where he fell into heaven as with his cousin as his right hand they would visit the tape man over in Naggo's head weekly to get the latest cassette ninja or cassette jones tape.
Witnessing first hand the Buju vs Cobra clash in Prison Oval with 4*4 Exedous Nuclear or wide eyed seeing Stichie flog the entire Redman Promotions until he was hoarse the CD-Freak came to appreciate music from the heart and that love translates into the mixes that he puts out on the street of California and the western states stretching back to Colorado and Missouri for the last 8 years. Its not unheard of for the CD-Freak to listen to over 50 mixes and put out less than 5. So when he tell you "Reputation over hype" its more than a slogan its from the heart.
So next time you read the phrase "you play this, we live this" please don't take offense as the CD-Freak is only stating a fact. Be happy that you have him to filter the crap that is out there today. No he doesn't want a medal for it as he would gladly do it for free such is his passion for the music
NOw having done the glossy "corporate type" for the sponsors and investors who demanded it here goes with the street bio.
World Famous Gal Dem Thermos,
CD-Freak what else is there to say? They ask whats hot we tell them whats hot, they play this while we live this. For the last 8 years unless you have been living under a rock in the western part of the United States chances are you were blessed to hear a CD-Freak endorsed mix put on the street by the entity CD-Freak.
From dancehall, culture, lovers rock, oldies, soundsytem etc. If the CD-Freak endorsed it then it was guaranteed hot. So established was the CD-Freak brand that people would just buy the cd's without hearing it as long as they saw the CD-Freak name on it.
Even when badmind retailers would try fight destiny the fans would still get the CD's because they knew what they were getting had to be quality as the CD-Freak name stood for something "Reputation over Hype".(a wah do some guy?)Since the emergence of the CD-Freak in Southern California the area has gone from being 6 months behind New York to being on par with Jamaica as far as new/good tunes are concerned.(the things people take for granted
To sum it all up the path to the west flows through the CD-Freak and if we talking visuals no bother mention as it the CD-Freak played a significant role in the re-emergence of the authentic dancehall culture in LA. Passa Passa, Stage Shows, Hot Monday's etc. It was the DVD link up with Dancehall Reggae.com that enabled the newer sound systems from Jamaica to get a buss in the LA market.Barbershops, restaurants, Beauty shops, Skateboard and Surf shops, Roots outlet, Music stores, Major Concert and Clubs if the venue had a captive audience then chances are you could pick up a CD-Freak endorsed mix there.
Intelligent musicians upon visiting California and noticing the logo everywhere sought out the CD-Freak to push their CD in order to get a "buss"Before the CD-Freak most promoters were stuck on the same tried and true sounds as they were afraid to take risks and only through the visuals provided by the CD-Freak did we see new sounds like Swatch, and the dancers getting a buss here in CaliThink I am lying? Well ask any fan who first introduced them to Passa Passa and let them know what Ding Dong and Matterhorn look like? A we buss nuff sounds a California so that dancers and selectors can eat a food on the regular, working with Dancehallreggae.com we flooded the streets with the original DVD's(everybody has to eat and we maintain the long term vision beyond "eating a food" today.
Now its time to take the game to the next level. The CD-Freak is in negotiations with the colleges, high schools and clubs to take the music to a higher level and to organise tours outside the tradition dancehall circuit as the demand and opportunity is there for the taking.
Having said all that if by now you don't know who the CD-Freak is just remember a we flood the streets with the hard to see copy of Shotta's and not even ONE copy was returned so hold dah one deh.So Soundmen, artists and all musicians if you are willing to put in work to build a lasting industry that will in turn generate revenue for you well into your twilight years like yellowman. If touring California until you are old and grey and making $50,000 plus a year sounds good to you and if you are willing to put in the hard work now to eat later then link up with the CD-Freak and make this happen as the days of long talking over.Too much people a complain about the business and not doing anything about it. Full time now we tek it to dem!!
