Sean Paul on Collaborating With Will Smith and Beyoncé

Sean Paul says he often writes songs for ladies, however when Will Smith known as him to collaborate on a tune for Dangerous Boys: Experience or Die, he wanted him to show up his inside dangerous boy.

“He despatched me the tune with him on it already and principally requested me to do a verse, and I went in. I often don’t do badman lyrics, I’m extra for the women, however the film known as Dangerous Boys,” the Grammy-winning reggae-dancehall artist tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The monitor was dope and it’s positively reflective of Run DMC, [LL Cool J’s] ‘Rock the Bells,’ old-school hip-hop with that power.”

Smith and Paul be a part of forces on the beat laden monitor “Mild Em Up,” one of many 10 songs on the soundtrack accompanying the movie that opened to a victorious $56.5 million on the home field workplace.

Paul, 51, remembers assembly Smith earlier in his profession: Within the early 2000s when he appeared on the soundtrack for the animated movie Shark Story, which Smith voiced the primary character, and at one in all his live shows, the place he and Smith talked backstage.

“I used to be in awe that Sir Will Smith was there. He achieved so much at a youthful age and led lots of people down a path when it comes to inspiring us, different artists and different youthful producers, him and Jazzy Jeff,” Paul says. “I look as much as him when it comes to being a mogul and a music particular person for a very long time.”

The voice behind hits like “Get Busy” and “Gimme the Mild” provides that getting the decision to work with Smith virtually 25 years after he launched his first album makes him really feel proud and related. “I used to be very pleased to know that principally I’m nonetheless thought-about somebody with scorching music,” Paul explains. “It’s superior as a result of this can be a fickle enterprise. Music is my life and I put my feelings into the music. However the enterprise, I take advantage of my head with and it’s a must to know that typically your time is a distinct time. And for my time to be nonetheless right here, that’s an superior factor.”

Smith, within the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Recent Prince, launched his first album, Rock the Home, in 1987. They’d success with hits like “Summertime” and “Dad and mom Simply Don’t Perceive,” which gained the first-ever rap Grammy in 1989. Smith went solo and topped the charts with the fun-flavored hits “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” and “Wild Wild West,” which additionally gained him a Grammy. His final album was 2005’s Misplaced and Discovered although lately he’s been featured on songs by Marc Anthony, Nicky Jam, Joyner Lucas, Bomba Estéreo and his son, Jaden Smith.

When Paul heard Smith’s verse for “Mild Em Up,” he was blown away. “All people within the studio with me was like, ‘Yo, Will went in, bro.’ [I replied], ‘Yeah he did. He went arduous.’ One among my favourite songs from him is ‘Summertime,’ which is extra laid again, and this one was simply extra hardcore, extra hitting. And it was becoming for the film.”

The success of Dangerous Boys 4 comes two years after Smith slapped Academy Awards presenter Chris Rock on dwell tv. Paul says it’s “very superior” that the actor is having a comeback.

“There’s making an attempt instances in all people’s life and I by no means ever write folks up. There’s associates that I’ve which have accomplished some loopy issues at instances — even my very own pops, man — so if you give folks the good thing about the doubt and provides them just a little house they usually’re capable of show themselves and rise just like the phoenix, that’s at all times an superior factor,” he says.

Paul is used to working with legends, and he remembers his collaboration with Beyoncé over 20 years in the past when she started engaged on her solo debut album. Collectively, they launched the reggae-flavored groove “Child Boy,” which topped the Billboard Scorching 100 chart for 9 weeks.

“She opened on a present right here in Jamaica with [Destiny’s Child]. They solely had one tune and I used to be on that very same present, in order that’s the place all of us met. And realizing that she known as me again a few years later for her first different mission was superior. I used to be writing my a part of the tune behind my home beneath a mango tree. And whereas I’m writing my verse, a mango falls out the tree and falls straight by means of the window [of my car] into my lap. And I used to be like, ‘That should imply that this tune is a candy tune,’” Paul remembers.

“And one factor that I do recall about that point was being very proud that she used a dancehall-oriented monitor. As a result of on the time, folks had been hollering at me to do collabs — I used to be [working] with Busta Rhymes, I used to be doing stuff with Clipse and I used to be doing stuff with Blu Cantrell — and all of these stuff was very dope however they had been extra hip-hop oriented, and this was such a giant artist and she or he was stepping out on her personal. So it actually made me really feel that dancehall-style was coming into its personal and that my music or my style was being accepted by lots of people,” he provides. “Coming from Texas, I do know she’s heard a whole lot of dancehall rising up and [was] aware of that complete vibe, so it made sense to me and it made historical past for each of us.”

Paul has additionally collaborated with Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Sia, J Balvin, Santana, Main Lazer, David Guetta and Migos all through his profession. Subsequent on his listing? Alicia Keys.

“I’ve mentioned this for 10,000 years, Alicia Keys, please name me,” he says. “Swizz [Beatz] did attain out to me one time to do a reggae collab along with her, and after I known as him again, I simply haven’t heard again something since. So, possibly they modified their thoughts, they received busy, I don’t know. However I nonetheless revere her expertise very a lot. I feel that me and her may make a terrific banger. Whether or not it’s a one-drop, sensual, clean, reggae sort of vibe or hip-hop, R&B vibes that she’s often recognized for, or a dance factor.”

Paul, who lately carried out on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, will wrap the U.S. leg of his Biggest Tour on Sunday. He’ll go to Europe and Canada this summer season. 

He says he desires to maintain the dancehall sound alive.

“Our exhibits have superb power. It proves to me that it doesn’t matter what no person tells me about dancehall not being accepted within the States anymore, I’m promoting out arenas and I’m nonetheless doing it and other people nonetheless find it irresistible. We helped to spawn totally different genres of music. They received reggaeton, they received Afrobeats, however the actual gamers within the sport know the way a lot we have now influenced them,” Paul says.

“I’ve to state the declare of dancehall being as sturdy and as highly effective as it’s within the worldwide market in the present day. There’s nonetheless lots of people utilizing or using that infectious beat that we have now, and I’m pleased with it. Lots of people can have a look at me as an aged statesman within the sport, however I’m nonetheless performing like a younger buck.”