Beenie Man is featured on another international collaboration. This time, it is with R&B singer Ashanti, ‘First Real Love’.
The reggae-inspired song was produced by Jamaican producer Teetimus and will appear on Ashanti’s album, Braveheart, due for release in March.
According to Beenie Man’s manager and brother, Blue, the collaboration was done late last year while Beenie Man was in the United States.
“She was working with producer Slow Bucks and he called us up and said Ashanti wants to do something. We went to the studio, we called Teetimus and he built the beat around what they were singing,” Blue said.
As for the collaboration, Blue said it is always a good opportunity to record with an international artiste.
“It is always good to collaborate with people in different genres of music. Beenie Man is always open to that,” he said, noting that Beenie Man will be doing additional work with Ashanti.
Braveheart is Ashanti’s fifth album. The album follows hit songs such as Foolish, that sold over 503,000 copies in the first week of release in 2002. Ashanti has also had other popular releases, What’s Luv and Always On Time. Ashanti has sold more than 15 million records worldwide.
While Ashanti gears up to release her album in March, Beenie Man continues to work on his album that should be released before summer.
However, Blue said the name of the album is yet to be decided, but will be known prior to Beenie Man’s tour that begins in April. As part of the tour that will end in August, Beenie Man will be going to the United States, Canada and Europe.
Beenie Man is promoting songs such as My Life So Happy and Truck Load A Gal. There is also the recently-released Weed Haffi Bun, done with rapper Busta Rhymes.
“These are just some tracks to warm up and show that an album is coming,” Blue said.