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Tanto Metro and Devonte, a major pioneering force of the dancehall
movement, has been creating hits for almost a decade now. In the late
'90s, they were able to pave the way for many reggae artistes. They tapped
into the international mainstream markets during a time when it was
unheard of for a Jamaican artiste to reach the charts outside of their
home country. Tanto and Devonte's instant chemistry and talent led them
beyond Jamaica and into the U.S. Top 40 Billboard chart not once, but
twice. Their first hit, "Everyone Falls in Love," swept up several major
awards in 1998 including the Tamika and South Florida Reggae Soca Awards.
The single hit the top 40 R&B and pop U.S. billboard charts and aired on
radio throughout the globe. The subsequent album, bearing the same name,
featured a number of body-moving tracks like "Say Whoee" and "She Gone."
Following up on the strength of their debut album,
Tanto Metro and Devonte came out with their second release The Beat Goes
On in 2001. The album contained the hit single "Give It to Her" that
provoked the same contagious vibe and spread throughout the Jamaican and
U.S. dancehalls, as well as mainstream pop culture. With "Give It to Her"
in such heavy rotation and rampant demand, the duo performed alongside
acts, like Mariah Carey to a capacity crowd for the Top 40 Powerhouse
Z100's 20th birthday bash at the Giants stadium. Their impressive
catalogue of material was matched by the scope of their touring; fans in
the USA, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and Japan have all reveled in their
energetic performances.
Musically Inclined was the group's third release on
VP Records in March 2006, with the single "Good or Bad Times" along with
many other solid tracks. "We are trying to get across to the people that
we are still here and still making good music," says singer Devonte. "The
album is blending all sorts of music. It shows our versatility. During the
recording process, the vibe in the studio was good, it took a while to put
together, all our energy was focused and we put a lot of work into the
album. It is a healthy mix of singles and tracks recorded specifically for
the album," Devonte went on to explain. Collaborations with artistes on
the album include: Morgan Heritage on the upbeat "Time to Party," Courtney
Melody on "Cross the Border," and Lady Ru on "The Only One." Also included
in the set are the dancehall standards, "Hey Girl" and "Burn," which have
kept the DJ and singer in the mix since the release of their last album
and the hit single "I've Got News for You," produced by Ryan Leslie, a Bad
Boy Entertainment affiliate. During the same year the duo released two
major singles “Shotta and Bad Man a Go Fi Dat, which has a video currently
playing on local video shows in the U.S. and Caribbean. |
