WAV making beats and musical moves

Talented young producer WAV is leading the charge of a new generation of young Jamaica-born beat-makers making major moves in urban markets in the United States, and revolutionising dancehall back home in Jamaica.

WAV, whose given name is Okino R. Thomas, is the man whose beats have driven the rise of Masicka to international stardom with singles such as Rinsing Shot In Head, Crab Inna Barrel, Greatness and the chart-rider They Don't Know.

"It is always great working with Masicka. He was the first established artiste to voice on my riddims and it provided me with the opportunity to get my work out there," he said.

WAV first voiced a song called Hold On Deh with Masicka in 2016, followed up by Regardless, a collaboration with Ishawna, and another collaboration, Fire in the Rain, featuring Kranium.

"The biggest song I have done with Masicka is They Don't Know. That crossed over internationally, getting airplay on urban radio stations, and getting millions of views on YouTube," he said.

In 2016, WAV built the rhythm behind the hit dancehall compilation, Cure Pain rhythm, which featured Vybz Kartel's I'll Take You There (7.4 million views), Alkaline's My Side of the Story (nine million views), Mavado's Big League (3.9 million views) and Masicka's Everything Mi Want (3.4 million views). All the views were on YouTube.

"Zum (the producer of Cure Pain) had heard my artiste, Showtime Damian, singing on my riddim. He was the first to voice, and linked me to do the riddim, and he got the artistes on it, and it just took off," he said.

He has also worked with Kartel on such hit tracks as Unstoppable, Time, and Christmas. And WAV worked briefly with troubled rapper XXXTentacion before he was murdered a month ago.