Since the former BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJ Charlie Sloth left the broadcaster in 2018 for Apple Music, taking his influential Fire in the Booth show with him a year later, the British-born tastemaker has increasingly stepped into a wider spotlight.
In 2020, Sloth signed with the Jay Z-founded Roc Nation, and the DJ is now partial owner of premium vodka brand AU Vodka, owns a club, and runs his own record label, publishing, management and entertainment company, Grimey Limey.
Arguably best-known as the mind behind the Fire in the Booth freestyling series, where the likes of Drake, Stormzy and AJ Tracey have all flexed their lyrical prowess live on the mic, Apple Music is now taking Fire in the Booth to Jamaica for the first time with Fire In The Booth: The Jamaica series.
Acts appearing on the series include Grammy Award winner Sean Paul, Daddy1, Teejay, Runkus, Zebee and Skilibeng.
The series, which was created in partnership with Apple Music, Creed Music Global, Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, The Mixer and Frenz for Real Studios, will feature six new Fire in the Booth sessions, recorded at the verdant Boone Hall Oasis in the Parish of St Andrew, Jamaica.
Launching with Kingston dancehall act Teejay, new episodes will drop on Apple Music each Tuesday.
The series will end with a J.A. Cypher freestyle session, which will see some of Jamaica’s “very best musical talent showcase their skills for a global audience,” says Apple Music.
The J.A Cypher saw over 100 applications from local artists wanting to participate, with the final line-up including Qrush, Pamputtae, Zinthos, Blizzi, Laa Lee, Dreadful, F.S, Jahshii, Kant10t and Fyah Roiall.
The first episode aired on Thursday (January 6) on Apple Music.
“Fire in the Booth has built a reputation for providing a voice for talented artists from the UK and USA – but my vision has always been for the platform to be truly global.”
Charlie Sloth
Charlie Sloth, said: “Fire in the Booth has built a reputation for providing a voice for talented artists from the UK and USA – but my vision has always been for the platform to be truly global.
“One of the reasons I moved FITB to Apple Music was to fulfil this goal – There is so much talent around the world and we have recently begun expanding to other countries.
“Jamaica has always been top of my list! Jamaica is a place that I love personally but most importantly because of its immeasurable musical legacy.
“There are new names that I want to share with the world whilst at the same time celebrate the legacy of some of Jamaica’s most iconic superstars.”Music Business Worldwide
