Bling Dawg drops ‘God is Amazing’ single - DJ ready to ‘Elevate’
Published:Thursday | July 30, 2020 | 12:00 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Coming off a three-and-a-half-year sabbatical, dancehall artiste Ricky Rudie, aka ‘Bling Dawg’, is proclaiming that God is amazing, and also that he is definitely ready to elevate. A new single, video and a soon-to-be-released album are the fruits of his years-long introspection, which also saw him on a wholesome weight-loss journey.
“I was overweight and decided that I needed to change that, so my mind was focused on that goal. I also took a hiatus to find myself spiritually and mentally, and the great thing with this journey that I am on is that everything just fall into place,” Bling Dawg told The Gleaner.
The entertainer has been getting lots of commendation for his dedication to his mission and his new look, which is so much in contrast with what he looked like before, that many persons actually do a double take when they see him. He mentioned, however, that fans have been calling for brand new music. Laughing, he shared some of the responses from followers on social media to the workout videos, which are part of his daily routine. “The people seh dem tiad of the video. Dem call me lazy and all kind of things and seh mi must go do some tunes. But I just laugh in myself and keep on putting in the work,” he said.
Bling officially announced his return earlier this month when he dropped the single God Is Amazing, along with the accompanying visuals. The gospel-flavoured track is a departure from the themes that the Aji Bounce singer is known for, but it is being warmly embraced by fans. They dropped their comments under the YouTube video: “This song is really beautiful and Bling’s vocals were excellent. Loved the concept of the video and the actors did an amazing job.”
“My God is Amazing he hear when we cry ... no prayer never pray in vain, put yuh trust inah the Most High; some powerful words in this song, I tell you. Bless God!!
“Mi artiste where were you all this time, the man all turn Rasta, Jah Jah image shot, it’s a good look mi DJ, the song baaaad, relax, smooth, don’t disappear again suh long man, cho.”
According to Bling, “This was just supposed to be a song that keeps me relevant, but it is now the first single from the album. What makes this so amazing is that I have been releasing songs since the end of ‘99 and my songs usually tek a time to soak in. But with this, it connected right away. A just God a work. Me just a sit down in the car and watch Him a work,” Bling said.
GOOD & BAD
Having experienced what he calls “the good and the bad, and the pretty and the ugly”, Bling is physically and spiritually connected, and that has led to the title of the album, Elevate. An independent one-drop project for which he called on assistance from various producers, it also has a parade of A-listers collaborating with Bling. “I have collabs with Popcaan, Busy Signal, Bounty Killer, Tanya Stephens, Romain Virgo, Christopher Martin, and Morgan Heritage. Junior Gong produced two of the tracks and, since it is a one-drop album, that in itself comes with a lot of discipline. It makes you humble, learning as you go along and working with real musicians,” he said.
Although the pandemic has ‘pressed pause’ on the album, the music part of it is ready, and his team is dealing with the business aspect leading up to its impending release.