I-Octane and Shane O collaborate on ‘Opportunist’, a song produced by Donald “Levels” Barnett for his Levels to Life Production. It was released in early February.
Barnett, who has produced songs by Denyque and Chronic Law, said it was I-Octane who approached him to build a ‘riddim’ for a song about devious people. The singjay thought Shane O would be perfect to share the mic.
‘Opportunist’ is about people who like to use or drain other people’s energy for their own personal gain. People who no longer believe in win-win deals where both parties benefit,” he disclosed.
From Portmore in St. Catherine parish, Jamaica, Barnett has been a producer for five years. He considers ‘Between Me and You’ by Denyque, ‘Revenge’ by Chronic Law and ‘Soul Cry’ from Lisa Hyper to be his most successful songs to date.
An admirer of dancehall artists and producers from the 1980s and 1990s, Barnett takes a different approach to production.
“I use the power of marketing and interpersonal skills. You can have the greatest musical piece of all time, but if people do not know it exists, it’s worthless,” he said. “In addition, if you don’t communicate and interact well with people in any environment, you cannot create win-win deals to foster long term relationships, which is vital to all business growth and sustainability.”
