Producer Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell is one of the most consequential figures behind Masicka’s Forever Reign album. Of the 17 tracks on Forever Reign, he is credited as a producer or co-producer on six songs — “1 Psalm,” “Pointless,” “Shakazulu,” “Good,” “Honor Roll” and “Parables” — and receives additional production credits on another four: “Spend,” “G Wagon,” “Time & Place” and “Breaking Chains.” That gives him a production role on 10 of the album’s 17 tracks, or approximately 59% of the project.
That means if the album should win a Grammy for Best Reggae Album he will get a trophy. Dunw3ll is also credited with mixing 13 tracks, while also recording vocals on several songs and contributing background or additional vocals.
Elsewhere, Andrew “Dre Skull” Hershey, whose history with Jamaican music includes extensive work with Vybz Kartel and Popcaan through Mixpak, co-produces “Pointless” with Dunw3ll and returns to produce “Breaking Chains.” Karl Jairzhino Daniel, known as Dready, handles production on “Oak Tree” and “AK Fire.”
Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor takes both the production and mixing reins on “Slip & Slide,” while Supa Dups and Izy Beats team up for “It’s Not Too Late.” Donald “Razzy” Chen produces “Cross The Waters” and is one of the album’s most frequently credited recording engineers, recording or co-recording seven tracks.
The credits also show Masicka taking a direct role behind the boards. Beyond being credited as a writer across the entire project, Javaun “Masicka” Fearon receives production credits on “Spend,” “Boasty” and “Wicked Spell.”
Other production names include Dan Sky, Atto Wallace, Slaybad, Mozeeko, Telz and Blaqbonez, whose legal name, Adibe Olawale Micheal, is credited as producer on his collaboration “G Wagon.”
Yet for all the personnel behind the scenes, Masicka has kept the guest list unusually concise.
There are just four billed features across 17 tracks: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley on opener “1 Psalm,” Blaqbonez on “G Wagon,” Kraff Gad on “Honor Roll” and Lila Iké on the album-closing “Parables.” The remaining 13 tracks are billed to Masicka alone.
Marley helps open the album with a ‘Psalm,’ while Lila Iké helps close it with ‘Parable,’ effectively placing two reggae voices at either end of a project rooted in contemporary dancehall. Kraff Gad provides a link to Jamaica’s younger dancehall generation, while Blaqbonez brings a Nigerian connection to the set.
Behind the vocals, Forever Reign was recorded across several studios, although 1 Syde Worldwide Studio appears repeatedly throughout the credits. Other recording locations include Jamazon Jungle, Achieve Dreams Studio, Mixpak Studios, Kitzo Studios, Supa House in Miami and Tuff Gong International.
Other mixing work comes from Andre “Dre Day” Ennis who mixes “Cross The Waters” and co-mixes “Wicked Spell” and “AK Fire” with Germaine Ranglin. Fredrick “BlackSyda” Wright joins Dunw3ll on the mix for “Honor Roll.”
All 17 tracks were mastered by Dave Kutch. at The Mastering Palace.
The credits supplied for Forever Reign list no sample credits for any of the 17 songs. That does not necessarily establish that no sampled or interpolated material exists as Hill and Gully is built around the 1954 Jamaican folk song Lord Composer and The Silver Seas Hotel Orchestra.
Additional vocal contributors include Eveana Shacara Henry on “Spend,” Andron “Izy” Cross on “It’s Not Too Late,” Duffton Taylor on “AK Fire,” and Dunw3ll on “Parables.” Sherieta Lewis and Lila Iké provide background vocals on the closing track. William Morris Dintenfass is given musician credits on “Pointless” and “Time & Place.”
Full Forever Reign Credits
1. “1 Psalm” featuring Damian Marley
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell, Lucas Athanassiadis, Ameen Ferdousian
Producer: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell, Marc Lee
Recording locations: Jamazon Jungle; 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Background vocals: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Sample credit: None listed
2. “Oak Tree”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Karl Jairzhino Daniel (Dready)
Publishing: ASCAP
Producer: Karl Jairzhino Daniel “Dready”
Recorded by: Michael “Audio” Gibbs
Recording location: Achieve Dreams Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Background vocals: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Sample credit: None listed
3. “Pointless”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Andrew Hershey, Williams Morris Dintenfass, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Publishing: Party Machine Music (ASCAP), Soundbook Music (ASCAP)
Producers: Andrew “Dre Skull” Hershey, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Recording location: Mixpak Studios
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Musician credits: William Morris Dintenfass
Sample credit: None listed
4. “Shakazulu”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Alli “Telz” Odunayo
Publishing: BMI
Producers: Alli Odunayo “Telz,” Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recording locations: Kitzo Studios; 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Ltd
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
5. “Spend”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Salanio “Dan Sky” Roberts, Atto Wallace
Publishing: BMI #5506241
Producers: Salanio “Dan Sky” Roberts, Atto Wallace, Javaun “Masicka” Fearon
Additional production: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Moz “Mozeeko” Ham
Recording location: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Additional vocals: Eveana Shacara Henry
Sample credit: None listed
6. “Good”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Producer: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recording location: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Background vocals: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Sample credit: None listed
7. “Slip & Slide”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor
Producer: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Recording location: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
8. “G Wagon” featuring Blaqbonez
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Adibe Olawale Micheal
Publishing: BMI #1120576000
Producer: Adibe Olawale Micheal
Additional production: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Adibe Olakle Micheal, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recording locations: Kitzo Studios; 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
9. “Honor Roll” featuring Kraff Gad
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Tevin “Kraff Gad” Richmond, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Producer: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell, Nevardo “Franc White” Newton
Recording locations: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio; Dunwell Productions Limited
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell, Fredrick “BlackSyda” Wright
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
10. “Boasty”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Oniel Christopher Tuner
Producers: Slaybad, Dan Sky, Masicka
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Recording location: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
11. “Cross The Waters”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Donald “Razzy” Chen
Producer: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Recording location: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Andre “Dre Day” Ennis
Mixing location: Audio Studio, New Jersey
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
12. “Wicked Spell”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Moz “Mozeeko” Ham
Producers: Moz “Mozeeko” Ham, Javaun “Masicka” Fearon
Recorded by: Moz “Mozeeko” Ham
Recording location: 1 Syde Worldwide Studio
Mixed by: Andre “Dre Day” Ennis, Germaine Ranglin
Mixing location: Yard Grown Music Studio
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
13. “It’s Not Too Late”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Andron “Izy Beats” Cross, Dwanye Chin Quee (Supa Dups)
Producers: Dwanye Chin Quee (Supa Dups), Andron “Izy Beats” Cross
Recorded by: Dwanye Chin Quee (Supa Dups)
Recording location: Supa House, Miami, FL
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Additional vocals: Andron Cross (Izy)
Sample credit: None listed
14. “AK Fire”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Karl Jairzhino Daniel
Producer: Karl Jairzhino Daniel (Dready)
Recorded by: Micheal “Audio” Gibbs
Recording location: Achieve Dreams Studio
Mixed by: Andre “Dre Day” Ennis, Germaine Ranglin
Mixing location: Yard Grown Music Studio
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Additional vocals: Duffton Taylor
Sample credit: None listed
15. “Time & Place”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Allison Pdunayo
Producer: Allison Odunayo
Additional production: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Recording location: Kitzo Studios
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Musician credits: William Morris Dintenfass
Sample credit: None listed
16. “Breaking Chains”
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Andrew “Dre Skull” Hershey, Willy Dintenfass
Producer: Andrew “Dre Skull” Hershey
Additional production: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Donald “Razzy” Chen
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Sample credit: None listed
17. “Parables” featuring Lila Iké
Writers: Javaun “Masicka” Fearon, Alecia “Lila Iké” Grey, Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Producer: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Recorded by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell, Fumiaki “Superman” Ogata
Recording locations: 1 Syde Worldwide; Tuff Gong International
Mixed by: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Mixing location: Dunwell Productions Limited
Mastered by: Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace
Background vocals: Sherieta Lewis, Alecia “Lila Iké” Grey
Additional vocals: Mario “Dunw3ll” Dunwell
Sample credit: None listed
