Words by Ronnia Cherry
Photo by Warren St. Patrick
If you’ve been paying attention to Jamaican music over the past year, you may have come across an unforgettable bop named “Crazy Over You.” The smooth, soulful track comes in like a nice cup of tea and an intimate conversation between lovers. Ras-I, born Immanuel Kerr in Kingston, Jamaica, teamed up with the young lyrical kings Runkus and Royal Blu to deliver a modern-day love song for the ages — and a fresh, soulful sound in the world of reggae.
The multifaceted artist and producer sings, writes and arranges all of his songs and plays guitar, keyboard and percussions. Classifying his music as roots reggae with old school R&B and funk vibes, he draws inspiration from veterans from all genres from Bob Marley and Dennis Brown to Smokey Robinson and Teddy Pendergrass. “Crazy Over You” captures this mixture perfectly. The visuals, filmed in the lush landscapes of Blue Mountain, tells the story of the different energy each artiste evokes from one beautiful young empress, played by Amanyea.
“There was nothing but love all around,” shares Ras-I, who developed the concept for the video alongside photographer Warren St. Patrick. The next step was building an all-woman team. The artiste enlisted Jamaican-born, Brooklyn cinematographer Tamara “Taqueth” and Nickii Kane for the cinematography, with WAKEUPSTAR*’s art direction and colour theory bringing scenes to life.
“It was a joy to see out the visuals for Crazy Over You,” adds Taqueth. “The energy on the set was balanced out equally with both female and male presence, and creative minds. The whole video was manifested out of love and strength. I couldn’t be more pleased to have worked with such beautiful talents.”
The song is a personal favourite, so it’s beautiful to see it get the visual it deserves. Pree “Crazy Over You” now — premiering exclusively on LargeUp.
Director/DP: Taqueth
Assistant Camera: Nickii Kane
Art Direction: WAKEUPSTAR*
Production Assistance: Stamma , Warren St. Patrick
Colorist: Elizabeth Ramjit
Styling: Taqueth, Ronnia
Special Thanks: Grandeur Warehouse
BTS: Laty Kim/NowPlaying
Location: Blue Mountain