Hotta Ball heats things up with ‘Deeper’

Since 2010, Hotta Ball has juggled duties as a recording artiste, music producer and sound system selector. Deeper, a risque song produced by Most Wanted Records, is his latest effort. Being a selector for over 20 years has helped him gauge what music trends dancehall fans are into. Going to dances has been a way of life for Hotta Ball who grew up in Vineyard Town, east Kingston. “Back in the day, I was on Love Stone Sound System from Arnett Gardens with Richie Feelings and Jiggy Unks, then Fire Sound owned by Fire Links. Played solo after that for a while then formed my own sound system, Hott It Up Movements and record label HIUM Records in 2010,” he told Observer Online. The deejay actually started recording in 2007. That year, he collaborated with Mr Vegas and Opal on Hot Wuk, which was well-received in dances. His follow-up solo songs include Turn Up, Swagg and Dem Badmind. For HIUM Records, he has produced songs by artistes such as Tajji. Hotta Ball (real name Shaun Lennon) considers dancehall culture his calling. He remembers going to lawns (dance venues) while he was a student at Kingston Technical High School, and earning a living. “I love the music and culture; go to parties to hustle by selling peanuts and following sound systems all over, like Stone Love, Metromedia, Bass Odyssey and others,” he recalled. Hotta Ball points to Mr Vegas, Agent Sasco, Junior Gong and Spragga Benz as some of his biggest influences. -Howard Campbell