Selecta

Album: 2 RUFF, Vol. 1 (2023)
Charted: 27
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Selecta" is a high-energy drum and bass track with a dancehall-inspired vocal delivery from British rapper Stefflon Don (she is of Jamaican descent).
  • Call di selecta fi play a dove cott
    Caz a boy body drop true him fulla tuff chat
    Tell di selecta fi come a dove cott
    Tell di selecta a boy just drop


    In Jamaican dancehall culture, a "selector" is the person who controls the music at a dancehall. A "dove cott" or "dub plate" is a special pressing of a vinyl record used by DJs to play an exclusive mix or pre-release tracks. "Tuff chat" is boasting or bragging.

    Stefflon Don is talking about a boy who is confident in his abilities and ready to party. He is asking the selector to play a dub plate of a song so he can show off his dance moves.
  • "Selecta" samples the distinctive distorted guitar riff from Ashanti's 2004 hit "Only U." "I've always wanted to use the sample from Ashanti's 'Only U,' so we replayed that," Saul "Chase" Milton told Apple Music. "It's got a real feel of grandeur to it, and it nods back to an era where we really fell in love with music of all genres."
  • Stefflon Don's participation came from a track Chase & Status originally wrote for her record. "Maybe we should steal these lyrics from Stefflon and put them on our song and mold it together," they told BBC Radio 1's Clare Amfo. "And we obviously stole them but with our permission. It's kind of worked out."

    "You know what we try and work with people we haven't worked with in the past," Chase & Status added. "And also we try and work with people who haven't really done much drum and bass. And so it was such a coup getting Steff on a drum and bass song."
  • "Selecta" is a track on Chase & Status' second mixtape, 2 RUFF, Vol. 1. They released it as a single on November 10, 2023, the same day they dropped the mixtape.
  • Chase & Status use the track to open their live shows. "It sets the pace for the whole set," Saul told Apple Music. "The massive guitar riff at the beginning [combined with] Steff's iconic vocal really make this a special record for us."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians?

What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians?Song Writing

A big list of musical marriages and family relations ranging from the simple to the truly dysfunctional.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Billy Gould of Faith No More

Billy Gould of Faith No MoreSongwriter Interviews

Faith No More's bassist, Billy Gould, chats to us about his two new experimental projects, The Talking Book and House of Hayduk, and also shares some stories from the FNM days.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.