Specialist and Downsound Records part ways

After a moderately successful run with Josef Bogdanovich’s Downsound Records, former Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall runner-up, Specialist has left the label after nearly four years.

The severance of ties was announced by Specialist Monday, ending a relationship which saw the deejay record several hits with the label such as Do For Love (feat. Ishawna), Come Wine (feat. Spice), Dweet featuring Ninja Man and Phone Card, the single which helped launch him to public acclaim after initially performing it on Magnum Kings and Queens. Reports suggest Bogdanovich refused to renew Specialist’s contract after it expired in August of last year, thus leading to the split.

 “The reason why I’m quitting with Downsound is that I think my career should be way farther than it is right now,” the entertainer told IRIE FM in a radio interview Monday afternoon. “Big up the fans, big up Downsound same way, but at the end of di day, mi haffi mek sure my ting work, because dem quit, me haffi quit too. Mi cyaah sit down and wait pon no man and let my ting stall up.”

In the meantime, Specialist has joined forces with Denham Town-based label, 3R40 Records, a label full of upcoming producers who he insists have some rhythms and material ready to take the industry by storm.