It is hardly commonplace for hip-hop and rock to become bonded bedfellows. And it takes a crafty vision to mesh the disparate musical species in a way that begets fire and ice in a single song.
“Under the Bridge,” the 1992 global hit from Red Hot Chili Peppers, is a moody, potent exposè about alienation, despondency and the search for one’s truth. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis penned the platinum-selling song as he found redemption on the other side of addiction. Who can forget the indelible chorus: “I don’t ever want to feel, like I did that day/Take me to the place I love, take me all the way.”
Now press reset. Imagine the enduring song with commanding lyrical verses—cogent and again charged with strife—accompanied by the Chili Peppers’ chorus loaded with 8-cylinder gusto via a flaming, fierce female vocal. Meet Chino XL and Rama Duke, both partnering with independent music label 1520 Entertainment. “Under the Bridge” is, in fact, the launch single for the company, which aims to release a new single from its eclectic roster each month throughout 2017.
“We hope that our hybrid version of ‘Under the Bridge’ might save some lives and inspire a new generation,” says Jared Lee Gosselin, Partner and Founder of 1520 and producer of the track. His pedigree includes production credits for Velvet Revolver, Serj Tankian, DMC, Macy Gray, India.Arie, KRS-One and Musiq Soulchild. In 2013, Gosselin was awarded a Latin Grammy for Beto Cuevas’ album “Transformacion.”
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