Disco Neil (left), Moliy, and Silent Addy on the set of the video shoot for Shake it to the Max at Uptown Mondayz in March.
What was intended to be a simple club anthem has emerged into an infectious global hit.
Shake it to the Max (Fly), billed as Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng and Shenseea, has exploded and is making moves on several charts.
Locally,Shake it to the Max spent several days at #1 on YouTube’s Trending for Music. This week it moves up from #5 to #4 on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart, while debuting at #97 on the Dutch Top 100, #44 on the UK Singles chart, #13 in Suriname and #1 on the UK Afrobeats chart.
The song is produced by Jamaican-born Adam “Silent Addy” Alexander and Florida-based Neil “Disco Neil” Dyer, who is of Jamaican parentage.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Disco Neil spoke about the concept of the song and how the artistes for the remix were chosen.
“The concept of Shake it to the Max was to make a simple infectious club anthem that would do well on socials with a dance paired with it. We were working with Moliy in Miami at the Bashment Sound Studio and since we had done one session previous to the Shake it To the Max Session Disco with me, I put together a beat/production that I thought would be great with Moliy’s tone and style. Once she heard it, she immediately caught the inspiration and started to write, and the rest is history,” he said.
Disco Neil told the Observer that the original song was teased on TikTok and went viral within days and just continued to grow into the holiday season.
“As fate would have it, Silent Addy was in Jamaica for the holidays and the song was being played at every event. One of those events Skillibeng was in attendance heard it, and Addy made the link with management and got the verse. We were already connected with Shenseea’s team, so once she showed interest in the song we just connected all the dots and here we are,” he continued.
The success of the song didn’t come as a surprise, charged Disco Neil, “[We]knew it was special from what we recorded, but it’s always a surprise to see how far it has really gone. From hearing it play at events and on radio worldwide, to family challenges, businesses promoting their companies with the song. How many times it has gone viral online along with the collaboration of these two dancehall giants on one track, along with Moliy, is truly a moment in dancehall music history that will be remembered, and this is a song that will be played for quite some time.”
Meanwhile, on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart, Awuke by Davido, featuring YG Marley, moves up from #22 to #19 in its 22nd week on the chart. It previously peaked at #9. The track is featured on Davido’s new album 5ive, which is being released via DMW/Columbia Records on April 18. The song
R&B, featuring Shenseea and 450, is also on the album.
Over on the German Urban chart, Push 2 Start (remix) by Tyla and Sean Paul inches up from #3 to #2; the song backtracks from #66 to #89 on Nigeria Turntable Hot 100. While Let it Talk to Me by Busta Rhymes, featuring Akon and Vybz Kartel, improves from #11 to #10 in its sixth week.
Sean Paul’s Let it Talk to Me, featuring INNA, rises to #8 on the German Urban chart.
Bob Marley & the Wailers continue their dominance on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, with Legend spending 274 non-consecutive weeks at #1.
Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection by Shaggy is #2, Dutty Classics Collection by Sean Paul is at #3, and
World on Fire by Stick Figure is #4.
Greatest Hits by UB40 remains at #5, Dutty Rock by Sean Paul is firm at #6, and Stick Figure has Set in Stone and
Wisdom at #7 and #8, respectively.
Welcome to Jamrock by Damian Marley inches up to #9, while Exodus by Bob Marley & the Wailers dips to #10.
Moving now to regional charts, Shaggy and Sting’s Til a Mawnin spends a 5th week at #1 on the New York Reggae chart, while over on the South Florida reggae chart it clocks its 2nd week at #1.
I am the One by 6ixGal is again the #1 song on the Rebel Vibez Top Ten Canadian Reggae chart, with Changes by Zantelly at #3, Jah Sunlight by Rayzalution at #8, and Warm and Tender Love by Deemo Matthews entering at #10.