9 hours ago
1
Radion Beckford, better known as Chi Ching Ching, can be counted on to be the life of the party, whether or not he has a mic in his hand or has on his dancing shoes and is rolling out his own red carpet, ready to entertain fans. His name has a natural musical ring to it and it’s not surprising that it actually originated with the kids in his community. His bio states that the name came to life when he started creating comical slangs which the children embraced and, wherever he went ,the children would shout “chi ching ching”.
Chi Ching Ching, who was known as one of dancehall’s most innovative dancers, made his presence felt as a singjay with his début song, Lock Pon Di Ting and the follow-up Popcorn Pop. By 2015, he formed an alliance with Popcaan’s Unruly Entertainment, marking a big step forward in his career and collaborating with artistes such as Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Bling Dawg and Tony Matterhorn. Two years later, the artiste signed a deal with Sean Paul’s label, touring extensively with the multi platinum-selling deejay, who described him as “a vibrant young dancehall artiste with a big future”.
His début album, Turning Tables, a 15-track project, was released in 2018 by Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock Productions. Collaborations with artistes such as Agent Sasco, Ding Dong, Fatman Scoop, Patoranking, and Stonebwoy followed.
A quick look into his past shows a youngster who described himself as “very lanky and poor” and for whom “music and dancing became a source of comfort”. The Breadfruit singer, who is 6 feet 7 inches tall, attended Mountain View Primary School before relocating to Stony Hill, St Andrew, where he was a student at the Golden Spring Primary School
In a previous interview with The Gleaner, he stated that he has “several calluses (corns) on his hands from walking around with a red carpet to every dancehall event he attended for five years. He no longer carries the red carpet, but said he carries the memories to remind him of the struggle and where he’s coming from”.
Since Hurricane Melissa ravaged Jamaica, Chi Ching Ching has been working closely with the Sean Paul Foundation, packaging items with the team at Food For The Poor Jamaica and travelling to southwestern parishes to distribute food and care packages. On Thursday, he was in Trelawny with the foundation distributing supplies before he leaves for Belize, but Chi Ching Ching pressed pause to have a brief conversation with 5 Questions With ... .
1. You continue to be involved with hurricane relief efforts in the west. What keeps pulling you there?
We are the helping hands of the Sean Paul Foundation; doing my part because there are a lot of people who need help and there is a lot of work to be done. The focus is Sprinkle (the title of his song released in July) everywhere we go, we try sprinkle some of the supplies and a whole lot of blessings on the people.
2. Has this activity had an impact on how you view life in general?
Everything can be taken away in one go, so we have to be grateful in times like these. Travelling through St Elizabeth right now has been eye-opening; makes you wonder how and when people will get on their feet or get back to normal, but we just realise the importance of giving hope.
3. What has your creative flow been like for 2025 and what would you have done differently?
I have been going for a more wide-reaching sound, incorporating reality with the fun. With a twisted sound and not just up-tempo beats, experimenting with slow jams and reggae, even Afrobeats.
4. What project are you currently working on?
I’m always working on music but currently, with the relief efforts at the focus, I’ve shifted to the role of producer. Through my label Amere Entertainment, I’m working on a song with artiste Samory-I titled Hope.
5. How do you plan to spend Christmas?
This Christmas, the work continues. I’ll be in Belize for the Winter Warmup concert. It’s my second time travelling to Belize, but this is first time experiencing Christmas there. Even though I’ll be away from my family, I’m not leaving them … I’m providing for them. Everyone know the show must go on and, when I’m performing, my mind is still on my family.
English (US) ·