Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre use a song created by a London charity for people with learning disabilities
Famous US hip-hop artists have used the song Watermelon Fantasy, made in 2018 by Daylight Studio.
Snoop Dogg has worked with stars like Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, and Mariah Carey. Now, a small charity in London that supports people with learning disabilities is also part of that list.
Snoop Dogg, along with Dr. Dre, used a part of the song Watermelon Fantasy from the charity Daylight Studio in their new song Outta Da Blue. The song is from their album Missionary, which was released on December 13.
Watermelon Fantasy is a performance by three artists with learning disabilities. It is produced by the founder of Daylight Studio and one of its trustees. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have sold millions of records and have been nominated for 42 Grammy awards.
Tina Bruins, who is part of the track and lives in supported housing in North London, said: “I was shocked. I remember thinking, ‘What?’ I didn’t know Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg were going to release it. I thought it was just a fantasy.”
Bruins, 40, who has been a big fan of Snoop Dogg for a long time, remembers watching his music videos on TV late at night. She said, “It was a nice surprise because it shows that I make good music. I’m proud of [Watermelon Fantasy] because Snoop Dogg took it over.”
Since its release on November 21, Outta Da Blue has been featured in the trailer for the Netflix movie Back in Action, starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, coming out in January 2025. It’s also in the American football video game Madden NFL 25, and in an Amazon Music Live series where Snoop Dogg performed songs from his career.
The money made from this collaboration will be shared equally between Bruins and two other artists with learning disabilities, Mandy Priddice and Cedrick Letshou Olembo. The production shares will be donated to charity.
In 2017, Jack Daley, a recording engineer, and Oliver Price, a songwriter and music producer, created the song “Watermelon Fantasy” with Bruins, Priddick, and Letshou, while holding music sessions at Daylight, a day center for adults with learning disabilities, run by Islington council.
When the center temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Daley started a charity called Daylight Studio to keep making music with people with learning disabilities. Price became a trustee of the charity.
The Guardian first wrote about Daley’s work and “Watermelon Fantasy” in early 2019. Daley and Price believe that if the article hadn’t been published, the song would never have been found by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.
Daley said, “This is the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me, and I truly believe this year has been the best because of it.” He added that his and Price’s shares will be “life-changing” for the charity, helping it grow and expand its work over the next few years.
Price said, “I still can’t believe this is real. It feels like it was meant to be because the song is called ‘Outta Da Blue,’ and it really came out of nowhere. It feels like we’re living in a dream. It’s all pretty funny.”
He also said, “I’m excited about supporting the charity and raising awareness for people with learning difficulties. They are often ignored and separated from society, but they have a lot to offer, as we’ve just shown.”
Everyone involved wants to do more collaborations with both local and international artists, using Daylight Studio’s music catalogue.
Price said, “We want to keep creating music, and maybe this won’t be the last time. It would be amazing if big artists like Kendrick Lamar or Drake used it. You just never know.”
The Guardian tried to reach representatives for Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre, but neither were available for comment.
Published: 30th December 2024
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