Award-winning US producer BL Tha Hook Slaya is putting his full musical muscle behind US Virgin Islands dancehall recording artist Kruziano.
New York-based, Jamaican-born entertainment promoter Anthony “ER Guru” Turner told Caribbean Life on Tuesday, May 19, that both men believe the move could pay dividends.
He said the producer and artist Kruziano is working on a new single, titled “I’ll Be There for the Weekend,” which is set for release on all digital platforms on May 22 for Memorial Day weekend.
Turner said BL recently traveled to St. Croix to work with Kruziano on the official video shoot for the song.
“Kruziano is an artist that I believe is going to do major things in 2026,” BL Tha Hook Slaya said confidently. “He has the versatility to be an extremely special artist.”
Turner said BL Tha Hook Slaya has earned mainstream success with his production “Hit the Strip” that was featured in the Oscar-winning film Anora.
The Sean Baker directed film grossed US$59 million worldwide on a US$6 million budget, Turner said.
Previously, he said BL had helped to craft the sounds on and dancehall projects with established icons like Bounty Killer, Buju Banton and Capleton, while also making his mark with contemporary producer-led projects.
“Now, with his focus firmly on Kruziano, BL Tha Hook Slaya appears ready to test his production skills with the St. Croix entertainer,” Turner said.
BL said that working with Kruziano was “great as always.”
“He is a great youth who represents the islands heavily and doing the video shoot was all love, and the people showed love everywhere we went,” he said.
The producer said the visual production was designed to showcase both the artist and the beauty of the island.
“The video was shot in St. Croix, and we used multiple beautiful spots on the island including the lagoon and the Buccaneer Hotel Beach for the shoot,” BL said. “I’m really looking forward to this single dropping as it shows the versatility that Kruziano possesses as an artist.”
But BL said this collaboration is about more than one single.
“He always know I’m going to push him outside the box to get the best out of him,” he said. “The potential with Kruziano is limitless honestly.”
For Kruziano, the move into dancehall was a natural progression shaped by Jamaica’s influence.
He said “the raw energy, infectious rhythms, and the real storytelling” is what drew him to dancehall.
“Coming from St. Croix with Puerto Rican roots, the vintage bounce mixed with modern vibes felt natural alongside my melodic style,” Kruziano said.
He said working with BL Tha Hook Slaya could be a career-defining moment.
“BL Tha Hook Slaya has made a major impact on dancehall as an award-winning producer, blending pop/dancehall sounds, working with legends like Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, Capleton, and getting his track Hit the Strip featured in the Oscar-winning film Anora,” Kruziano said.
“This collab on ‘I’ll Be There for the Weekend’ is going to elevate my career big time,” he added, stating that BL’s “fire production will help push my sound globally and open major doors for VI (Virgin Islands) and Spanglish artists.”
Turner noted that Kruziano was nominated for Latin Caribbean Artist of the Year at the Caribbean Music Awards in 2025.
Kruziano is scheduled to trek to New York later this month for performances and promotional activities targeting the Jamaican/Caribbean Diaspora – “a market that has helped to break dancehall acts internationally,” Turner said.
