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| Source: Ben Barbic/Ajax. Way Back is an invitation to go back to simpler, more carefree times. |
Reggae/hip-hop artist Ben Barbic has dropped Way Back, a homage to a long friendship with producer Ajax and the first posthumous collaboration between the two.
Barbic has known Ajax since the age of two. Despite Barbic being based in the Bay area and Ajax relocating to Manhattan, both maintained an unwavering dedication to music. The genesis of Way Back came about after Barbic explored Ajax's catalogue of instrumentals after Ajax passed away in late 2023. One riddim* resonated in particular for Barbic, reminding him of classic hip-hop and the collaboration between Damian Marley and Nas in Nah Mean.
Barbic talked about the simplicity and innocence of youth, and the nostalgic longing for the carefree times of the past. Way Back is both for Ajax and an ode to the universal yearning for a return to a time when life was less complicated. Recordings of Ajax, taken from decades-old home movies, can be heard in the second verse.
"Collaborating on Way Back was a profound experience for me," said Barbic. "It's a tribute to Ajax's experience on my life and our shared journey through music. Sometimes, we crave to go 'way back' to relive those cherished moments."
*Riddim in Jamaican music refers to an instrumental accompaniment to a song and is typically more repetitive.
