Music producer Tony ‘CD’ Kelly’s visionary 2001 ‘Buy Out’ rhythm project has achieved a monumental milestone with Sean Paul’s iconic track ‘Like Glue’ receiving platinum certification in the United Kingdom. The British Phonographic Industry officially certified the song last Friday after it surpassed 600,000 units in combined sales and streams.
The certification marks an extraordinary journey for the rhythm track that Kelly originally created in 1996 but shelved for five years before its eventual release. ‘Like Glue’ emerged as the most successful single from the compilation, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart, #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and achieving top-10 status across multiple international markets including Canada, Australia, and several European countries.
Kelly revealed in an exclusive interview that the rhythm’s creation stemmed from his experimental approach with new equipment. ‘I love to experiment and go against the grain,’ Kelly explained. ‘When I get new equipment, I dive into the sounds to see what may stimulate me and give me a vibe.’
The ‘Buy Out’ rhythm spawned numerous hits including TOK’s ‘Money to Burn’, Mr Easy’s ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ (the first song recorded on the beat), Beenie Man’s ‘Miss LAP’, and Notch’s ‘Nuttin Nuh Go Suh’. All tracks were recorded at Kelly’s Lounge studio and released through his K-Licious label.
This platinum certification represents Sean Paul’s tenth in the United Kingdom, solidifying his status as the most certified Jamaican artist in UK history. Kelly attributes the enduring success to the timeless quality of the music, noting that ‘classics are just that, classics’ and that new generations continue discovering the rhythm through social media and its inherent feel-good quality.