2015 will mark Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins' 20th year in the industry, and the legendary producer and songwriter plans to ring it in with a special bundle of new material and re-imaginations of classics from his catalog. In a sit down with HITS Daily Double, Jerkins divulged that he's tapped Ariana Grande and Jessie J to recreate Brandy and Monica's 1998 duet "The Boy Is Mine," as well as Sam Smith for Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right But It's Okay." This is not Smith's first swing at Whitney– earlier this year the former FADER cover star performed a downtempo, mournful cover of "How Will I Know" for SiriusXM. But Jerkins assured that this will be special. "Sam told me ["It's Not Right But It's Okay"] made him want to sing. When I asked him if he'd be a part of this project he was like, 'No one else can do that song but me!'" he said. "Sam's the truth. He has a great heart and he's genuine. His music speaks for who he is."
