Alkaline Set to Bring ‘New Rules’ Concert Series to Jamaica’s Trelawny Stadium for First Time: ‘I Wanted to Give Fans a Different Experience’

In a year that has already seen explosive comeback concerts (Vybz Kartel‘s Freedom Street and subsequent sold-out Brooklyn shows) and head-turning headliner announcements (Buju Banton leads this year’s BET Experience lineup) from reggae and dancehall‘s brightest stars, Alkaline is looking to add his name to the list.

The dancehall icon, whose hits include anthems such as “My Side of the Story,” “On Fleek” and “Move Mountains,” is set to bring his eight-year-old New Rules concert series back to Jamaica — this time at Trelawny Stadium, on the west side of the island, in collaboration with New Era Productions. Slated for Saturday, July 5, the concert marks the first time Alkaline has mounted New Rules in JA since its 2022 staging at Kingston’s National Stadium. Most live events that grace Jamaica often opt to visit Kingston and St. Andrew, which tends to exclude music lovers from the island’s west side to a degree. Having already visited Kingston twice, New Rules’ Trelawny stint will allow a wider range of fans to enjoy Alkaline’s concert.

“It wasn’t really so much of a surprise [telling my mother New Rules would be coming to her hometown of Trelawny] because we always visit Kingston, but I wanted to give fans a different experience,” he tells Billboard. “They can expect high-energy entertainment as usual, but with a twist. It’s been a long time coming!”

The Trelawny date is the third stop on Alkaline’s New Rules 2025 route, which includes a stint in London on April 17 and a show in Canada on June 21. The face of Givenchy’s spring-summer 2023 men’s global campaign is most excited to perform “all of his big hits,” including “Bruk Out,” as well as some songs he hasn’t performed in a long time — and some that he’s never performed before. After all, the “unpredictability” of dancehall sustains his love for the genre, a space he’s been navigating for over 15 years now. He famously started releasing music in 2013, eventually breaking through the following year and launching a career that traded on massive hit singles, global appeal and a penchant for controversy. Over the past decade, he’s also added a litany of international collaborations to his catalog of solo hits, including 2017’s “Formula” (with French Montana), 2018’s “Nonchalant” (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie) and a 2018 remix of Chip‘s “My Girl.”

“[The name ‘New Rules’] came from my entry into the music industry and bringing my ideas and vibe to the scene,” he explains. “We came in set in our ways. We didn’t take anything away from [what was already there], we just added to it. I brought a youthful exuberance to [dancehall] because I jumped out very young, younger than most.” 

In 2021, Alkaline released Top Prize, his second consecutive album to reach the top two on Billboard‘s Reggae Albums chart. While he isn’t promising a new album before New Rules touches down in Jamaica this summer, fans can certainly “expect new music” from the star, which he’s already started rolling out with January’s “Earn Your Way.” The Autobamb and Sponge Music-helmed track continues Alkaline’s streak of standalone singles following his 2022 Ripple EFFX EP, which won EP of the year and the inaugural Caribbean Music Awards (Aug. 31, 2023).

As for this year’s New Rules lineup, Alkaline has yet to confirm who will appear at the Trelawney edition, but he’s already announced Loyal Squad, Andrew Fresh and Movie Star Johnny as supporting talent for the concert’s London staging at OVO Wembley Arena. Dancehall stars Armanii and Rahjahwild are also slated to perform. Earlier this year (March 30), Alkaline brought New Rules to Boston, where Massachusetts State Senator Liz Miranda honored him with a citation lauding his contributions to Jamaican music and culture and international influence.

Though it marked his first show of 2025, Boston isn’t the first American city to experience New Rules. Alkaline mounted the concert series in New York in 2018 and 2023, the latter of which boasted additional performances by Mavado, Charly Black, Skinny Fabulous and 450.

With Europe and North America on lock, Alkaline is now eyeing stages in “China, Japan and Africa” for future editions of New Rules. “New Rules is a worldwide ting!” he declares.

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