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Worl Boss is finally free — and now the Jamaican musical and cultural icon is getting the podcast treatment.
Worl Boss: The Vybz Kartel Story, an eight-part podcast series from SALT, Big Wave More Fire and Gulfstream Studios, is set to debut on Dec. 16, 2024. Created by Tahir Garcia and Sam Griesemer and executive produced by Nick Panama and Max Musina, the audio series will explore the life, career and influence of the dancehall icon.
“There’s so many incredible stories that exist within dancehall and reggae music and the culture here in Jamaica, and so many of them don’t get shared with the public. The only time you hear these stories is if you’re lucky,” Garcia, who also narrates the series, tells Billboard. “We took a step back, two or three years ago, and decided that we wanted this space to be able to tell the story properly. Obviously, podcasting has become this huge thing. But one thing that’s missing, especially in Jamaican culture, is this concept of [podcasts] being scripted. There’s so much more that can be brought to it with sound design and actually sitting down and editing interviews to tell the narrative in a way that captures everything and really preserved the essence of [Vybz Kartel’s] story.”
The new podcast series is told entirely by Jamaican voices and will exclusively feature interviews with important figures within Kartel’s circle, including the first female member of Kartel’s Portmore Empire crew Lisa Hyper, Kartel’s former DJ Creep Chromatic and famed musician Wayne Marshall. These key players will also be joined by Winford Williams — host of On Stage TV, the longest-runnning dancehall interview series — as well as essayist Carolyn Cooper, author and professor Donna Hope, and Milk and Jay Will, two important collaborators on Teacha’s Pet, Kartel’s reality show.
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Earlier this summer (July 31), just over a week before Jamaica’s Independence Day (Aug. 6), Kartel regained his freedom after the Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that he and his co-accused — Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John — will not face a new trial for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. Although he was originally sentenced to 35 years in prison after a historic 64-day trial back in 2014, Kartel (and his co-accused) have always denied their involvement in Williams’ death.
“We have a lot of assets and we spoke to people at the source, including his camp, people in and around his orbit, fans and musicians. We did a pretty extensive job covering all the bases,” says Panama. “We have a lot of voices that are going to be represented and using that as a way to help breakthrough and create the world around the story is part of how we’ll successfully bring this to market. We’ve got some really great partners in the audio space that we’ll be announcing soon, and I think they’ll help amplify this project even more.”
Known for hits such as “Fever” and his Spice-assisted “Romping Shop,” Vybz Kartel’s raunchy music and slick wordplay have soundtracked multiple generations of dancehall listeners, and Garcia promises the new series will be for everyone: from first-time listeners to lifelong fans. “If this is your first introduction [to Vybz Kartel], it’s supposed to be just as impactful as it would be to someone who’s listened to him forever.”
In addition to his music and efforts to support Jamaica, Kartel’s legal woes have also become a major part of his legacy — one that Worl Boss does not shy away from. “Everything gets addressed and talked about. We just don’t dwell on that. It’s a part of the journey, but it doesn’t define the character,” explains Garcia, who also tells Billboard that, “the hardest part was getting people who are close to [Kartel] to speak freely — especially while he was still incarcerated — because nobody wanted to do anything that could potentially incriminate [him or themselves]. Everyone was very, very cautious about agreeing to do it, and what put them at ease was us not focusing on the mess.”
Although there are currently no additional details about the podcast’s distribution, Panama stresses that the podcast series is just one part of the story they hope to tell. “The second [part] is a documentary series and feature film that are in development with arguably one of the biggest Jamaican directors, and UTA’s representing the project,” he reveals. “That will probably be more of a late 2024 thing, but the reason we did those together is because the story is so dynamic. Dancehall is such a small genre from a small country that has an enormously outsized impact globally. To have a revered yet controversial figure at the heart of that with Vybz [Kartel] is such a fascinating character and cultural study.”
Since his release, Kartel has remained outside partying and enjoying his freedom ahead of a massive “Freedom Street” concert at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, on Dec. 31 — his first performance in 13 years. Production and filming for Worl Boss began before Kartel regain his freedom, but now “there’s a third act to his story,” Panama muses. “He wasted no time walking out of prison and getting his entrepreneurial and music endeavors back up and running and continuing to build his mythology.”
From February’s box office-topping Bob Marley: One Love biopic to Worl Boss, Jamaica has remained at the forefront of global popular culture throughout 2024. For his part, Garcia hopes this new podcast series is the beginning of several projects chronicling and preserving Caribbean culture and music history. “That’s one of the things we spoke about very early on in this process, what does the next step within this space look like?” he says. “Once [Worl Boss] starts rolling out, hopefully it reshapes what people think is possible, and that’s going to be even more exciting.”
Buju Banton’s viral Afrobeats-lambasting Drink Champs appearance (Aug. 28) previewed a particularly contentious month for reggae and dancehall music, and September did not disappoint.
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After announcing the removal of the reggae recording of the year category from the forthcoming 2025 JUNO Awards, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has reversed its decision, allowing a new crop of competitors to join past winners like Leroy Sibbles, Exco Levi and Kirk Diamond. The news came just a few weeks before an update in the curious removal of Drake‘s “Blue Green Red” from streaming services. The dancehall-inflected track — which peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a part of the rapper’s 100 Gigs EP — allegedly lifted elements from Tiger’s “When” (1991) without proper clearance. Later disputes about who actually serves as Tiger’s publishing representative continues to keep the song off streaming services, but producer Boi-1da asserts that the song could “possibly be back up” once those issues are resolved.
In live performance news, R&B icon Usher brought out a pair of Jamaican powerhouses for his Past Present Future Tour: Grammy-nominated reggae star Barrington Levy delivered renditions of “Here I Come,” “Black Roses” and “Tell Them A Ready (Murderer)” at the trek’s final Brooklyn show (Sept. 10), while Caribbean Music Award winner Masicka performed “Fight For Us” at the final Toronto Show (Sept. 3). At the latter stop, Canadian rapper and producer Kardinal Offishall also joined forces with Usher for a special cover of Chaka Demus & Pliers’ “Murder She Wrote.”
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Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: Azato, “Disconnect to Connect”
As a global society, we’re probably past the point of no return when it comes to the unhealthy amount of time and energy we collectively give to technology and social media. With “Disconnect to Connect,” a warm, full-bodied mélange of soulful roots reggae and notes of soft rock and jazz, Hawaiian reggae band Azato deliver something greater than a finger-wagging “get off your phones” anthem. “Are we truly free, or just followers of likes?” he questions us, urging us to detox, if only for a moment. Roots reggae has proven to be rich soil for sociopolitical commentary for decades, and Azato offers up a distinctly 21st-century lens through “Disconnect to Connect.”
Runkus, Royal Blu & Kush Arora, “No Long Talking”
“Life In the Jungle” might be the main attraction, but “No Long Talking” is a much more intriguing offering from Jamaican artists Runkus and Royal Blu and Bay Area producer Kush Arora. A fiery amalgam of drill and dancehall, complete with machine gun sound effects, rapid fire flows, and a promise to get “straight to the action, don’t wanna play.” Built around Kush’s “Desi Cowboy” riddim, both Runkus and Royal Blu embody the lawless spirit of the Wild West with this slinky gun chune.
Morgan & Byron Messia, “Wheel Up”
It’s been over a year since “Talibans” dominated the summer across the Caribbean diaspora, and Byron Messia still stands as one of the biggest dancehall breakout stars in recent memory. On his new collaboration with U.K. pop/R&B arist Morgan, Messia proves himself a surprisingly strong supporting player. A sleek fusion of R&B and dancehall, “Wheel Up” is a sultry ode to Jamaican sound clash culture and the heated nights of passionate dancing and flirting that follow. “One more sin inna mi cup/ Dis ting we affi wheel up,” Morgan croons in the chorus of the Slim Typical-helmed track. Ain’t nothing with rewinding those fleeting moments of connection to make them last a little while longer!
Gyptian, “In the Dark”
Gyptian has been cranking out love and lust-minded dancehall classics for years now, and he’s showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. With his latest single, “In the Dark,” the Billboard chart-topping star zeroes in on the love affairs that thrive when the night falls. “She said, ‘I can come over tonight’/ ‘And do with you whatever’/ Wait till it’s dark outside/ And just make your way over,” he sings over the guitar-inflected reggae-pop beat, painting a thrilling narrative of a secret relationship that can only live in the darkness. It’s a less heartwarming story than the one he tells on “Hold Yuh,” but it’s equally enthralling because of the forbidden spaces it pushes his songwriting to.
Shenseea, “Dating SZN”
It’s wild to think that in 2024, people still (figuratively) clutch their pearls when women speak about balancing different partners, but leave it to Shenseea to render that faux outrage null and void. “You a nuh mi man, mi nah haffi explain/ Mi nuh have no obligation/ Journey might be slow/ But mi haffi sure say you’re the one/ So mi have couple a unuh inna rotation,” she explains in the first verse, letting it be known that she sets the terms of all these arrangements — nobody else. The Supa Dups-produced track references the iconic instrumental hook from TLC’s Hot 100-topping “No Scrubs,” an increasingly rare instance of a newer song referencing a classic track and building on that song’s narrative and concept. These guys are scrubs, why would Shenyeng ever lock herself down like that?
Jahmiel & Minto Play Da Riddim, “Self Worth”
Always good for a poignant, introspective track, Jahmiel delivers yet again with “Self Worth,” a tender collaboration with Minto Play Da Riddim. Emphasizing themes self-empowerment, the track balances somber piano keys, a spoken interlude, and an undercurrent of gospel melodies to create a sonic comforter of hope and reassurance. “A user nah go ever love you like you love yourself,” he croons, reminding us all that our sense of self should always be grounded in an intimate understanding of our own individual self-worth.
Popcaan, “Show Me”
The Unruly Boss is back with a new drop. “Show Me,” the dancehall icon’s latest offering is standard sexed-up dancehall fear, and that’s perfectly fine. Produced by Teejay of TJ records, “Show Me” is as playful as it sensual, with Popcaan begging his prospective lover to “show me what you can do.” His smooth delivery offers a nice complement to the hip-hop-inflected riddim, but there’s just enough fire in his exclamations and ad-libs to make sure the flame never dies.
Vybz Kartel, “The Comet”
As the whole world knows by now, Vybz Kartel is finally free. He’s already dropped off a collection of new bangers since his release and in a wholly characteristic move, he’s given us some more. If anything, “The Comet” feel like a foreboding prelude to a new set of bangers ahead of his highly anticipated return to the stage in Jamaica later this year. “Mi f–k yuh madda thru di prison grill/ Mi f–k yuh gyal thru di prison window/ Wet up ‘e p—y wid mi middle finger/ Then mi dig it out hard wid di timber,” he snarls in trademark badman fashion before chanting, “I thought I told you that the comet is comin’” in the chorus. Who knows what “The Comet” is warning for, and, honestly, it doesn’t even matter — it’s a heater all on its own.
Bamby, “Guyane”
Guyanese dancehall and shatta singer Bamby infuses those two Jamaica-indebted genres with a healthy dose of her own Creole roots. Complete with a video shot in her home country, Bamby sings in both French and Creole as she waxes poetic about the beauty, strength and virtue of Guyana. “Yé ka mandé pou kissa nou fâché (They ask why we are angry)/Babylon pa pé rété (Babylon can’t stay)/ Malè ki zot voyé (This misfortune they sent)/ Lanmè ké fine pa chariél (The sea will no longer carry it),” she croons over a sparkly, thumping dancehall beat.
Amanda Reifer & Sean Paul, “Sweat (Part II)
A sequel to the opening track from her Island Files project earlier this year, “Sweat (Part II)” finds Barbados’ Amanda Reifer joining forces with Jamaica’s Sean Paul for a sexy reggae-pop jam. The new version of the song changes very little from the original, but Sean Paul’s mellow guest verse offers a nice male perspective to complement both Amanda’s POV and her loftier vocal register. “You waan me touch it girl/ Me well conscious me want you trust it girl/ The stars and the moon shine for us girl/ You are my Isis , I am Osiris girl,” he proclaims to close out his verse. Who said the breezy reggae love jams have to stop when the weather gets chillier?
With carnival season coming to a close, it’s time to let go of the summer and ease into the cooler half of the year. Lucky for us, the world of Caribbean music closed out summer with a bang. During the annual West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, NY, on Labor Day (Sept. 2), the Queen of Dancehall, Spice, joined forces with BK rap star Lola Brooke for a special parkway performance of “Cry,” from the Jamaican superstar’s new Mirror 25 album.
The week prior, Brooklyn once again played host to the Caribbean Music Awards, which featured hours of celebrations of the past year in Caribbean music and culture. Fresh off his stellar Stateside comeback performances earlier this year, Buju Banton took home album of the year (reggae) for Born for Greatness, which featured collaborations with Victoria Monét, Stephen Marley and Snoop Dogg. Masicka’s Generation of Kings — which reached No. 2 on Reggae Albums last December — was crowned album of the year (dancehall), while fellow Jamaicans Shenseea (artist of the year female – dancehall), Lila Iké (artist of the year female – reggae), Valiant (artist of the year male – dancehall) and Dexta Daps (performer of the year – dancehall).
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Two 2023 Billboard-charting hits — Teejay‘s “Drift” and Byron Messia & Burna Boy‘s “Talibans” — earned trophies as well. Teejay’s joint took home video of the year (dancehall) while Byron took home a pair of honors: collaboration of the year (dancehall) and song of the year (dancehall). Other notable victors included Shaggy & Kes (collaboration of the year – reggae) and Romeo Santos (artist of the year – Latin Caribbean). On the honorary side, Marcia Griffiths received a Lifetime Achievement Award, Cedella Marley received a Legacy Award and Spice was honored as Artist of the Decade.
Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: Mortimer feat. Kabaka Pyramid & Lila Iké, “Bruises”
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For the latest single from his forthcoming From Within LP (due Sept. 20), Mortimer, one of contemporary reggae’s guiding lights, recruits Kabaka Pyramid and Lila Iké for a solemn, reflective track that deals with the bleak state of the human condition and the global Black struggle. Keeping the tradition of speaking truth to power while injecting a distinctly modern, almost hip-hop-inflected groove to its reggae foundation, “Bruises” is a winning collaboration. Between Kabaka’s sizzling verse and Lila’s tender timbre, “Bruises” is a wholly dynamic listen that balances the hurt and hope that ground the trio’s powerful lyrics.
Chronic Law, “Dark Up Di Place”
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Chronic Law is on a seemingly endless hot streak, and his run continues with “Dark Up Di Place.” Operating in the trap dancehall lane, the St. Thomas star adds another solid gun chune to his arsenal with this ominous banger. “How you fi shoot up a yard weh nobody nuh live, come on” he taunts in a tone that’s equal parts apathetic and snarky, underscoring how comfortably he rests in his own proclamations of dominance and power. The chugging riddim feels as dark as the song’s title suggests, but it’s Chronic’s menacing delivery that really brings the whole song together.
Capleton, “Jah Guide My Step”
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For the deluxe version of the Brimstone Riddim album, reggae legend Capleton made a characteristically moving appearance with “Jah Guide My Step.” “Jah, guide my step/ Jah, guide and protect” he opens the song, immediately matching the triumphant energy of those opening horns by grounding his vision for his future in the hands of the Almighty. Some of the best reggae songs blend their blistering political commentary with reverence for the endless possibilities of a future buoyed by steadfast faith and holy guidance, and that’s exactly what Capleton achieves on this poignant new track.
Skillibeng feat. Tokischa, “Boom”
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Ahead of his stint as a support act on Nicki Minaj‘s historic Pink Friday 2 World Tour, Skillibeng angled himself towards a reggaeton crossover moment with his new Tokischa-assisted track, “Boom.” Built around a sample of the iconic “Bam Bam” riddim, the Yeti-produced track finds Skillibeng doubling down on his trademark X-rated lyrics. “It nuh matter, baby gyal, yuh hot, look how yuh proper/ Waan fi plow yuh like a farmer, wi fi f–k inna da car yah,” he spits to close out his verse, with Dominican rapper and singer Tokischa effortlessly matching his energy with the lines, “He call my p—y, say, ‘Miss fatty-fatty’/ P—y so tight, gon’ make him a murder.” From bilingual verses to an iconic sample, “Boom” is tailor-made for some kind of crossover success — even if this is the second time Skillibeng has put out a song with that name!
Spice, “You Are Worthy”
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To kick off her career-commemorating Mirror 25 album, Spice brought herself to the church doors with this gospel-steeped opener. “When I look at what You carry me through/ Who could it be? No other one but You/ I stand on your word in Psalms 92/ And Psalms 35, the words in Mark 2,” she sings in the song’s emotional second verse. In a conversation with Billboard, Spice explained that she opened her album with a gospel song to give God praise for helping her through a near-fatal health scare. “I’m supposed to be here because God saved my life for a reason,” she said. “I escaped death. I don’t take that lightly.” With the way her voice soars with gratitude over the evocative amalgam of organs, piano, drums, and guitar, it’s clear that Spice meant every word of that explanation.
The Wailers, “Sins”
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It’s been a major year for the Marleys, but The Wailers have something to say too. On Aug. 30, the Grammy-nominated band launched their Evolution album featuring the excellent closer, “Sins.” Across an earthy mixture of guitars, bass, and horns, the Aston Barrett Jr. warns people to not use the Bible to justify themselves and to not “be a hypocrite,” two proclamations that inadvertently (maybe intentionally!) set them in opposition to the way quite a few artists across genres, including reggae and dancehall, use the Bible to justify positions that can be extremely harmful and downright heinous. It’s a ballsy closer, one that pushes the album further into conversations at the intersection of religion, music, and politics — a true testament to the enduring legacy of both Bob Marley and reggae music at large.
Peetah Morgan & Zion I Kings, “Who Run the World”
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Earlier this year (Feb. 25), Peter “Peetah” Morgan — the lead singer of Morgan Heritage — passed away, but his moving voice is still as powerful as ever on “Who Run the World,” his take on Zion I Kings’ “Full Bloom” riddim. “Who run di world and who call di shots/ Yuh think a you just because you hold a glock,” he sings before shouting out Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Thomas Sankara among other “African fathers who fight for our liberation.” In a way, the song is a smart answer to those who think being armed automatically equates to having and securing power. It’s also a timely reminder of the interconnected struggles of the global Black diaspora — especially in light of the frenzy Buju Banton’s take on Afrobeats caused a few weeks ago.
DJ Cheem, “She Getting On (Never)”
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Bajan-American soca artist DJ Cheem delivers a sunny end-of-summer jam with “She Getting On.” By all accounts, it’s a standard soca track that praises a lady’s posterior and recounts wicked wins over a jaunty combination of groovy drum patterns. What takes “She Getting On” to another level is the chorus melody. It’s relatively straightforward, but when Cheem’s voice soars on “know” just as the whistles and horns come in, your waist will probably start moving on its own accord — and that’s exactly how you know that you have a real soca hit on your hands.
Tina (Hoodcelebrityy), “Lover Man”
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Fresh off her Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy project from earlier this year, Tina is back with a new single that pulls from two dancehall classes. “Lover Man,” a song that flips the script on dancehall’s male-dominant explorations of romance, takes notes from Dave Kelly’s 1994 “Pepperseed” riddim, as well as the hook from Nadine Sutherland & Terror Fabulous’ classic, “Action.” With her voice floating between different registers and lyrics that champion a woman’s right to be selective with who she crowns her “lover man,” Tina’s new single is a sweet synthesis of all of her sonic influences and both of her personas.
Chip & DJ Frass, “Gyalis Pree”
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For his take on DJ Frass’ “Party Bus” riddim, Tottenham emcee Chip steps into his dancehall bag with a sexy combination of his British rap foundation and his Caribbean roots. He effortlessly switches between spitting debaucherous bars (“Weed and tequila/ Standard procedure”) and employing a melodic, AutoTune-assisted cadence that allows his voice to try on different textures to play up the subtle percussiveness and vibrant synths of Frass’ riddim. Of course, that callback to 50 Cent’s “In da Club” (“Find me in the club…”) is the icing on top.
Making music while in prison is nothing new. Mac Dre, T.I., former Dipset member Hell Rell and a few others have managed to drop bars from behind bars. Vybz Kartel, the dancehall legend who was recently released from prison after serving 13 years of a 35-to-life sentence, revealed in a recent interview that he kept […]
For all intents and purposes, July was Jamaica’s — and the island solidified that fact on the very last day of the month. There’s still some time before the track and field events get underway at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics — led by JA’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Hansle Parchment — so the universe gifted Jamaica another reason to celebrate: the release of dancehall icon Vybz Kartel.
On Wednesday (July 31), just over a week before Jamaica’s Independence Day (Aug. 6), Kartel regained his freedom after the Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that he and his co-accused — Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John — will not face a new trial for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. Although he was originally sentenced to 35 years in prison after a historic 64-day trial back in 2014, Kartel (and his co-accused) have always denied their involvement in Williams’ death. In March 2024, the Privy Council of the United Kingdom overturned the convictions and sent the case back to the Court of Appeal to decide whether it would be retried.
The news of a free Kartel reverberated across the Caribbean diaspora, with fans rejoicing from Kingston to Brixton to New York. Naturally, Kartel had a new project ready to go, with First Week Out dropping the night of his release. While one of the project’s tracks appears on this month’s round-up, there are still plenty of non-Kartel releases to sift through.
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Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: Boyzie, “Chaotic”
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Reigning Spicemas Corporation groovy soca monarch Boyzie offers a new addition to the soundtrack for the road to 2024 Spicemas with “Chaotic.” A superb slice of power soca, Boyzie completely embodies the exuberance and catharsis of power soca with this new banger. “Watch everything just to start to lift, lift, lift/ And shift, shift, shift,” he bellows in an ascending melody that pairs perfectly with the amalgam of hyper-frenetic drums and buoyant horns, courtesy of producers PeckJonezz, Wetty Beatz & Ras Stickle. “Chaotic” sounds and feels incredibly lush — but nothing can take attention away from the seemingly gravitational pull of Boyzie’s voice. If anyone is looking for permission to truly feel joy in every last one of their joints, they’ll find their license through his evocatic, expansive vocal performance.
Vybz Kartel, “Terror by Night”
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From “Fever” to “Romping Shop,” Vybz Kartel has more hits than there are stars in the sky, so the anticipation for his first post-prison project were through the roof. To the delight of his fans, the World Boss didn’t keep anyone waiting, with the 12-track First Week Out arriving the same night he regained his freedom. One of the standout tracks on the project is “Terror by Night,” a dark slice of modern dancehall accented by choir-esque female backing vocals that offer a nice contrast to his raspy conviction-filed voice. “Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night and the arrows that fly by day,” he proclaims three times over in the hook, flipping Psalms 91:5-12 into his own self-mythologizing scripture that’s equal parts ominous and uplifting. Sure, it’s technically a 2023 release, but “Terror” finds a new weight in the context of First Week Out.
Stalk Ashley, Kraff Gad & Skeng, “Senseless”
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Whenever dancehall gets to mixing with drill, the results are almost always impressive. With “Senseless,” Stalk Ashley, Kraff Gad and Skeng fashion the classic gun chune into the drill-indebted dancehall anthem that doubles as a warning to all of their respective opps. “You mussi think mi defenseless/ Run up on mi, see if yuh nuh headless,” Ashley warns over the gritty Jaxx and KingBNJMN-produced beat. As strong as her hook is — Skeng’s contributions are as lively as ever, as well — it’s Kraff that’s the star of the show with his menacing delivery and slick flow switches.
Etana & Mr. Cheeks, “Weh Di Weed Deh”
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The relationship between weed and reggae is well-documented, and Etana adds to the lexicon of reggae weed anthems with “Weh Di Weed Deh.” A collaboration with Queens rapper Mr. Cheeks — perhaps best known as a member of Lost Boyz and for his 2003 feature on Lil Kim’s “The Jump Off” — “Weh Di Weed Deh” finds Etana crooning over a swaggering guitar-based groove, conjuring up odes to the wonders of Mary Jane. There’s a levity in both her and Mr. Cheeks’ tones that brings some humor to the whole affair, but the sincerity of this dedication to marijuana is never in question.
Notnice & Chronic Law, “One Dream”
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Notnice’s “Survivors Guilt” riddim is one of the more introspective and understated compositions of the year, and Chronic Law paints beautifully over the string-inflected soundscape. He employs a slightly despond, but mostly pensive tone as he parses emotional, restless nights and the power of prayer. “Everybody goes through obstacles, man, and that’s life you see,” he says in the intro before singing, “Mi nuh need glasses fi see when my brother god/ Nobody nuh give we umbrella for di storm/ Haffi walk through rain/ Haffi laugh through pain.”
Kranium, “Endless Vibes”
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Kranium has been one of the most dependable dancehall emcees for years, and he keeps the good times rolling with “Endless Vibes.” With a hook that nods to Steam’s late-’60s Billboard Hot 100-topper “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” Kranium delivers classic dancehall vibe with healthy dose of spunky synths and a notably melodic vocal delivery that takes him on a journey from chest voice-housed rap cadence to sweet falsetto coos lodged in his background vocal stacks.
Rebnant, “Bring It Back”
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Making a song for the ladies is a tried-and-true dancehall approach, which made the path a no-brainer for Claremont-born U.S.-based dancehall artist Rebnant. “She nuh f–k like mi and das a problem,” he proclaims over a thumping beat courtesy of Cook Shop Entertainment. A taste of an EP due later this year, “Bring It Back” is a classic party track that fits nicely in the high-energy pockets of a night at the dancehall.
Brick & Lace, “Proof”
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Over a decade after splitting up to focus on solo ventures, Brick & Lace (real-life sisters Nyla and Nyanda Thorbourne) are back. The ladies who gifted the world 2007’s Love Is Wicked tap into their Afro-dancehall bag with “Proof.” Produced by The Kemist, son of Marcia Griffiths, “Proof” finds the siblings opting for a more mature vibe as they sing of the wonders of building a sustainable, long-lasting love. “That’s how I know you’re the proof/ This feeling is real and I know it’s true,” they declare over infectious Afropop drums.
Erphaan Alves, Yung Bredda, Pimpin & DJ Hotty, “Bad Gyal Pt. 2″
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For the “Bad Gyal” remix, Erphaan Alves tapped an all-star line-up of artists, including Yung Bredda, Pimpin and DJ Hotty. “Bad gyal kill him wid di wine” stands as the song’s strongest refrain as the three artist conjure up infectious soca vibes over Kedon Charles’ drum-heavy riddim. “Throw that down like yuh carless,” Erphaan demands, expertly toeing the line between sexed-up lyricism and humorous delivery.
Gyptian, “My Woman”
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“Tell me what it is/ When you look at me/ Cause when I see you/ I see my woman,” Gyptian lovingly opens “My Woman.” Always one to venture to dancehall’s depths with a nuanced understanding of true romance in his back pocket, Gyptian sounds right at home over Chambah’s sparse, slinky production. Most Stateside listeners will recognize Gyptian’s name and voice from his classic “Hold Yuh,” and the tender undertones of that track are the grounding force of “My Woman,” a beautiful dedication to the time-tested love between two people.
From its ‘00s chart-topping splendor to its trap-inflected late ‘10s iterations, Spice has seen it all in the world of dancehall. The Grammy-nominated deejay has launched countless hits – including 2005’s “Fight Over Man,” 2009’s “Romping Shop” (with Vybz Kartel), 2013’s “So Mi Like It,” and 2021’s “Go Down Deh” (with Sean Paul & Shaggy) — and made inroads on American reality TV as well, with appearances on Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta and Baddies Caribbean.
Since her debut at the 2000 Sting Festival, Spice has cemented herself as one of the most fearless onstage performers in dancehall — and one of the most provocative artists. From her fearless embrace of her femininity and sexuality to her eye for conversation-provoking visuals, Spice has built a brand and character unlike anything dancehall has ever seen. She has the hit records to back up her Queen of Dancehall title – though some may argue otherwise – but her real claim to the title comes from her ability to pull tactics from the pop world and apply them to dancehall, while retaining her authenticity and globalizing her fanbase.
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With Billboard chart-topping albums and hit singles under her belt and two nominations at the upcoming 2024 Caribbean Music Awards (female dancehall artist of the year and dancehall performer of the year), Spice is ready to unleash her third studio album, Mirror 25. Led by the Busta Rhymes-assisted “Round Round” and featuring songs such as the soul-baring “2085 Tea” and “Gangster,” which features Chronic Law and Ireland Boss, Mirror 25 promises to be Spice’s most introspective and musically ambitious offerings yet.
Equal parts a celebration of her quarter-century in the music industry and a reflection on past traumas, a life-altering health scare and industry sabotage, Mirror 25 finds Spice injecting her dancehall sonic foundation with notes of country, Afrobeats and R&B. The album’s latest single, the evocative “Ex-Boyfriend,” presents a Spice that is primarily concerned with tackling the harsh realities of domestic violence.
“It creates an important conversation surrounding how women should value themselves and not settle for less. I wanted to remind women that it’s OK to have an ex-boyfriend if their current relationship has red flags and that includes domestic and emotional abuse,” she tells Billboard. “I’ve been caught in domestic violence situations before and walked away without hesitation. I need women to sing this song with ease, knowing with that same intention that it’s that easy to walk away and move on from toxic relationships. I want to be the voice for empowering women to leave toxic relationships.”
In a candid conversation with Billboard, Spice unpacks her 25-year career, details her new album, reflects on her time within the reality TV circuit and opens up about the health scare that almost killed her.
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How’s your day been?
So far, it’s been good. I’m feeling good and the [release] date for the album is drawing near. That [stress] is going to be off my shoulder [now.] Because I’m the [executive] producer, all the weight is on my shoulders — wanting to make sure that you’re not biased to your own songs, that you chose the right song, that you’re going in the right direction, etc. Being that one person that’s doing everything, [I’ve been] getting a little bit nervous leading up to it. Also, as an independent artist, it’s not easy. You are doing literally everything, making every decision by yourself.
You kicked off the Mirrror 25 era with “Round Round,” which features Busta Rhymes. Tell me more about how your relationship with him has evolved over the years.
So a lot of people don’t know, but I’ve known him for over 10 years. I met him when he came to Jamaica around the time I had just released “So Mi Like It,” which is one of my biggest songs. A friend of mine who was his friend was taking us around and she introduced us. I remember him going everywhere and just hearing, “Yes, that’s how mi like it!” And he was like, “Yuh song bad!” With my little shy self, I was like “You should do the remix!” And he was like, “Yea man, this hot man!” because every party, everywhere he went, he would hear it.
He did do the remix, but at the time, I didn’t have the resources to really get it out there. Fast forward to us building that friendship and stuff, [now] I have the opportunity to do it again. It means so much to me, and I’m just so grateful for someone with a legendary status like Busta to jump on it.
Getting the clearance as an independent artist was very humbling. It was refreshing to have someone at his level look out for me., so I have to big him up fi that. I think he’s just so humble and 0I’m grateful for this opportunity.
How did “Round Round” come together?
The composer — who is [YowLevite], a super talented producer from Jamaica — built the riddim. When he presented it to me, I immediately was just going “Hee-haw!” because it gave [me] that country feel. We wasn’t sure about it, because we’re like, “We’re doing a dancehall album.”But that’s where the versatility comes in. What I like about the song is that my fan base is so diverse, so I get to reach my fans in [different] parts of the world [through the music.] So, when he came with the riddim, I was like, “No man, let’s work and see what we come up with.”
When I recorded my part, we started brainstorming and I [thought] it would have been great if I had a collab on it. I start to think of who would be that person that would bring the elements of Jamaica, country and also authentic hip-hop, and Busta was the first person that came to mind. It was a no-brainer. I sent him the track and I was nervous, [but] in two days he sent it back to me and I was blown away.
The second single, “2085 Tea,” is pretty explosive. Why did you feel that now was the right time to address those controversies and sort of reclaim your truth and reclaim your narrative?
The name of my album is Mirror 25 because I’m celebrating 25 years in the industry. I came up with the name because I’m in the era of reflecting on all the things that I’ve been through. 25 years is a long time in a business. In reflecting, I started to think of all the things that I overcame. When you look in the mirror, you also have to be true to yourself. I could have dished the tea on a lot of gossip on a lot of other people, but this album is personal. It’s about me. It was just the perfect way to dish the tea on myself. And it was a funny way to speak about my truth.
Everything in that song is true: the betrayals, the heartaches, the pain. I’ve managed to overcome them, and I also wanted to be vulnerable with my fans to remind them that I’m also human, so they can understand that we have been through similar things. If I was able to overcome them, you too can overcome them. You have a lot of women out there who are going through depression, who have mental issues, suicidal thoughts, a lot of things. I wanted to be vulnerable. My friends betrayed me. I was stuck in a contract for 10 years. People held me down in the music business. I’ve been targeted. But here I am as the Queen of Dancehall, I was able to do it. You can do it too.
In “2085 Tea,” you allege that people were paid to not play your songs. How did you come to believe that?
I’ve had people in the industry come to me and say: this person — and mentioned people name — is paying us to not play your song. And I’m like, “Wait, what?” I’ve had people confess to me about people that tried to sabotage my career. I haven’t done anything, but I also know I’m super-talented. I’m not sure why people feel like they need to move someone out the way for them to also progress. I always tell people that the cake is big enough to share for everyone. You don’t have to move anyone. There will never be another Spice. You will be you and I will always be me. We all can still make it in the business. It’s just sad. Anything that I put out that they thought would be successful, they would try to have people not play it. Anywhere that they could find a person that they could call, they tried to sabotage my career. I appreciate when people [tell me this] because it shows a lot of respect. When they’re able to tell you that, you know this is not fair.
In that song, you also said that when the cameras come out, people start to cap. Who was capping on Love & Hip-Hop?
The TV World was a shocker for me. I used that line because it wasn’t specifically targeted to one person. Oftentimes there would be situations where we’ll be in a room on Love & Hip-Hop and people are voicing their opinion on a specific topic. Everybody knows how everybody feels about a certain topic, but when the camera come on, it’s a switch-up. Coming from Jamaica trying to make it big in America, I always felt like a loner. I’m the only Jamaican on Love & Hip-Hop. I always felt like I had to change my dialect so they could understand me a little bit more. I always felt like I was looked at differently from them, so it was very weird to me. It was just strange. When they start shooting, it’s like a different person I’m looking at. That’s not even who you are.
When you look back at your time on Love & Hip-Hop, do you have regrets or mostly fond memories?
I think that there are more fond memories. I don’t have regrets, but there are definitely bad moments. I think that the fun moments outweighed [the bad ones] because, at the end of the day, I do credit them for kind of opening the door for a lot of people to kind of get to know the brand Spice a little bit better. I remember when I went on Love & Hip-Hop, a lot of people felt like I was bigger than the show. But I also remember going on [the show] and a lot of people [were] getting to know who Spice was from Love & Hip-Hop. A lot of people were saying “Spice from Love & Hip-Hop” instead of “Spice, the Queen of Dancehall,” so it does come with a scale of ups and downs.
I think the bad part about being on Love & Hip-Hop is that people don’t realize that the only difference [between] them and I is that I’m living my life out on TV. Sometimes they’ll be like, “Oh, why she gotta talk about that?” I don’t. I didn’t choose to. It’s because I’m on TV you’re seeing it.
I also feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy that I challenge [on the show.] I talk about a lot where I would probably show you a lot of emotions when I’m delivering certain [things.] And as a Jamaican, my dialect and my delivery comes off a little bit different than theirs. And they would say, “Why is she so angry?” Then someone else is allowed to be angry and deliver their tone however they choose. But when I do it, I’m labeled as the angry Black woman.
Do you think that the mess and the drama and the negative perception of reality TV was worth the exposure that you got from those shows?
Yes, I think it was worth the exposure. There’s a popular saying, “There’s no bad press.” I believe that — because it doesn’t matter, as long as people are knowing about you, they’re speaking about you. It’s promotion for me. A lot of times you have celebrities who cover up, and then the big reveal comes and then the cancel culture gets them. I’m not sure if I’m going to have that moment, because my fans know who I am. Even though it may come with what people look at as backlash, it also gives my fans an opportunity to know the real me. They know that I stand ten toes down on certain things. I don’t stand for the for the cap. You got to accept me for who I am or don’t accept me at all. And I’m OK with that. I could have presented another person to you, but I’m not about that.
I’m also the executive producer for the Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta cast album, which is the first time that has ever happened. I’m trying to get people on the show to chase music. It felt like it was taking a backseat. Being a girl that is always producing my ow music, I wanted to open that door for my friends and my castmates to say, “Listen, let’s get back to the music. Let’s get back to what it really should be.” That’s the main storyline this season. I feel like I was just the right person to do it.
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In “2085 Tea,” you also speak about a former dancer sleeping with your ex. That former dancer has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by said ex. Would you like to comment on that matter?
I don’t know if I want to [comment] on that [right now].
Shortly after the release of “2085 Tea,” Mr. Vegas wrote a lengthy Facebook post calling the song a “tasteless insensitive jab” at that former dancer. He also wrote that you are a “mediocre recording artist” with “mediocre songs” who “is not talented enough to become a musical icon.” What did you make of that post? How does it feel to have a peer publicly disparage you like that?
I didn’t read the entire post, but the minute I started reading it — because my fans were sending it to me, and they were very disgruntled and upset over the post — I immediately realized that it was jealousy. It’s a jealous reaction that I get not just from Mr. Vegas, but [also from] a lot of other people who are just not happy to see that I’m still leading. A lot of people who started out back in the day [are] not current right now.
It’s also hypocrisy, because Mr. Vegas did a song insulting me over my surgeries that I did in the past, speaking on my breast augmentation and my liposuction. He was delivering the song publicly, promoting it, and it never became famous. So, for him to now say, “Oh, why would [she] sing a song trying to degrade a woman?” — it’s obvious that it’s hypocrisy and jealousy. I just skip over those jealous things because there’s so many of them that appear every day.
When last Mr. Vegas did music? That should be his main target. All of a sudden, now that I’m doing music, I’m the main target for everyone. I’ve done so much for the culture and for dancehall. I have so many hit songs and Billboard songs. I’m not sure what his post was about.
Do you ever feel like your controversies overshadow the music?
I don’t feel like the controversies overshadow the music, because look at 2018. I used makeup to make my appearance seem lighter. That was a whole movement. Everybody was talking about “Black Hypocrisy.” I had the world’s undivided attention. The song was No. 1 on [Reggae Digital Song Sales].
The controversies set me apart. It makes me different with my delivery. It makes my fans feel anxiously over the edge with what I’m coming with next, because I’m always that entertainer. I’m not just putting out music, I’m always delivering good entertainment for them. I’m always coming with something different, revamping myself in an ever-growing music industry.
The two Mirror 25 singles certainly feel fresh in terms of dancehall sonics. How else do you plan to evolve on the new album?
By tackling different genres. There’s one song on the album called “D.D.D.” that is one of my favorites, because there’s a moment in there where nobody can tell me that I didn’t have my little Toni Braxton moment. [Laughs.] Nobody going to take that little moment from me!
There’s gonna be a little Afro sound on the album. There’s a song where I start speaking Hindi, which I did because on my song that I did with Sean Paul [“Go Down Deh”], one of my biggest streaming markets was India. I also [spoke some] Spanish [on that same song], and I can’t speak Spanish! I had to Google the words to put it together! But it was fun, because I know that I have fans that speak Spanish and they will appreciate it. They’ll all feel included.
So much of the album’s reflection is inspired by the near-death experience you had. How did that whole ordeal impact that way you approached this particular album?
I had problems with my hernia. When it erupted, it sent my body into a sepsis, and they literally had to open me up to save my life because the sepsis was poisoning my body. I still have hernia issues to this day. I’ve done maybe six surgeries because of it.
When they opened me up, it also caused another hernia — because they left my stomach walls open, since they weren’t able to sew me back up, because the sepsis was leaking into my entire body. They had to leave me to self-close and then go back in again. It was a lot of going back in and repairing, which took two years — which I’m also grateful for, because I didn’t even know that my body could really sustain six surgeries.
Every single time I went in there, God came through for me. I just feel even more blessed and more grateful for this journey. I’m not sure why he loves me so much, because I’ve been a bad girl so many times, but I know I’m here for a reason. I’ve definitely drawn closer to him. I started the album with a gospel song that I had to dedicate to him because of what I’ve been through. I came up with the [title] celebrating 25 years because I feel like it’s something to celebrate because I could not have been here. But I’m supposed to be here because God saved my life for a reason. I escaped death. I don’t take that lightly.
You are the executive producer for the album, and it’s coming out on your own label. That’s a level of freedom that so many artists dream about. How does it feel to operate in that space after so many years of label woes?
This is the first time I’m owning something after 25 years. I feel like I’ve fought through so much to be independent. I don’t know if my fans even understand what it means to just be independent — to be doing it on your own, to have your own, to be able to make your own decisions on what you’re doing and what songs you’re putting out and what you’re recording. It’s a breath of fresh air for me, and it makes me feel more accomplished because I’m my own music boss.
Who’s helping you with radio and streaming promotion?
We are. It’s not easy. I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy. It’s very difficult. It’s not easy being an independent artist overall. I’ve had days where I crash out, where people were just pulling me from all angles. I’m still in the process of learning and figuring out stuff.
Getting things playlisted is not easy as well, so I’m not going to lie to anyone and let them believe anything else. It’s difficult. But I feel like once you have the right team and the right mindset and the knowledge on music business and you know what to do and who to reach out to and you remain consistent, it’s just a matter of growing relationships. And I feel like I’ve built a brand that when we get a hold of someone and you say “Spice,” they always welcome me with open arms.
You’re also working with Empire on the distribution side. Why were they the right partner for you?
I felt like they were the right partner because they have so much history with Caribbean artists and African artists. I wanted a [distributor] that knows or has a background in our music.
Any plans to tour this album?
Absolutely yes! I’m definitely planning to go on tour. I already have so many single shows that were booked previously, so I’m not sure how far back I’ll have space to accommodate the tour. I wanted to go on tour as early as October.
What’s on your playlist right now?
YG Marley, “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.” Shaggy and Lavinia, “Move.” Me and Busta, “Round Round.”
It’s been 13 years since reggae and dancehall legend Buju Banton last performed in the U.S. Watching the icon dance and belt his way through a 90-minute set at New York’s UBS Arena on Sunday night (July 14), it was nearly impossible to believe that much time has passed. Buju’s Sunday night show — his […]
Last weekend (July 13-14), reggae and dancehall legend Buju Banton rocked New York’s UBS Arena for two bombastic sold-out shows — his first U.S. performances in 13 years. As it turns out, those two shows were just the beginning of Gargamel’s massive Stateside comeback.
Today (July 15), Billboard can exclusively reveal that the Grammy-winning superstar is mounting a 14-date U.S. arena trek dubbed ‘The Overcomer Tour.’ Three-time Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Fridayy will serve as the tour’s special guest. Produced by AG Touring, a Black-owned company, in association with Gargamel Music and XO Management, The Overcomer Tour will kick off on Aug. 24 at Amerant Bank Arena in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and visit major U.S. cities such as Houston, Atlanta and Boston, before concluding on Nov. 17 at Barclay Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Fans can purchase tickets at Banton’s official website. Pre-sale begins Wednesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. local time; General onsale starts Friday, July 19 at 10 a.m. local time.
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“In each state of the United States of America, you have different synergy of people, different melting pot of ethnicities coming together. And when the music that they love comes around, they react in one harmonious way, just enjoying themselves,” Banaton tells Billboard via Zoom during a rehearsal break that was later crashed by the legendary Marcia Griffiths. “That’s a remarkable feeling to share among the masses. After not being here for quite some time, I look forward to reigniting that passion and euphoria.”
And it has been quite some time since the star last performed in the States. Just one day after he won the 2011 best reggae album Grammy for his timeless Before the Dawn, Banton’s criminal trial kicked off in Tampa, FL. He was ultimately convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense and using communication wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offense, and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
The now 50-year-old spent eight years in Georgia’s McRae Correctional Institution and regained his freedom on Dec. 7, 2018. Since his release, Banton signed with Roc Nation and launched a pair of Grammy-nominated LPs: 2020’s Upside Down 2020 and 2023’s Born for Greatness. He has also appeared on several major film soundtracks — including 2020’s Bad Boys for Life and 2024’s The Book of Clarence — and returned to touring around the world, most notably with 2019’s Long Walk to Freedom concert in Kingston, Jamaica, his first post-release performance.
As he prepares to head back on the road, Banton is letting the music lead the way. “Music knows no time, so we don’t have a clock inside the rehearsal room,” he says. “We just do what the music calls us to, and when we feel like we’ve accomplished something, we call it a day and then resume the next day and reconvene.”
With a career that spans nearly 40 years, Banton has an extensive catalog to pull from. He has sent 12 projects to the top 10 of Reggae Albums, including 1997’s eight-week chart-topper Inna Heights. From “Make My Day” and “Champion” to “Wanna Be Loved,” “Blessed” and “Buried Alive,” Banton has soundtracked nearly four decades of dancehall and reggae, bringing the two genres to myriad global audiences and defining multiple generations along the way. Of course, such a deep discography complicates the task of crafting a tour setlist, and Banton isn’t particularly keen on remaining married to a particular collection of songs.
“My catalog is rather extensive, so to highlight one or two songs would be cheating a lot of people and will also be putting my foot in my mouth,” he jokes. “I don’t want to suffer from that deadly disease — foot and mouth disease. You don’t want to catch it! I try to make the masses a part of what I am doing in whatever way I can. We also try to poll to find out what’s the favorite in each territory. It’s important. In modern times we have so much tools, back in the day we didn’t have all this at our fingertips. I want to do more.”
Of course, with a new tour comes new music, and Banton promises a new album that’s “100% dancehall, hardcore roots reggae, something fi yuh skank on, fi di gyal dem bruk wild!” As Banton tells it, “the music needs help and that’s not a secret,” so, with his new record and tour, he hopes to “reignite the passion of reggae music and let [people] know it hasn’t died.” While he hasn’t decided if he wants to prioritize collaborations on the new album, he looks fondly at “Body Touching Body” and “Party Girls,” his two 2023 Victoria Monét duets. “I tried some R&Reggae with Victoria Monét and it was rather successful,” he reflects. “I like that mix of R&B and reggae.”
“I have been in this business since I was 19 years old making reggae music for the world. It’s been 36 years, going on 37 years,” Banton says. “I just [want to] lift up the name of the true and living creator and say ‘Hi’ and greetings and ‘I love you’ to all the good people who come out to see Buju Banton and have been supporting me throughout my struggles.”
Find the Overcomer Tour dates below.
Aug. 24 — Ft. Lauderdale, FL — Amerant Bank Arena
Aug. 25 — Tampa, FL — Amalie Arena
Aug. 27 — Washington, DC — Capital One Arena
Aug. 30 — Boston, MA — TD Garden
Sept. 1 — Philadelphia, PA — Wells Fargo Center
Sept. 6 — Hartford, CT — XL Center
Sept. 8 — Atlanta, GA — State Farm Arena
Sept. 12 — Houston, TX — Toyota Center
Sept. 13 — Dallas, TX — American Airlines Center
Sept. 15 — Phoenix, AZ — Footprint Center
Sept. 18 — Inglewood, CA — Intuit Dome
Sept. 23 — San Jose, CA — SAP Center
Sept. 29 — Chicago, IL — Allstate Arena
Nov. 17 — Brooklyn, NY — Barclays Center
Although June ended with Hurricane Beryl pummeling the Caribbean — St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, in particular — it was still a glowing month for music and culture from the region.
Skillibeng performed at the BET Awards for the second time in as many years, joining Gunna and Tyla — who took home two awards at the ceremony, including best new artist — for a performance of the latter’s latest global hit “Jump,” which combines dancehall, hip-hop and Afrobeats. The Marley Family also made their presence known at the telecast, with YG Marley, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean closing out the show with a bombastic medley of “Lost Ones,” “Survival,” “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” and “Fu-Gee-La.” Meanwhile, Bob Marley: One Love took home best movie, the first musician biopic to do so since Straight Outta Compton in 2016.
Just one week after the BET Awards, Caribbean Elite Group announced the recipients of the highest honors at the upcoming Caribbean Music Awards on Aug. 29. A trio of powerful West Indian women are set to be honored: Jamaica’s Marcia Griffiths (lifetime achievement award), Barbados’ Alison Hinds (elite icon award) and JA’s Cedella Marley (legacy award).
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Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: Govana & Popcaan, “Saved by a Psalm”
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Govana brought June to a close with his Legacy album, and his reflection and vulnerability across the LP helped make it one of the year’s best releases so far. One of the crown jewels of Legacy is “Saved by a Psalm,” a tear-jerking collaboration with Popcaan. “Ghetto youth haffi rich and wealthy/ Haffi make it, beg you please, Jah, help me/ Beg you guide me from the greed and envy/ Rev me ‘matic ’til it breeze and empty,” Govana spits over the pensive, understated dancehall production. Across the track, he and Popcaan reflect on the merits of faith, calling on Psalm 71 to emphasize how vital their respective relationships with God are — particularly when it comes to navigating life’s most consequential pitfalls.
Spice & Busta Rhymes, “Round Round”
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The reigning Queen of Dancehall is gearing up for the release of her upcoming third studio album, and she’s introducing it was a fiery new banger. “Round Round,” a collaboration with Busta Rhymes — who Skillibeng helped pay tribute to at the 2023 BET Awards — finds the two artists forging a common ground between their dancehall and hip-hop styles with a sparse soundscape crafted by YowLevite. “Busta, mi waan give yuh di hanky pollie/ Mek mi whine pon yuh buddy fast den slowly,” Spice spits as she flirtatiously trades bars with the hip-hop icon. The drum-heavy beat helps emphasize the percussiveness of both of their voices, but it’s their nimble flow switches that truly reveal the depths of their artistic chemistry.
Dean Fraser, “Belafonte Ghost”
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With his new Sax in Dub album, Musgrave Medal recipient Dean Fraser exalts the artform — a electronic subgenre of reggae that has grown into its own beast over the past few decades. “Belafonte Ghost” is the instant standout on the LP, with the saxophonist riffing on the melody of Harry Belafonte‘s timeless “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” in tribute of the legendary artist and activist, who passed away last year. The only discernible vocals on the track are a collection of voices buried just under the mix’s surfaces, allowing for Fraser’s saxophone to take center stage across the calypso-inflected arrangement.
Bayka feat. Najeeriii, “1086”
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On this salsa-nodding jam from his new Mob Ties mixtape, Bayka joins forces with fellow Jamaican star Najeeriii to craft a song that offers some effervescent energy to the often brooding nature of trap dancehall. Between the dancehall drums accenting the funky piano line and Bayka and Najeeriii effortlessly playing off each other’s suave, laid-back energies, “1086” stands as one of the best representations of Bayka’s specific pocket of new age dancehall.
Pablo YG & Lanae, “Birds & Bees”
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With Lanae’s seductive tone paired with a sultry saxophone riff in the background, “Birds & Bee” immediately establishes itself as the latest candidate for your slow wine soundtrack. Given the title, it isn’t difficult to decode what Pablo and Lanae are singing about, especially since it’s one of the dominant themes in the dancehall genre. Nonetheless, their take on the subject is framed by their vocal chemistry; Pablo’s Auto-Tuned warbles cradle Lanae’s sensual purrs, resulting in one steamer of a not-so-slow jam.
Nuttea feat. Kabaka Pyramid, “Egaux”
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French ragga artist Nuttea has been instrumental in ushering in the country’s own take on reggae music, and his new collaboration with Grammy winners Kabaka Pyramid is the latest step of that journey. Titled “Égaux” — which translates to “Equals” — the new track finds the two acts reflecting on their respective artistic and emotional journeys, highlighting humanity’s sameness when all is said and done. It’s a multilingual affair, with Nuttea delivering his lines entirely in French, underscoring the global impact of reggae. The instrumentation is fairly traditional, but it’s their respective hip-hop-infused deliveries that keeps things exciting.
Minister Marion Hall, “Step”
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From her Lady Saw days to her current moniker of Minister Marion Hall, the Jamaican artist has been an icon for decades. For her new single and first musical release of the year, Ms. Hall steps in the energy of spiritual warfare, opting for a militant gospel-tinged anthem of standing steadfast in your faith. “It’s a spiritual war/ Put on ya war clothes,” she snarls over histrionic drums and guitar. Minister Hall’s vocal is the star of the show here, she’s gasping for air and delivering her lines with equal parts reverence, desperation and grit. Considering her journey from dancehall queen to a unfiltered Christian who regularly speaks about her struggles with her faith, “Step” is appropriately aggressive. Somewhere between Richie Spice’s “Gideon Boot” and Kirk Franklin’s “Stomp,” “Step” is a stellar, if not unexpected, addition to the catalog of wartime gospel anthems.
$teevoo, “Slow Wine”
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With “Slow Wine,” Rising Trinbagonian artist $teevoo previews a potentially minimalist future for dancehall. His voice barely rises above whisper, and the synths and drums that are normally quite pronounced in a traditional dancehall track feel notably muted. Ultimately, “Slow Wine” offers a chilly, electronic version of a dancehall riddim, courtesy of Brooklyn Decent. Following the path he laid out with Eros EP earlier this year, $teevoo strips soca, dancehall and calypso down to its most elementary parts and builds something distinctly fresh out of those components. Everything — from his cadence to the drum patterns — feels strikingly familiar, but his unfussy vocal delivery immediately sets his sound apart from previous decades of West Indian music.
Jah Lil, “Weak Men”
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Jah Lil’s Can A Man Cry is a true gem of an album. Released at the tail end of last month (June 26), the LP is a tender-yet-unflinching look at the intersection of faith, masculinity and morality — all set to some of the most evocative, multi-layered reggae arrangements of the year. “Weak Men,” in which Jah Lil posits that true male weakness is the inability to properly express your emotions and defy temptation, is relentlessly engaging, folding in funky horns, steady guitars and earth percussion to craft a soundscape for his alluring voice to coast across.
Alison Hinds, “Slow It Down”
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Alison Hinds’ sweet timbre has soundtracked soca music for over two decades and “Slow It Down” proves the Queen of Soca has no plans to, well, slow down. She paints across Elmo Norville’s breezy Sweet Water Project riddim with that trademark honeyed tone, crooning, “Baby I wan ya slow it down/ Take your time now darling, we really don’t need to rush it.” In a genre that has its fair share of high-octane moments by way of power soca, “Slow It Down” offers road marchers a chance to catch their breath — and catch the meanest slow wine.
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A new era calls for a new name: Nearly ten years after she first hit the scene with the hypnotic “Wine Pon It,” Jamaican-born, Bronx-bred singer-rapper Tina has shed her Hoodcelebrityy moniker, opting to go by her given name instead. “Hoodcelebrityy” may have been demoted to a parenthetical – the SEO gods are always watching – but the persona that earned her her very first Billboard chart hit, 2017’s “Walking Trophy,” remains in full force throughout her fiery new project.
Released via KSR Group on May 17, Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy – her second full-length project and first in seven years – diligently hones Tina’s unique mixture of reggae, rap, dancehall and R&B, resulting in a breezy 10-track set that explores her dual sonic profiles while offering a sultry prelude to Caribbean Heritage Month. Her softer, more melodic side shines on standout tracks such as “Roses” and “Dolly,” while her gruffer, New York drill-informed side reigns supreme on cuts like “Hype Me Up” and “Pressure.” Seven years after Trap vs. Reggae reached No. 9 on Top Reggae Albums, Tina takes the binary approach of that record and flips it into a lens through which she can honor the different parts of her cultural and sonic identity.
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“My biggest hope for this project is for people — not just my fans — to see the quality of my music and how versatile I am as an artist and to not ever put me in a box,” she muses.
With a performance at Reggae Fest and a tour on the horizon, Tina is ready to reintroduce herself to the world with a collection of records that are sexy, fearless odes to the wonders of genre fusion. In a thoughtful conversation with Billboard, Tina details her new project, the evolution of New York’s sound, working with Shaggy, her name change, and what she still carries with her from growing up in Jamaica.
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1. What’s been your favorite thing that’s happened to you this year outside of the new project?
Just finding peace [and] really finding myself. I feel like [the COVID years taught] me a lot about myself. Stuff that I didn’t know. I really understand that you can have everything you want and still be depressed, lonely, etc. For me, it’s the simplest things that I find make me happy.
2. You recently put out Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy. Talk to me about the concept behind the project and how the whole thing came together.
Tina: My fans dem know how versatile I am. I had this whole thing going on like, I want you to tell me which record y’all think is Tina and which record is Hoodcelebrityy. I feel like they kinda figuring that out as we speak. Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy is just me against myself, always me trying to be better than who I used to be.
We got Tina, where you get the melody, the soft records, and then we got Hoodcelebrityy, where you get the hardcore, reggae deejay part. I can embody both Hoodcelebrityy and Tina. It’s all about making my fans dem see two different sides.
3. This is your first full-length project in about seven years. How do you think you’ve grown as a person and as an artist since Trap vs. Reggae?
When I hear some of my records on Trap vs. Reggae, even though my fans still love those records, I can tell the growth. My voice, my pitch, the melodies, how I hold certain notes — it’s definitely a lot of growth. Before, I used to rush, especially when I first came out [with] “Walking Trophy.” I was rushing records like, I got to make another one like this. Now I’m just really taking time with the music and not being so hard on myself, because I feel like when you hurting yourself, you don’t really get the best work. Right now, I’m just having fun with the music.
For my fans and people who didn’t know, I took a little break before because I had got [really] sick and I was going through a lot. Like I said, you could have all the money, everything you want, but if you don’t have peace, you don’t have that clarity or your health… you don’t have nothing.
4. Getting to a point where you can take it easy on yourself has got to be difficult in this specific industry. Who did you open up to? How did you deal with those feelings going into this project?
Big shoutout to my cousin Melissa, she’s my mentor. She’s a therapist. I opened up to her, and I feel like she keeps me grounded a lot. [She] helped me understand that at the end of the day, I’m not doing this for nobody else. I do this for myself, I do it for my family. If you pay attention to the industry and to what people got to say, then you’re done. Once they find another you or something close to you, they put you right on the shelf. Nobody cares about you no more. That’s really what keeps me grounded. I block all that out and I’m focused.
5. You’re officially going by Tina now. Was there a particular moment that sparked that choice or did life just bring you there naturally?
Behind Hoodcelebrityy, Tina was always the author. COVID put me to sit down and really wrestle with finding myself and wanting my legacy to go down with Tina. Hoodcelebrityy is always gonna be that little girl that came out of The Bronx, showing other people from the hood that you can make it out. But I see more than just Hoodcelebrityy.
I see worldwide, I’ve been to Israel, [gone] back to Jamaica, the U.K., Toronto… I’ve been all over the world. I still have a lot more countries and places to go and I feel like when I get that Grammy, I want them to be like, And the Grammy goes to Tina!
For me, it’s bigger. People say they don’t judge, but they do. I don’t want to give no human being on this Earth a chance to put me in a box. When they hear that name, people automatically think, Oh, she’s just she’s just a hood celebrity. That’s where it stops. No, I’m way bigger than just that. And they’ve done it to me a lot.
6. Were you nervous or afraid to go through with that name change?
At first, I was allowing other people to project their fear on me because that’s what people do when they’re scared of change. After I really got comfortable myself and [sat] down and prayed and put God first, because that’s what I do, I wasn’t afraid. I understand that a change is going to be rocky in the beginning because I have people that are like, You changed your name, how are people gonna find you now? How they gonna find you on Spotify? I sit down and I’ll be realistic to myself, that’s why I put [Hoodcelebrityy] in parentheses, so I’m always going to pop up.
And my fans were with it. They tell me all the time that I’m bigger than just a hood celebrity, we’re so in sync and in the same headspace. People that really love you and care for you want to see you grow. Growth is always going to be scary, but you can’t stay in the same place.
7. What song do you think best represents the Tina side of the project and why?
“Roses” definitely was Tina. “Roses” is going to be a big record, because I’m really for women. I’m really for uplifting females and making them feel good about themselves. For women, there’s so much stuff out there that’s placed on us. It’s so much pressure that it got to be somebody to remind them that they’re beautiful and deserve their roses. Some people give you your flowers when you’re dead. Give women their flowers now!
I’m just that voice for a young girl or a grown woman — it don’t matter the age. I have a lot of people that I deal with that have no self-esteem. They don’t feel pretty and that’s because somebody made them feel that way.
8. “Skin Out Di Red” still slaps. Talk to me about working with Shaggy on that one.
Working with Shaggy was dope! This guy’s a machine, he don’t stop! I feel like I still have a lot more growing [to do], because I’m still a new, young artist. He’s a legend, and I learned so much from him. I was in Miami with him for four days and we recorded every single day.
Even when my voice was going out, he was like, Alright, we gonna take a break. He had his chef make me tea to get my throat back together, gave me an hour break, and then we went right back at it. I’m like, I thought when I said my throat was hurting, he was gonna say let’s go home! [Laughs.] I’ve been preaching this for so long, but hearing a legend say it was better – consistency is key. Whatever Shaggy tells me, I’m going to listen because he’s very successful. And for people who don’t know, Shaggy is really fun, he’s not stuck up. I had a great time. It didn’t just feel like work.
9. You also just put out “Been Pretty” and you were talking your s—t on there.
With “Been Pretty,” I want people to know that when they hear my music, I’m really sitting down to write it. And I’m not saying I don’t get help with some of my music when I’m in the studio with my team, but “Been Pretty” was a record that I sat down and just wrote myself on some I’m in my bag, this is really how I feel today energy.
10. One of my favorite things about the project is how intentional you were in terms of showcasing different parts of your identity. Being New Yorkers, that’s something that we really take pride in. How do you think being a New Yorker, being a Bronx girl specifically, has influenced your sound and your approach to music?
The confidence. You can’t be from the Bronx and you don’t feel like you that girl. The way I talk too. I have the Jamaican patois in me — but then I can shut it off a little bit and go full New York like, You buggin right now! You can hear it in my music, it’s really organic and natural for me.
I left Jamaica when I was 12, so growing up in the Bronx, then going Uptown, then to the White Plains to go visit my family, I get a mixture of both [cultures] and you can hear it in the music. It adds a bit of swag. It’s like cooking with a likkle black peppa and adobo, it just adds the seasoning and the swag to my music.
11. What from Jamaica do you think still lives in you as a person and as an artist?
Manners. Dignity. Self-love. It don’t matter how big I get in this industry, I got to have manners. That’s something that living in Jamaica for a whole 12 years [and] being raised by my great-grandmother taught me. You don’t say “good evening” when somebody come in or you don’t open the door if you’re ahead of somebody else, you’ll get your a– whooped. Being a celebrity or not, if I’m in front of you and we all going somewhere, I’m holding the door for everybody. I can’t stop, because it’s something that’s in me. And it’s not going nowhere because, as they say, train the tree when it’s young, so when they get old, they won’t depart from the training.
12. Cash Cobain is also from The Bronx and he’s having a moment with his “sexy drill” sound right now. Could we get a collab between you two?
Hell yeah! I think he’s dope. On my record, funnily enough, there’s a song [called “Funny Funny Funny”] that was inspired by that sexy drill sound. I would love to do a record with him.
13. Who else from New York would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I always say Drake. I know he’s not from here, but definitely Drake. Sheff G too, I think he’s dope. I think his music is fire. I’m more into talent, longevity, and things that make sense. I don’t like to do records with people because they’re popping. If I don’t feel the music, it’s not worth it. I went to school for music. I love music. I’m not doing this s—t for money or for attention, so I like to work with artists that I think are actually dope and have substance.
15. You said you went to school for music. What are one or two lessons from those days that you still hold on to now?
Just the passion, honestly. I went to high school for violin and dance, but I really went [in] thinking, I’m just going to be in there singing. I didn’t know I was going to be playing violin, it was something that I had to do, so I did it. Music school definitely taught me about passion, though. I have a passion for dancing too. I studied everything — I was doing hip-hop, ballet… that’s why I feel like I do all my dances on my tippy toes.
16. What do you remember the sound of New York being when you were growing up? What do you think it is right now?
For me, the sound of New York growing up was 50 Cent. [He’s] my favorite rapper. I feel like growing up, it was more hardcore hip-hop, especially in the beats. Now you get different varieties. We got the sexy drill, then we got the hip-hop, then you got a little bit of the R&B type of vibe. I feel like it’s different, but our young generation has their own sound.
That’s really what we’re doing, even for dancehall music. A lot of people are like, Oh, but we want to hear the old-school stuff and it’s like — thank God for all the old-school artists, because they paved the way, but the younger generation is coming with a whole new sound. And when something is new, people get scared. They trash it. They talk s—t about it. Everything has to change. Even some of the OGs and the legends – big up to Shaggy – are embracing that new sound because you got to try different things.
17. We had two big global clashes at the top of this year with Teejay vs. Valiant and Stefflon Don vs. Jada Kingdom. Which do you think produced better music?
I think both was dope, but I’m a female. I’m all for the females. Women, when we’re on to something, we’re on to something. I feel like they both stood their ground, and it was fun. It didn’t get violent, thank God. I feel like the [Stefflon Don and Jada Kingdom] one was better, they had more people talking.
I feel like the dudes were trying to play it chill. [Both ladies] did their thing and they both got a good fan base from it too. They was playing them on Hot 97 on [105.1 FM], I feel like that definitely did good for both their careers as well for people who didn’t know who Steff or Jada were. People like gossip, so it’s like, Oh, they beefing let’s see what’s going on.
18. Which one of these songs are you most excited to bring to life on the Reggae Fest stage.
I’m performing “Roses,” but one of my favorite records to bring on that stage is gonna be “Run Di Road.” It’s really that hardcore reggae. When that song come on, it’s like when you hear [sings Chaka Demus & Pliers’ “Murder She Wrote.”] No matter where you at, you feel like you in Jamaica. I feel like “Run Di Road” is definitely going to do that to that crowd.
19. Did you make it out to the Labor Day parade last year?
Of course! Last year was my first time going back in mad long. I thought it was a lot of people’s return to the parade life, that’s why I’m hyped for this year. What I love about Labor Day is that the energy never changed. Everybody wants to have fun. Nobody going there to fight, everybody’s going to have a good time.
20. Are you going to make it out to Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom concert next month?
I don’t think I will be, but if I’m going to be in New York, I might. That’s definitely gonna be crazy. I’m biased when it comes to anything that’s connected to Jamaica because I know what we go through [there.] I know the struggle, I know the backend of it. Being that little girl from Jamaica and having a dream and coming to America to really bring that to life… I got to support anything that’s connected to that because I know what it feels like.
Even if you don’t like me, even if I know that you don’t feel how I feel about you, I still have that in me — because that’s what keeps me going too. I came to America when I was 12, I didn’t have nothing. I couldn’t work any type of job that I wanted to. So making it out, I could just imagine someone that came from Jamaica two or three years ago and what life was like for them. So, anything surrounding that, I got to support it.