Reggae
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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.
Click here to donate to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s special bank account in aid of its Participating States impacted by Hurricane Beryl.
Throughout his Grammy-winning career as a rapper, musician, songwriter and producer, much of Wyclef Jean’s recorded output highlights Jamaican music culture’s vast influence. There’s the Fugees (Wyclef, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Pras Michel) covering Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry”; his co-writing/co-producing a reggae hit for Whitney Houston (“Your Love Is My Love”); starting his own Jamaican style sound system, Refugee Sound; and making dub plates, the specialized recordings that are essential to ‘killing’ an opponent in a sound clash. Yet he’s never recorded a reggae album — that is, until now.
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One Night in Kingston is Wyclef’s debut roots reggae venture, recorded at The Compound in Kingston, Jamaica, a studio/rehearsal space owned by reggae artist Tom Jones, a.k.a. Panic, the album’s executive producer. Panic is also a writer on the project and a featured artist on the track “Walking to Higher Ground.” “I’ve known Panic for over 20 years; he said, ‘yo, we need a Wyclef Jean reggae album,’ so he brought me into the studio,” Wyclef explained. “I don’t know when it’s coming out. I never put a date on music because that means it isn’t good. Music has to be like a Lauryn Hill album, the best album of all time.”
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At the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday (June 30), Wyclef shared the stage with Hill at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, helping close out the show alongside her son, YG Marley. Ms. Hill’s only studio album, the diamond-certified The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, hit at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, won the album of the year Grammy in 1999 and was named “the best album of all time” by Apple Music on May 22. Three days after the latest honor, Billboard sat down with Wyclef inside a spacious villa in Discovery Bay, Jamaica, to discuss One Night in Kingston. Wyclef was on the island to host the Sashi Experience concert later that night; John Shop Records, owned by Sashi co-founder Duwayne John, will release One Night in Kingston with an as-of-yet unannounced label/distribution partner. Panic says the first single will drop in July.
“Panic is a genius, and the album’s combinations are insane,” offers Wyclef. “There’s a track with me, (veteran reggae singer) Luciano and (Ghanaian dancehall/Afrobeats artist) Stonebwoy. That’s Haiti, Jamaica and Africa on one track, never been done before. I have a song with (dancehall artist) Jada Kingdom: we connected at the Caribbean Music Awards (hosted by Wyclef in August 2023.) As a sound (system) man, I wanted to feature young Jamaican artists. That’s my pulse, rocking with the youth, getting their energy out there.”
Wyclef interrupted our interview to pick up his vibrating cell phone, which signaled the arrival of Lauryn Hill’s dub plate of “Ex-Factor,” the second single from Miseducation. Instead of the romantic difficulties depicted in the original, the lyrics to Hill’s new dub are aimed at a rival sound system: “no sound can clash like Refugee, and no one ever will,” sings Hill with the impassioned soulfulness heard on the original. “Ex-Factor” is one of several customized recordings Wyclef prepared for the Sashi hosting gig (which also included Wyclef doing handstands, jumping into the crowd and obliging fans with selfies and calling an audience member onstage to freestyle lyrics). Immediately after listening to the “Ex-Factor” dub plate, an ecstatic Wyclef thanked Lauryn, via voice note, as only he could: “Ms. Hill, I just want to leave Jamaica and give you a thousand kisses; you can have the fences up, the dogs out, I am getting through every motherf–ker!”
Wyclef resumed our conversation by explaining the impact Jamaican sound systems have had on his musical endeavors, including Fugees’ 1996 debut, The Score. “I was introduced to sound system culture at 14 when I heard a tape by (Jamaica’s) Stone Love,” Wyclef recalled. “Sound systems bring an eclectic musical blend; the selector can be playing reggae and then go into (Eurythmics’) ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).’ That’s like my eclectic love for music. Somebody saying this is rock, this is rap, this is country, my brain doesn’t register that. My brain registers, I either love or hate the song.”
Wyclef compares the Billboard 200-topping The Score to a sound system tape. “Ms. Hill introduced me to the depths of soul music, I introduced her to sound clash culture, that’s what’s so dope about it,” Wyclef continued. “We originally did ‘Killing Me Softly’ as a dub plate, with lyrics like ‘killing a sound boy with his sound.’ When we sent it for clearance, people were like, ‘what is it? we can’t clear this.’ (Brooklyn sound system) King Addies’ selectors Baby Face and Tony Matterhorn cut the first Fugees dub plate for ‘Fug-Gee-La’ for their clash with LP International. Attending that clash changed my life. I was like, ‘oh sh-t, now I want to build my sound and collect dub plates.’”
Born in Haiti, the world’s first free, Black-led republic, Wyclef (who ran for the presidency of the Caribbean nation in 2010) immigrated to the U.S. at nine years old. He grew up listening to hip-hop and winning school rap battles. A self-taught musician who plays 14 instruments, teenaged Wyclef also played upright bass in a jazz band, sang in the choir and listened to heavy metal, country and classical music. As an artist/producer, he’s touched on all genres with a varied, extensive list of collaborators, from Avicii to the New York Philharmonic to Shakira. Wyclef’s immersion in Jamaican culture hues a large swathe of his catalog. The biggest surprise surrounding One Night In Kingston is that Wyclef hasn’t previously recorded a reggae album.
“Clef’s roots are in Jamaica as much as they are in Haiti, he has synergy with the people,” commented Duwayne John as he played One Night In Kingston for Billboard at The Compound; “One In the Chamber,” featuring Jamaican singer Lila Iké, laments a failed relationship and was the first track Wyclef recorded there. “The energy was right and from that track came the entire album,” Duwayne remarks.
The album’s reggae rhythms were played live by The Compound Band, who individually tour with marquee Jamaican artists including Stephen Marley and Buju Banton. With Panic working in Kingston and Wyclef based in the U.S., One Night In Kingston came together via digital communication. “The musicians play the music, I send it to Wyclef, and we talk about the direction. Our mindsets and writing styles are similar, that’s why making this album was effortless,” explains Panic, who then shared their intentional approach. “The album is reggae with elements of [what] Clef calls that ‘Travis Scott reggae.’ Kids are turned off by the same old reggae their grandparents listened to. YG Marley (son of Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley) took his grandfather’s song (Bob Marley’s ‘Crisis’) and made it new (‘Praise Jah in the Moonlight,’ which peaked at No. 34 on the Hot 100). Even before YG broke, we knew it’s that ‘now’ element that has been missing from reggae.”
Wyclef is working on his first Refugee Sound tape highlighting his collection of dub plates that includes Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Kenny Rogers. A mixtape of unreleased Fugees material is also slated for release, which coincides with the recently announced Ms. Lauryn Hill and the Fugees 2024 tour dates, where they’ll perform selections from Miseducation and The Score. Wyclef confirms that Fugees’ lineup is intact although Pras Michel is awaiting sentencing following his April 2023 conviction on 10 criminal charges, including conspiracy and witness tampering. “Pras toured with us in 2023, he’ll be touring with us this year,” notes Wyclef. “Tell everybody who missed us last year — Fugees are picking back up. You want to catch us now.”
Slowly but surely, summer is starting to make its presence felt. With warmer temperatures and sun that hangs in the sky just tad bit longer with each passing day, the world around us is finally starting to resemble the sun-soaked sonics of Caribbean music — at least in NYC.
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The big news in the worlds of dancehall, reggae, soca and their cousin genres came at the very end of the month with the announcement of the 2024 Caribbean Music Awards nominations. Dexta Daps leads the pack with a whopping eight nominations, including performer of the year (dancehall) and the people’s choice award. Vincentian singer-songwriter Skinny Fabulous follows with six nods, while Masicka, Yung Bredda, Bounty Killer and Machel Montano boast five nominations each. Other notable nominees include 2023 breakout star Byron Messia, Billboard cover star Teejay and international powerhouses Drake and Burna Boy.
In non-awards news, Buju Banton announced his first American show in 13 years, Nicki Minaj brought out Beenie Man at her Pink Friday 2 World Tour show in London, and Shenseea and Sean Paul were announced as featured artists on the forthcoming Bad Boys: Ride or Die soundtrack.
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To help sort through all the new Caribbean music released in May, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks columns returns with a host of new selections for your listening and wining pleasure. Of course, as is the case across genres in today’s age, there’s an overwhelming amount of new music released every day, let alone every month. Naturally, this column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs.
Without any further ado, here are 10 tracks across reggae, dancehall and their cousin genres that are heating up both our personal playlists and late-night functions from Kingston to Queens:
Freshest Find: Lexxicon, “Batty Man Party”
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Dancehall has been criticized for years for how inhospitable it can be for queer listeners and creators. With his infectious and rambunctious “Batty Man Party,” Lexxicon says “fiyah fi dat.” “We coming out and we pretty like a Barbie/ Short shorts, crop top, we go all in/ Bruk out, bruk out, like you a yardie/ Ready, ready fi di batty man party,” he chants over sparse drum-heavy beat. It’s not easy to make a party track and grand political statement, but Lexxicon pulls it off by balancing his nimble flow and catchy rhymes with a reclamation of homophobic terms like “battyman” and name-checking songs with similarly hurtful legacies like Banton’s “Boom Bye Bye” and T.O.K.’s “Chi Chi Man.” “No more hiding, not any longer/ Have a problem, just kiss mi bumpa/ No more hiding, not any longer/ Have a problem, guh suck yuh mada,” Lexxicon snarls.
Richie Spice, “Cool It”
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Over laid-back reggae guitars and breezy percussion, Richie Spice calls for peace in a world desperately in need of it. “War in the east and war in the west/ War up north and war down south/ Tell me what is this all about,” he croons. His repeated chants of “cool it, cool it, cool it down” conjure up a sense of serenity that has shades of urgency on the edges. Richie isn’t just vocalizing empty musings of peace, his vocal performance is explicitly informed by how embattled the world around us is — from several ongoing genocides and environmental decay to how hostile we’ve become with each other as fellow global citizens.
Jimmy October, “Sweet Love”
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Trinidadian singer-songwriter Jimmy October offers up a sultry summer vibe with his new single “Sweet Love.” Produced by Brooklyn Decent, “Sweet Love” recounts the age-old story that it will likely end up soundtracking many of by the end of August — a regular night turns into one filled with passion when a special lady catches Jimmy’s eyes. With a mix that skews towards the more synthetic feel of modern dancehall and a smoky vocal performance that encapsulates the sweet talk of a flirty evening, “Sweet Love” is tailor-made for heated summer nights.
Mykal Rose, Subatomic Sound System & Hollie Cook, “Put Down the Gun”
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Calls for peace and unity are commonplace in reggae, but there will always be a new and fresh take on those concepts. With “Put Down the Gun,” the latest single from Subatomic Sound System, Mykal Rose and Hollie Cook’s forthcoming joint album, the three acts turn a local plea for nonviolence into something decidedly universal. “With everything going on, people need to understand that they can come together. Forget the gun. We tell them to put it down, but they think they can’t live without the gun,” Rose says in a press release. With Rose on lead vocals and Cook providing gorgeous background harmonies, the two singers paint beautifully over Subatomic Sound System’s urgent, passionate amalgamation of horns, drums and guitar.
Capleton & Derrick Sound, “Tired of the Drama”
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In case it wasn’t clear by the end of the hook, Capleton is tired of the murder and very tired of the drama. Opting for a more aggressive approach to his calls for an end to various violent conflicts, Capleton’s iconic voice rings across Derrick Sound’s brooding brass-accented instrumentation. “Bun the war and the tribal/ And if you talk about the wave you have to talk about the tidal/ Bun the graven image, them and the idol/ Nuff go trend some a them wan go viral,” he proclaims. Despite the song’s heavy subject matter, Capleton simply can’t help but craft an infectious melody that, in turn, lodges the song’s message deep in the listener’s brain — it’s a songwriting masterclass.
Projexx, “Sweat”
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Jamaican-born, Miami-based singer Projexx mixes dancehall and falsetto on his seductive new single “Sweat.” Featuring his sweet falsetto paired with steady Afropop kick drums and rimshots, “Sweat” is tailor-made for a slow wine in the corner of party, or for the duskier hours of a summer beach trip. Co-produced by Cadenza and Afrobeats powerhouse PDJ, the track cradles Projexx’s slinky melody with delicate background strings and guitar, touching on major sonic hallmarks of the Black diaspora. Born from a steamy text session that eventually spilled over into real life, “Sweat” is a knockout.
JussBussCamp feat. Ghaza, Sluwwy, Double R Muziq, Lowkey, Killy Muziq & Shorbeats, “Shake Down”
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Vincentian record label JussBussCamp provided several hits for last year’s Carnvial season, and they’re looking to contine that momentum with this year’s “Shake Down.” The high-octane electro-soca track features Ghaza, Sluwwy, Double R Muziq, Lowkey, Killy Musiq — each of whom effortlessly owns their space across Shorbeats’ pounding power soca. “When JussBuss reach/ Shake down anybody you know/ Break down every party we go,” they sing in the hook, crafting an indelible hook that doubles as anthem for the dominant record label. Although there’s a football team’s worth of contributors on the track, “Shake Down” never feels crowded, the synergy between these artists simply doesn’t allow for that. Then again, in an innately communal genre like soca, there’s no room for individualistic ego anyways.
Voice, “Pray”
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Voice’s “Pray” is one of this month’s more mellow selections, but his evocative vocal performance rightfully earns the track a spot on the column. Although Mega Mick’s synth-laden production moves the song away from any kind of analog feel, Voice’s heartbroken tone and reflective self-penned lyrics help ground the track. “It’s just me and I/ I can’t sleep at night/ Cause I bleed and cry/ I’s human too, I ask people to/ Pray for me,” he croons. For all of the prayers for world peace and nonviolence that dominate reggae tracks, Voice’s “Pray” is a welcome reprieve that, in turn, covers a much darker and more personal emotional space. He lays his heart bare on this track, essentially giving himself over to the mercy of other people’s prayers because, presumably, his alone aren’t enough. A heavy situation, for sure, but his vocal performance carries the full heft of that load with remarkable grace.
Jab King, “Jab Did”
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For years, DJ Khaled has been one of the strongest links between contemporary dancehall and hip-hop. With “Jab Did,” Jab King pays tribute to the Billboard 200 chart-topper’s iconic “God Did!” exaltation while also delivering an irresistible soca-anthem. “Tell em believe in us/ Jab did, like DJ Khaled/ We going up from here,” he chants over Wetty Beatz’s fast-paced amalgamation of triumphant horns and militant drums. A road anthem with limitless crossover potential, “Jab Did” is yet another win for Grenadian soca.
Dat-C DQ & Skinny Fabulous, “Start”
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Fresh off six 2024 Caribbean Music Awards nominations, Skinny Fabulous joins forces with Dat-C DQ for the official season-starter for Vincy Mas. “Start,” which features Suhrawh on production duties, is a rollicking soca anthem poised to take over the road this summer. With both Skinny and Dat-C DQ seamlessly switching up their flows to play with the different pockets of the power soca beat, the two artists showcase not just their individual virtuosity but also their palpable chemistry. “We does mash up tings” might as well be the party slogan of the year!
Tina (fka Hoodcelebrity), “Been Pretty”
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“B–ch, I been pretty, you just became a bad b–ch/ Never sucked d–k, never f–ked for this s–t/ Hold my head high, when you see me I got the grip/ And I wish a b–ch would try some shit,” Tina (fka Hoodcelebrityy) opens her newest single, “Been Pretty.” Arriving just a few weeks after her sophomore full-length project, Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy, the fiery new single finds Tina blending dancehall flows with New York rap cadences as she fires off warning shots to all of her haters and detractors. She floats over the Troyton Rami-produced beat with ease, placing herself at the musically rich intersection of hip-hop and dancehall — all cast under the shadow of a towering NYC attitude.
We’re whipping through the Carnival calendar, and the music just keeps on coming.
April was a characteristically busy month for the world of Caribbean music, with noteworthy performance, album announcements and historic achievements cutting through the noise. Sean Paul, who recently sat down with Billboard for a wide-ranging interview ahead of his Greatest Tour, won his very first Latin American Music Award, triumphing in the crossover collaboration of the year category for his Feid collab “Niña Bonita.”
“I always learn from my collabs, man,” the “Temperature” singer told Billboard. “There’s no time that I don’t learn… I learn something every time and I take that with me, so it helps my songwriting.”
Shenseea, who collaborated with Paul on her 2022 debut LP, announced her forthcoming sophomore studio album on Tuesday (April 30). Titled Never Gets Late Here, the album is due May 24 and features collaborations with Coi Leray, Anitta and Wizkid. “Hit & Run” (with Masicka & Di Genius) serves as the set’s lead single.
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In addition, a pair of performances made major waves. Jamaican dancehall artist Pamputtae opened for Nicki Minaj‘s Pink Friday 2 World Tour in Toronto, CA, on Tuesday. “First and foremost I want to give thanks to the most high God,” she wrote in an Instagram post commemorating her performance (May 1). “Big up [Nicki Minaj] for allowing me to open her second show in Toronto.”
Across the globe, Skeng returned to Guyana to headline the Real All Black concert, marking his first live performance in the country in two years. In 2022, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn proclaimed that Skeng and a bevy of dancehall artists were banned from the country due to their behavior and violence-promoting lyrical content. The emcee delivered a high-octane set that included “Likkle Miss,” which Minaj remixed in 2022 for her Queen Radio: Volume 1 greatest hits compilation.
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: Jaz Elise, “Gunman”
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On this deliciously dramatic mixture of R&B and reggae, Jaz Elise pleads for her rude boy lover to leave his life of reckless abandon behind and settle down with her. It’s a story that’s been told countless times before, but Jaz’s emotive abilities inject “Gunman” with nuance and verve. When she sings, “Me nuh wah fi bury you early/ Nuh wah yuh fi live a life a crime/ So, baby, if yuh love me/ Me beg yuh fi leave it all behind,” you can hear every last bit of desperation dripping from each syllable. Of course, the drama truly intensifies in the song’s final minute, with a swirling orchestra of backing vocals, impassioned ad-libs and grandiose strings driving the song home.
Etana, “Thankful”
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For her take on the Engraph Riddim, Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter Etana flexes the full expanse of her vocal range over swaggering guitars that employ just the slightest bit of swing. “I lift my hands to the man from whence my health comes, yes/ And every day I give thanks for the rising sun, yes,” she croons as she somersaults through dizzying riffs as easily as she dips into the depths of her sultry lower register. A laid-back praise and worship song that doubles as a vocal showcase, “Thankful” is a winner.
Lu City, “Sexy Love”
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St. Lucian duo Lu City has a catalog that stretches across the scenes of dancehall, reggae and electronic music, and their latest LP — I Miss You, the official follow-up to 2022’s Lucidity — offers more of that intoxicating amalgam. On “Sexy Love,” which feels like a dancehall-bred cousin on the Ne-Yo song of the same name name, the duo marry their respective AutoTune-tinged voices over a relatively sparse soundscape that relies on moody synths and a healthy dose of Afrobeats percussion. “Sexy Love,” like all of I Miss You, is a true testament to how the African diaspora’s myriad genres all lead back to each other.
Anika Berry feat. Lil Jelo, “Safe”
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Soca always gets the body moving, and “Safe,” a new collaboration from Anika Berry and Lil Jelo, is no different. Here, their joy isn’t sourced from the Road March or the general Carnival mood. They find their joy in one another and their monogamous love. Their vocal chemistry is strong, with Anika’s vibrato anchoring her “You safe with me / Youn in good hands, you in proper hands” refrain. Their call-and-response structure also helps play up their complementary tones while remaining true to the anthemic nature of power soca.
Subatomic Sound System, Mykal Rose & Hollie Cook, “Get High”
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For the first taste of their forthcoming collaborative album, Subatomic Sound System, Mykal Rose and Hollie Cook have teamed up to deliver a new 4/20 anthem. Although the brooding bass signals a more forward-looking sound, classic reggae production — including ominous conga percussion courtesy of Larry McDonald and sultry brass from Troy Simms — is ultimately the name of game in “Get High.” Most impressive is the track’s mixing, the way Hollie’s upper harmonies are layered evoke the ever-unfurling clouds of marijuana smoke. Mary Jane enthusiasts, your time is now.
Mr. Vegas, “Dancing Grung”
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On this sweet ode to the eternal life of dancehall, Mr. Vegas pays tribute to both the physical and creative spaces that comprise the sound and culture. His flow is catchy and the breakdown at the end is fun, if not a bit on-the-nose. Nonetheless, what’s interesting about “Dancing Grung” isn’t how easy it is to start bussing a wine to — Mr. Vegas has plenty of those — it’s the way he subtly flips the notion of “exerting dominance.” Instead of crowning himself king, he casts himself as Lord of the Vibes on “Dancing Grung.” “Dancehall will never die,” he proclaims at the song’s start, and with a deejay as infectious as him on the helm, he’s absolutley right.
Marcia Griffiths, “Looking Up”
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Reggae legend Marcia Griffiths has still got it. With “Looking Up,” the former I-Threes member offers a slice of sanctified reggae. At 74 years old, not only does her voice still sound like it’s in pristine condition, she also remains a gifted and intelligent vocal performer. Between her pitch-perfect diction and her introspective delivery, her storied life clearly informs every last phrase that she sings. Her conviction is the song’s ultimate anchor. When she sings, “It’s the only life that’s worth living” with that slight tinge of darkness before the light comes in by way of her exclamatory “Looking up!” quip — that’s magic.
Shenseea, “Neva Neva”
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After delighting dancehall fans with Di Genius and Masicka-assisted “Hit & Run” earlier this year, Shenseea introduces a more pop-forward sound with “Neva Neva,” the new single from her forthcoming Never Gets Late Here LP. The song oscillates between straightforward pop and dancehall with more finesse than anything on Alpha, Shensea’s debut album. She remains deep in her dancehall cadence and attitude during the verses, but the hooky chorus pushes her into a space that essential U.S. top 40 radio — and she sounds great. Moreover, “Neva Neva” — with its rumination on the endlessness of a good relationship — offers a smart contrast to the hit-it-and-quit-it energy of “Hit & Run.”
Chippa Don, “Clubscout”
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From the tinny background synths to the breakneck flow switches, Chippa Don flexes his chops as both an emcee and a sonic world-builder on “Clubscout.” Firmly entrenched in the modern dancehall take on gun chunes, “Clubscout” is inherently sinister; “Gwan f–k around around/ Whole place haffi move/ Di glock, di clip long / But di K me a use,” he spits. It’s Chippa’s delivery, however, that makes this song stick. He’s playful, but there’s some bite and snarl to his voice that subtly reiterates that he’s calling his opps out because he knows he can handle them.
Masicka, “Forever”
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Kicking off with contemplative country-adjacent guitar strums, “Forever” is a stunning ballad from Masicka, who released his latest album, Generation of Kings, last year (Dec. 1, 2023). “Forever brave, forever strong / Forever me, that’s who I am,” he croons, making for a ballad that makes the evergreen question of authenticity an introspective one while also showcasing yet another side of Masicka’s sprawling artistic profile. There’s a reason Sean Paul named him dancehall’s current leader.
Five of late reggae icon Bob Marley‘s musical scions announced their first joint tour in nearly 20 years on Monday (April 15), an outing they’re calling The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour.
Teaming up for their first extended run of joint dates since 2007, brothers Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian will celebrate their beloved father’s music and legacy on the outing that a release promised would feature both their individual hits and classic Bob Marley songs.
The 22-date Live Nation-promoted North American trek is slated to kick off Sept. 5 with a show at the Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park in Vancouver, then hitting Phoenix, Dallas, Cincinnati, Toronto, Atlanta and Tampa before winding down at Miami’s FPL Solar Amphitheatre on Oct. 5.
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April 20 will mark an expansion of screenings of the biopic Bob Marley: One Love, while the 40th anniversary of the “Could You Be Loved” singer’s landmark 1984 greatest-hits compilation Legend will be celebrated next month; in addition, 2025 marks what would have been Marley’s 80th birthday.
Tickets for the tour will start with pre-sales kicking off Tuesday (April 16), including a Citi presale beginning at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday (April 18) at 10 p.m. local time here. A general on-sale will kick off Friday (April 19) at 10 a.m. local time with information available here.
Check out the dates for the 2024 Legacy Tour below.
Sept. 5 — Vancouver, BC @ Festival Lawn at Deer Lake ParkSept 6 — Ridgefield, WA @ RV Inn Style Resorts AmphitheaterSept. 8 — Auburn, WA @ White River AmphitheatreSept. 10 — Concord, CA @ Toyota Pavilion at ConcordSept. 11 — Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union AmphitheatreSept. 12 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort AmphitheatreSept. 13 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta AmphitheaterSept. 15 — Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance AmphitheaterSept. 16 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis PavilionSept. 18 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music CenterSept. 19 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music TheatreSept. 22 — Queens, NY @ Forest Hills StadiumSept. 23 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts CenterSept. 25 — Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare AmphitheaterSept. 26 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity CenterSept. 27 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube LiveSept. 29 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser StageSept. 30 — Laval, QC @ Place BellOct. 2 — Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion Oct. 3 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood AmphitheatreOct. 4 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union AmpOct. 5 — Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheatre
As Jamaica prepares for Carnival (April 7), Road March-ers have heaps of new music to celebrate and dance to, including some enjoyable selections from the month of March across reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso and more.
While clashes and the Bob Marley: One Love biopic dominated January and February, respectively, March was all Vybz Kartel‘s. On March 14, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) overturned the dancehall king’s murder conviction. Having already served 12 years in prison — alongside three other alleged co-conspirators — after being found guilty in 2014 for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, the dancehall king’s future is now in the hands of Jamaica’s Court of Appeal, as the body decides whether to release him or order a retiral. Fans around the world have taken the JCPC’s decision as a good omen for Kartel’s freedom, including Drake, who shared a picture of a “Free Kartel” t-shirt to his official Instagram story on Tuesday (April 2).
Outside of Kartel, Bob Marley: One Love continues to bless people around the world. On Tuesday (April 2), One Love co-producer Cedella Marley announced a call for U.S. applications for 10 Bob Marley: One Love social impact scholarships. In her announcement — which she made via her official Instagram page — she detailed the scholarships as a partnership between the box office-topping film and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
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The 10 scholarships will be granted to undergraduate students “pursuing social justice-related degrees” at HBCUs, including Bowie State University, Clark Atlanta University, Dillard University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Spelman College, Texas Southern University and the Xavier University of Louisiana.
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: KES feat. Queen Omega, “Rise Up”
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In a recent interview with Billboard, soca superstar Kes detailed his five favorite tracks from Man With No Door — the band’s first album in a decade. One of those tracks, the Queen Omega-assisted “Rise Up,” is also one of the album’s most impressive offerings. Drawing inspiration from social justice-minded roots reggae tracks from acts like Capleton and Richie Spice, “Rise Up” is a brassy, militant ode to that era. Both Kes and Queen Omega deliver impassioned vocal performances that anchor their pleas for “humanity [to] rise up.”
As Kes pointed out in his Billboard interview, this track had to be shared with somebody, particularly Queen Omega who spits a blazing verse that drips with grit and hope. “I have deep love for humanity and sometimes deep concern too of where things are going,” Kes said. “I really wanted to write a song to capture that part of me.”
Skillibeng, “Missbnasty”
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Skillibeng has been a leader of dancehall’s new class for some years now, and he shows no signs of slowing down with his new single, “Missbnasty.” Inspired by a famed adult content creator, Skillibeng gets predictably nasty on this slinky bass-heavy Afrobeats-inflected beat courtesy of P2J. “Lovе when yuh bounce pon my d–k/ Cau yuh sweet like a pornstar b—h/ She’ll steal your interest/ Make a whole profit,” he croons in a voice that’s caught somewhere between a breathless whisper and raspy chant.
Sevana, “Keep Going (Chosen)”
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Fresh off her feature film debut in Bob Marley: One Love, Jamaican singer-songwriter Sevana is back with a brand new single. Titled “Keep Going,” a sultry slice of meditative reggae, the new track finds her crooning, “God know mi special, mi naw fi listen/ Know that I’m a king/ In this wicked jungle and that’s why I sing/ Blessed to be so gifted, so mi caan waste it.” A reminder of your purpose, greatness and claim to a life well-lived is always a welcome reminder, and Sevana delivers one by way of a vocal performance that exudes the warmth and sternness of a beloved mentor.
Romain Virgo, “Red Dress”
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For the midpoint of his The Gentle Man album — which arrived on March 1 — Romain Virgo delivers the thesis of his latest record. On “Red Dress,” Virgo effortlessly morphs into a bachelor, albeit a tasteful one that prioritizes mature, if not wistful, seduction over straightforward sleaze. He employs a strikingly reflective tone as he sings, “Please wear that red dress again/ Take me back to the beginning/ Love to watch you in it/ And I′ll cherish every minute.” The entire album is an exploration of what it means to reflect on different stages of your life, and “Red Dress” presents a Virgo who is ready to be an example of the premiere “gentle man” for the next generation.
Stalk Ashley & Skillibeng, “Really Like You”
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Cash Cobain and Bay Swag’s “Fisherrr” may be signaling a shift in the dominant sound of New York’s music scene, but that doesn’t mean drill is completely out the door. On “Really Like You,” a low-key sexed-up duet between Jamaican singer and internet personality Stalk Ashley and Skillibeng, the skittering snares of New York drill provide an urgent energy to the bare-bones dancehall beat. “One life weh me know bout/ So mi a do whatever I want/ F–k whoever I want, yeah/ And mi really like you baby,” she croons. The song is pretty much as far away from dancehall as you can get, but it is a winning showcase of the versatility of both drill motifs and the artists involved.
Shaneil Muir, “Protected”
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Jamaican singer Shaneil Muir places her focus on the Most High with her new “Protected” single. Soundtracked by raw acoustic guitar, plaintive piano keys and tender finger-snaps, she croons, “Yow damage, mi pray for miself/ Stop worry bout people and mi better miself.” Shaneil’s vocal performance on the song’s verses is the best part of the song, she expertly manipulates her tone to exude the alluring, comforting energy of a storybook reciter. A solemn reprieve from the high-octane tunes of Carnival season, “Protected” finds Shaneil surrendering herself to Jah and trusting that he will stand alongside and behind her as she fights the various battles life sends her way.
D-Major, “Alpha and Omega”
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On his new Morning Prayer EP, Jamaican singer D-Major is in his praise and worship bag. Consisting of six tracks, the project is quite succinct, but standout track “Alpha and Omega” dramatically boosts the EP’s replay value. “With God as your firm foundation, foundation of our lives now/ If you’re in a bad situation, he’ll provide a way for you to get out,” he proclaims over the highly percussive, calypso-inflected production. With a soaring vocal performance that finds assistance with rousing choir-esque background harmonies, “Alpha and Omega” is a delightful slice of gospel-reggae.
Khaliah, “Taboo”
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Effortlessly exuding the sensuality of smooth reggae bass, Khaliah’s seductive, siren-esque tone lifts “Taboo” to towering heights. “Selective with my time, my dear/ But I give to you/ The sweetest love from January/ Straight back to June,” she croons. Almost Tyla-esque in the way that she forgoes expletives and still finds a way to express the sultry come-hither bent of her lyrics, Khaliah makes quite the impression on “Taboo.” Especially when she lifts her voice into a few belts over the song’s final chorus. Unfussy both lyrically and production-wise, Khaliah’s “Taboo” understands that, sometimes, simplicity truly is key.
Upsetta, Loud City & Popcaan, “Devil Works (Never Work)”
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For his take on Upsetta and Loud City’s new “Devil Works” riddim, Popcaan rides the buoyant beat with a proclamation that he’s “nuh ‘fraid of nuh devil works.” His cadence here is a bit brighter than the ones he cycled through on last year’s Best Mood mixtape, but it’s the perfect complement to a song that doesn’t exactly try to hide its sanctified roots. Upsetta and Loud City’s riddim infuses electronic elements into their dancehall bass, but those pounding drums and sparkling synths ensure a sense of levity to go with Popcaan’s heady declarations.
Kabaka Pyramid, Sean Paul & Jemere Morgan, “Energy (Remix)”
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Kabaka Pyrmaid’s Grammy-winning The Kalling LP may have dropped in 2022, but the renowned reggae star is still working the record. Produced by Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, this new Sean Paul-assisted “Energy” remix is set to appear on the forthcoming deluxe edition of The Kalling. Already a funky track bursting with dynamism — from the rollicking guitar riffs to Kabaka’s playful vocal delivery — Sean Paul injects some fiery dancehall flavor with his new verse. “Busy with my own focus mi deh on the grind/ Gotta get my own, gotta set my home in tact/ Can’t waste time cause you will never get that back/ Haffi reach fa di bag, so I get that stack,” he spits. The word “energy” can feel particularly banal nowadays, but this track couldn’t have been titled anything else — it’s literally vibrating with an unbreakable approach to all life has to offer.
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Elijah Marley, the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley, thrilled the crowd paying tribute to Jo Mersa Marley on his birthday recently.
On March 9, the family of the late, great reggae legend Bob Marley held a tribute concert to honor the birthday of the late singer and relative Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley at Nine Mile in the St. Ann’s parish of Jamaica. Amid a star-studded lineup, one figure captivated the audience—Elijah Marley, the 12-year-old grandson of Bob and son of Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley.
With his father and uncles behind him beaming with pride, Elijah sang and the audience burst into cheers at his performance. The young Marley has been rising in prominence, having previously displayed his skills at the celebration of what would’ve been Bob Marley’s 77th birthday on February 6, 2022, at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston.
The highlight of that “Roots 77” showcase (which also incorporated live stream performances from artists such as D’Angelo) was Elijah doing a cover of Stephen Marley and Capleton’s “Rockstone”, singing lead as he played the drums. He also captivated the 3,000 audience members with a performance of John Lennon’s iconic tune “Imagine”, and even covered country music star Blake Shelton’s “God Country,” adding his own twist to it.
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The concert honoring Jo Mersa Marley also featured notable artists such as Kabaka Pyramid, Spragga, Christopher Ellis, Lutan Fyah, and Black Am I. Jo Mersa Marley was on his way to being an established artist carrying on the family’s legacy as the first-born son of Stephen Marley, beginning with his debut EP Comfortable in 2014. He had released several singles that moved the needle in the reggae scene including “Burn It Down”, a collaboration with his brother Yohan Marley that was released in 2019.
The 31-year-old Jo Mersa Marley died in December 2022 after being found unresponsive in his car in a parking lot in Miami, Florida. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office would later determine the cause of death as “acute asthma exacerbation,” with rhinovirus/enterovirus infection listed as a primary cause.
Rest in powerful peace Joe Mersa Marley.
After weathering two globe-traversing clashes in January, dancehall spent much of February reeling from those showdowns. If January was focused on the global reach of some of the biggest stars across dancehall, then February was a month of reflection for the most towering icon of West Indian music and culture: Bob Marley.
On Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), Bob Marley: One Love — directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch as Bob and Rita Marley, respectively — hit theatres to the delight of millions of fans around the world. Despite middling reviews, the film has quickly proven to be a blockbuster, crossing $100 million at the worldwide box office in just 10 days and earning the biggest opening day for a film in Jamaica, as per Deadline. As the film continues its formidable box office run, another Marley — namely YG Marley — has been climbing the charts thanks to his breakout hit “Praise Jah in the Moonlight,” which recently became his first Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hot (No. 39, chart dated Mar. 2).
Although One Love kept spirits high, February bid the world goodbye with some devastating news. On Sunday (Feb. 25), Grammy-winning reggae group Morgan Heritage announced the passing of lead singer Peter “Peetah” Morgan. Morgan Heritage’s publicist, Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards, told DancehallMag that the 46-year-old vocalist passed in the United States following a stroke. Morgan Heritage has released a plethora of albums, including Don’t Haffi Dread (1999), Full Circle (2005), Avrakedabra (2017) and Strictly Roots (2015), which hit No. 1 on Top Reggae Albums.
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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: Eesah, “Behold the Conquering Lion”
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When the opening track to your debut album is stunning as this, you know you’re setting yourself up for quite the career. On “Behold the Conquering Lion,” Jamaican singer-songwriter Eesah delivers a riveting mélange of roots reggae, jazz and gospel. “Immortal and omnipotent/ Carry the world pon your shoulder, you nuh need no help/ The work you do is so excellent/ No fear, no fly by night or pestilence,” he croons. Musically, the mix is so clean that it almost sounds innocent, but Eesah’s subtly gravelly tone alludes to a weariness and maturity that gives credence to the faith he sings of. With “Conquering Lion” — and the rest of his debut LP, Deep Medz — Eesah looks to reggae’s past to envision its future.
Teejay, “4th of July”
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Last month, Teejay dominated online conversation thanks to his clash with Valiant. In a complete 180°, the “Drift” singer kicked off February with the release of his I Am Chippy EP (Feb. 2), his first formal project under his new Warner Music deal. While the complete tape is impressively consistent, “4th of July” emerges as an instant standout. Featuring what appears to be a haunting interpolation of Billie Eilish and Khalid’s “Lovely,” “4th of July” is a sly bait and switch. The somber trap dancehall instrumental signals similarly bleak lyrics, but, before even starts singing, Teejay assures us, “Me not even a sing no sad song pon di riddim yah, enuh/ Issa frass song hehehe/ Issa high song, dawg.” And that it is. An ethereal ode to the transformative properties of Mary Jane, “4th of July” finds Teejay at his most interesting and ambitious on I Am Chippy.
Sean Paul & Beres Hammond, “Tender Tender”
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Few artists have so seamlessly oscillated between the worlds of dancehall and reggae on a global stage for nearly three decades like Sean Paul has. For his latest single, he joins forces with beloved Jamaican reggae crooner for a sweet love song titled “Tender Tender.” Balancing Hammond’s earthy, raspy tone with Sean Paul’s trademark brassy timbre, “Tender Tender” is rooted in traditional reggae, with heavy emphasis on the sultry guitar licks and steady percussion. “You lift me higher/ Higher than before/ Bonfire’s burning/ Burning to the core,” Hammond belts, his voice dripping with passion.
J Boog, “Always Been You”
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February is the month of love, so it’s not a surprise that some of the warmest reggae tracks of the year made their debut this month. On “Always Been You” — a winning symphony of soothing background vocals, a tasteful rocksteady melody and jaunty horns and percussion — J Boog croons of the inevitability of his one true love. “It’s always been you/ Hunny just you/ Always been you/ Forever babe,” he sings in the simple, but highly effective, chorus.
F.S. & Ireland Boss, “Chasing Dreams”
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There was a period where the innate moroseness of trap dancehall’s sparse soundscapes regularly gave way to deeply introspective tracks. With “Chasing Dreams,” St. Thomas emcee F.S. injects a healthy dose of hope into the dynamic. In an interview with World Music Views, F.S. describes the Ireland Boss-produced track as “ghetto gospel… my life story, what me been through,” and that’s a pretty apt description. The essence of gospel lyricism — the belief in something bigger than yourself and the persistence to keep going in the face of endless trials and tribulations — are all over “Chasing Dreams,” just in a decidedly contemporary dancehall context.
Jah Vinci, “Where Is the Love”
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Taken from the “Breadcrumbs” riddim, Jah Vinci’s “Where Is the Love,” is a soaring, melodic inquiry of where the true love is in a world like ours. “Where is the love that they all speak of/ I have no one that i can truly trust/ Where is the love that they claim to give/ Nobody nuh real again, nuh trust no family, nuh trust no friend,” he belts in the chorus. Is it it a bit grim? Sure, but it also speaks to a very real emotion millions of people have as we collectively witness the implosion and demise of several states and socioeconomic systems around the world. While “Where Is the Love” fits well in the contemporary reggae soundscape, Jah Vinci’s lyrics reveal a steadfast commitment to the genre’s history of speaking truth to power.
ZJ Chrome & Christopher Martin, “The Hate Song”
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Has Valentine’s Day really passed if nobody has made a song flipping the concept of Love Day? For his take on ZJ Chrome’s “Above the Lines” riddim, Christopher Martin rides the electric guitar-inflected reggae jam with heart-wrenching lyrics that trace the interconnected feelings of love, hate, and infatuation. “I hate you/ More than anything in this world/ But you know I like/ And love you for life,” he croons. Martin has a gorgeous, rich tone that pairs well with the wailing guitars and plucky rhythm that comprise ZJ Chrome’s riddim. When he employs that tiny bit of rasp at the end, we get a taste of why rock and reggae are such close musical relatives.
Charly Black, “Oxtail ‘Extra Gravy’”
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Here’s another question: have you lived if you’ve never asked (and faced the inevitable embarrassment of doing so) for oxtail with “extra gravy” from a proper Caribbean spot? You simply haven’t. For his new track, dancehall staple Charly Black put his own spin on the popular culinary request. The spin in questioning? Likening his lady’s nether regions to the delectable dish that is oxtail with extra gravy. With guitar licks and drum patterns sourced from Afrobeats, this culture-bridging track could very well become a sleeper hit as 2024 barrels on.
King Cruff & Runkus, “Fallback”
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At the tail end of the month, King Cruff and Runkus linked up for “Runkus,” a sleek ode to heartache inna di dancehall. “Winter cold, girl you freezing/ By the spring, then you waan come back/ You love me like the seasons (Just fall back!),” they harmonize over the electro R&B-infused riddim. Dancehall tracks are often preoccupied with extolling the escapism of a night of wining, but “Fallback” crashes the party with a tasteful take on the seemingly endless back-and-forth that can sometimes come with dealing with a flaky lover.