Reggae
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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.
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.
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