rolling dancehall & reggae 2020

exactly! the album is out now, but I might be too distracted today to give it a listen

Chronixx's new one, "Dela Move," is stately, spiritual reggae--layers of hand drumming, chanting and flutes--with Chronixx getting closer to rapping (I swear he goes into a triplets/trap flow for a few bars) than I think he ever has before; the Koffee influence is mutual maybe?

At any rate, it's a scorcher:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXE9WAHp1o0

in a completely different mode, Jada Kingdom's new dembow banger "Heavy!" is super infectious uhh fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL1qTTgeAW8

Heavy is indeed... uhhh... dope.

DJ Frass' High Rev Riddim is nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZSNgO5PVCQ

love “Dela Move”

the way trap dancehall is crossing over to Trinidad is really interesting to me... enjoying these new medz records esp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3RMD1wuimM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eHSetZ6qdA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPaXrqBeCa4

but also prince swanny and boy boy

everything I heard on the Incredible riddim was great; here's Konshens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFJ6jKoXU2o

Nice and minimal riddim

agree that Konshens is the best on the incredible riddim

curmudgeon, you might like "Heavy!" posted upthread a bit

seconded

Lila Iké with some nice IzyBeats-produced reggae'n'b:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4a0eg-M9us

"I Spy"

it takes a while to kick in, but I dig TeeJay's "Guard Ring":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xO5_lSWCsU

(this video isn't gross like that Sikka one, but there's a couple of moderately disturbing shots--frankly not being able to tell whether all the non-TeeJay people are wearing masks for crime or corona reasons is disturbing enough right now)

Alkaline's "Nah Fi Like" is a great showcase for how compelling he is on a poppy riddim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AI33FZoX4Q

Kartel & TeeJay's "Up Top Gaza" is serious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaQq8WXWhXQ

lmk if anyone sees a thinkpiece on mask use in dancehall videos

These are all ace selections.

“Guard Ring” is fan-tas-tic! Made me think of Wizkid somehow, pretty sure he’d love this. I need to seriously check out TeeJay. Instant love for the Alkaline as well. “Up Top Gaza” is also good, feels like it might grow big on me.

Thanks for the trigger warning btw! (the TeeJay vid felt like a walk in the park compared to that Sikka thing tho - didn’t watch the Vybz one yet)

Uptop Gaza is a strong early contender for song of the summer.

yeah this is fuckin dope

I guess I forgot to post the delightfully throwback, sub-Trust-ish Buss Box Riddim a while back, huh?
Top feature-not-a-bug: Delly Ranx telling you not to kill your girlfriend if you're mad at her but finding another girl instead. Not your daughter, though. That would be incest.

Delly Ranx - Don't Kill
https://youtu.be/9OcY5YpQfNk

Mixed riddim version I find on YT:
https://youtu.be/5PBuwKg6_Yg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OcY5YpQfNk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PBuwKg6_Yg

wise words from Delly, bless

really love this new Lila Iké "Solitude" (part of a new EP I haven't heard all of yet):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxrY8TWKJL0

could be crossposted to "are you cut out for social media"

The Iké EP, ExPerience, is excellent. Rather than heading in a roots-revival direction like I'd assumed based on "Where I'm Coming From", it's much more like updated (80s) lover's rock. At least until the last track where she takes on Sly & Robbie's riddim for The Tamlins' "Baltimore," which if you're going to voice a classic is a goddamn good choice, not to mention it's pretty groovy anyway

Agreed. I love the diversity I'm discovering in Jamaican music "behind" the traditional roots - dancehall binary. And each song has something different to offer but keeps that unique Jamaican singing style. Mother of God the way she hits those notes on 'Second Chance'. This EP is placing on my year-end list.

Yeah I love how commanding her voice can be, but then the vibrato maintains a constant note of vulnerability. More broadly, the roots-dancehall binary is definitely overstated, obscuring genres like rocksteady and lovers plus tons of artists worked in both areas and there has always been plenty of mixing of the two genres/impulses.

In sadder news (but relevant to my last point), RIP to Bobby Digital

Going to rewind this a few times:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NncTZuDiNqs

Listening to "Solitude", "Stars Align" and "Forget Me" in a loop. So, so good.

glad you both are into this too!

Swing Ting & Shanique Marie's "Give Thanks" is a nice vibe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCF6X1L5AUE

(this time I'll say: DO watch the video)

Did you guys watch Beanie Man verzuz Bounty Killer on Facebook or Instagram? Kinda fun

x-post--- Bobby Digital produced Sizzla "Black Woman and Child " album that I liked, plus the Shabba Ranks song "Dem Bow" that of course later got ransofrmed into reggaeton dembow rhythm

https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/iconic-dancehall-producer-bobby-digital-dies-59

Kinda fun is underselling it

surprised more ppl here weren't into it???

I've completely slept on this whole phenomenon. Is there a painless way to rewatch it?

https://youtu.be/216ILslDOfs

not sure if this is the full thing because I thought it was a bit longer than an hour, but if you search Beenie man verzuz on YouTube you should find a lot of versions.

they start off with rap and rnb collabs which are ok, I mean it's still entertaining because these guys are kings but when the showtime riddim comes on later it's *rocket taking off emoji*

How about when the cops showed up (I am still wondering if that was real or staged)

I love this Alkaline track from earlier in the year. Even though the lyrics don’t seem to back it up, the title just has to be a Gladys Knight reference, no?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QddyEM61qTQ

Alkaline ft. Black Shadow • Gladdest Night

...or is YouTube commenter "troll ute" right and is this all there is to it:

troll ute 4 months ago
Gladdest night is a singer bredda so alka a say the girl going to sing on his mic. Get it bredda 😂😂😂

so sad the song...

UPDATE: ah, no - he's just repaying the compliment with interest, I guess:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o8m1q3JIf8

"Alaskan Pipeline" - get it bredda?

Yeah, I like that song too. Alkaline seems to be kinda... back... in 2020?

In other news, I have started loving the new Buju & John Legend. Let's just say it grew on me.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9pMjc0-Vlk

How about this remix of a remix for an international collaboration?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvGG16PDi2U
Skip Marley • Slow Down (P2J Remix ft. H.E.R, Davido & Oxlade)

big thumbs up for "Gladdest Night"

Alka's "Cree" is great too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPOaeg2dMe4

I like the riddim on this admittedly pretty one-note Popcaan "Buzz":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zB-G7kRO9o

about us by vybz is great, produced by bobby konders

...and here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0qINmN2DLk

that's rad! great video too. Kartel should do a prison abolition song next

Busy Signal - World Crisis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j495vK6F-ZI

this isn't going to convert the skeptical, but I quite like it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyY-eSMlGJM

Chronixx & Kabaka Pyramid "Same Prayer"

Yeah, i'm a fan! Basically i like anything chronixx does tho'.

Lol same I even like that edm song on Chronology

those twitter kids have a single btw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLpXkAn5dY0

Intence + Zimi were definitely my favorite thing about dancehall in 2020:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSqBrHfr0bU

"Light Up"

LargeUp did a top 20 that I like more than most their past lists when the site actually published content regularly:

20. Runkus feat. Royal Blu, Jesse Royal, Kabaka Pyramid and Munga Honorebel – “5Gs” (Producer: Runkus Music/Walshy Fire)
19. Popcaan – “Buzz” (Producer: Mini E5/Two4Kay)
18. Chronixx – “Cool as the Breeze/Friday” (Producer: Pantha)
17. Teejay – “From Rags to Riches” (Producer: Damage Musiq)
16. Koffee feat. Buju Banton – “Pressure (Remix)” (Producer: Ryan Bailey)
15. Skillibeng – “Crocodile Teeth” (Producer: Adde Instrumentals)
14. Alkaline – “Ocean Wave” (Producer: Jahvy Ambassador)
13. Jada Kingdom – “Heavy!” (Producer: DJ Papis)
12. Intence – “Yeng” (Producer: Zimi Entertainment)
11. Skip Marley feat. H.E.R. – “Slow Down” (Producer: Rykeyz)
10. Govana – “Likkle Bit A Money”/ “HAMANTS Convo” (Producers: J.L.L. Prod/Emudio)
9. Various Artists – Aircraft Riddim (Producer: Chimney Records)
8. Lila Iké – “I Spy” (Producer: Izy Beats)
7. Protoje feat. Popcaan – “Like Royalty” (Producer: Ziah and Winta James)
6. Agent Sasco – “Loco” (Producer: Teflon Zincfence)
5. Dexta Daps – “Call Me If” (Producer: Good Good Production)
4. Kranium – “Gal Policy” (Producer: Jahvy Ambassador)
3. Buju Banton – “Blessed” (Producer: Dave Kelly)
2. Tarrus Riley feat. Shenseea – “Lighter” (Producer: Rvssian)
1. Koffee – “Lockdown” (Producer: Dane Ray)

I would've picked different Teejay and Alkaline tracks, and predictably there's a tad too much reggae, though this Marley/H.E.R. song is better than I would have expected. Still, this is a pretty good roundup with some interesting omissions: no Kartel (fine with me, he hardly needs the shine), no 6ixx crew (basically agree here--dug a few tracks early in the year and then they seemed to just churn out middling songs to the point I stopped checking for them), and it's kind of odd to highlight only one riddim and then choose one that came out in Nov 2019 (of course I'm sure it blew up this year).

tbf revisiting Aircraft (and I'd missed or forgotten they did a whole riddim video), Jahvillani's and Intence's versions *really* stand out, which makes it feel more 2020

super fun poppy new one from Jada Kingdom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvRUol3niYM

"Green Dreams"

I’ll leave the new-thread-making to rob, just came here to mention that Skillibeng has a 35-track album out called The Prodigy.

Nice list, but come on... no Yami Bolo?

thanks for the nudge breastcrawl: rolling dancehall & reggae 2021