rolling dancehall & reggae 2021

I felt better about the genre last year than I had in a while. There weren't a ton of stand-out hits, but lots of promising new artists starting out in a very consistent mode.

Here's something I largely overlooked last year: the Trinibad scene, which I usually liked well enough when I checked it out but didn't really connect with. So far I'm partial to Prince Swanny's melancholic stuff, though I love Boy Boy's feature on the Pa Salieu album and expect more good things from him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0-FTtuuz3A

Prince Swanny — "Tell Me"

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

Prince Swanny — "Heathen"

Also hoping we see albums from Rihanna, Koffee and Chronixx this year.

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.

― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, January 4, 2021 4:10 PM (yesterday)

(^from the 2020 thread.) I was getting really into this, until I hit a streak of eye-rollingly direct lyrics about blowjobs and had an insurmountable "I am too old for this" feeling. The production is very cool though, so I'll return and be a little quicker with the skip button.

yeah, I was really into it as well when I played it last night and got all the way up to track 24, but when I played the final section today I was in for a rude awakening. some really weak and lame shit there, and I don’t think it was just because of the harsh daylight. it had me running straight into the arms of Dexta in fact - “call me if...”, and I did.

the first two thirds were fire for the largest part tho, tracks like “Vicious” (!!!), “Enemy Antidote”, “Bin Laden”, “Tun On E K”.

this is the current video from the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD801P7ZrZY
Skillibeng ft. Street Gena, Quenga, F.S. & One Sparkes • Not

going by Spotify availability I think only two of the tracks were released earlier and all the rest
is new, which would explain all that chaff, but it’s still quite impressive, even if many tracks are more mood pieces than fully-fledged songs.

otm, I returned to it while making that post and lyrically it's extremely off the cuff* but the production maintains consistent vibes: dark, psychedelic, at times a little 90s rap ("Enemy Antidote")

* iirc there were at least 3 songs in a row about fellatio, which is so ott it ends up kind of amusing. Plus I confess that despite being too-old-for-this I lolled at "gyal naam mi pickney, she wicked"

lmao I just saw the name of track 33. I agree that overall this is impressive though, bodes v well for the year

well, we’ll always have track 35

lol, the final three track names are p hilarious as a collection

tbc I felt the last third was much weaker musically as well, but that the project as a whole was still quite impressive

(unrelated, and 2020, but I’m kind of sad longneck didn’t do any noms this year. feeling “Call Me If” should have been on the ILM record at least, not to mention other Kabza (& Maphorisa) projects besides I Am The King Of Amapiano)

xp tbh it's so much music I was pretty fatigued by the end and couldn't trust my ears anymore, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if the best riddims are in the first 2/3 -- would be super pleased if someone with the exact same taste as me took the time to cull a ~15-track version :)

"Call Me If" still hasn't quite grabbed me. I haven't written him off by any means, but nothing Dexta has done has ever topped the one-two punch (nb, I might be misremembering how closely they were released) of "7-11" and "Shabba Madda Pot," the latter in particular seems like a lane he's abandoned now and is what I'd most like to hear from him. Of course, now that I've posted this take publicly next time I hear "Call Me If" it will probably blow my mind.

Beyond the opining, I would love it if longneck posted more! Hell I'd forgotten about "Yami Bolo" until he mentioned it on the last thread. Never mentioned last year iirc, and I'd post the video now but it's hella violent.

i love 'call me if,' sounds like ne yo 'let me love you'

felt last year’s Vent album was strong as well (caveat: I only played it once)

Prince Swanny dropped an album yesterday, Serenity, not sure if it's on other streaming yet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sh-0WFIZSU

just want to reiterate that "Heathen" is fucking dope, sounds like William Tyler produced it lol

ok I got a little bored during that tbh. the production is consistently good but the singles are enough.

I can't say enough how much I'm enjoying dancehall sounding weird again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV7p0luo4z8

Rytikal f. Skillibeng "OneSyde"

Rytikal-Skillibeng 2021
Make Dancehall Weird Again

I have a soft spot for songs that sound like they’re tipsy or drunk, so this one works wonders!

(btw, on Spotify this track is called “1 EastSyde”

yeah I guess the youtube title is a typo?

Just saw that Skillibeng signed to Sony UK a few weeks ago

his new one "Hot" is accurately titled:

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

we're in such a purple patch right now, I feel spoiled

Intence, "Money Nuff Funds"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5N68ZOlgIg

I'd like to thank whoever nominated Kartel's Uptop Gaza so I could vote for it, lol. I do think Yami Bolo is the standout Kartel track of the year, but there were many. Also voted for Likkel Bit Of Money, Lockdown, Lizard Pon Limb, Yeng, and even Heavy, even though that last vote should have gone to Tiwa's Koroba, in retrospect.

I think I nom'd that one. And yeah, to your point, for me it's as much if not more a great Teejay song

It’s definitely a great Teejay song, and a top ten Kartel tune as well so I’m not complaining. I was sad to see that no one had nom'd the Protoje album however - one of my absolute favs from last year.

We forgot to nom Dexta too, huh? Tsk tsk tsk.

sure hope your new year’s resolution was to nominate your favourite tracks at the end of this year, longneck!

I would've thought about nominating Protoje, but tbh I had no idea you liked it! I did nominate "Switch It Up," but I think I cut it due to the same "lone voter" suspicion...sincere apologies if you end up being that lone voter, longneck

speaking of Proto, I like how he puts his whole crew in every video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z04PEg2QwNY

also enjoying Jahvillani, "Gangsta"

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

From last year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As59PhBFrKQ
Maureen - Tic.

I'm thinking of Domino, it seems to be a whole style out of Martinique, probably with some kind of soca influence. Check also DJ Chinwax - Bubble.

Also very pleased to have found out about Jada Kingdom. Love her mix of styles.

Lastly: Shenseea - Sure Sure wasn't posted last year. Love it.

Yeah, Sure Sure is fire. Might have voted for it if it had been nom’d.

I like Rvssian's riddim on that, but idk the vocal never quite takes off for me? Def like "Bad Alone" much more...though now that I'm listening to them back to back it's more similar than I remembered lol.

Did yall like "Lighter"? another one I couldn't make my mind up about

@Nabozo, yeah I've been repping for Jada around here for a while. I posted "Green Dreams" at the very end of the last thread, but it deserves a mention here, probably her most pop move so far:

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

i did like Lighter. It should have been huge, and might have been if clubs were open.

The video and lyrics are very NSFW, but I love the riddim on Rytikal's "Easily":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4xdgsrXgMs

(i nommed uptown gaza btw)

Thanks. We’ll all have to work a bit harder on our dancehall noms next year, even though Koffee deservedly made the list.

xp ah that's a relief actually, as I didn't vote for it and I always feel bad when I nom & ignore

I don’t vote for most of my nominations, but I see nothing wrong with that. it depends on your nomming strategy I guess. if you wait long enough, others will have nominated many of the big ones that you want to vote for, so for me it’s more about getting other good stuff on the ILM record. I love it when others pick up on nominations that I couldn’t make place for on my own ballot!

(also longneck, please promise us you will nominate your favourites next year!)

My guilt over that practice comes from a poster specifically getting mad at me about it one year :(

super into the slinky riddim on Aidonia's "Fever Temperature"

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

Govana, "P.O.P."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZwMI5Vsp-I

^can't wait for the radio edit of this one lmao

ok there is a radio edit ("power of goody") but it's not actually amusing :/

In a public Facebook post, longtime Shanachie records exec and music critic Randall Grass is touting Jaz Elise, Naomi Cowan, Shenseea, Lila Ike, Khalia, Sevana, Stefflon Don

good lord listen to this riddim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKJB1T8tTf4

Maestro Don x Jahvillani, "Dutty Money"

meanwhile Rytikal is really pulling ahead of Skillibeng (who has dropped some real dreck this year) and Intence for me. I think he was arrested recently, hopefully that doesn't derail him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDI77xAGYcc

"Disgrace"

but seriously listen to "Dutty Money" it's amazing

*i’m lovin’ it*

XD

(and tbc Skilli and Intence have dropped plenty of bangers lately; could just do without zero-dimensional trash like "2 Gyal")

looks like Skillibeng heard I was hating

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA7aoO_1HpM

"The Lyricist"

That's a very cool riddim, unusual as it is it works.

And you're prompting me to post one of said bangers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-VZIWapHC8
Intence - Pickachu

He slays on that minimalistic syncopated style.

yep that's one of them. And tbf to Intence he's actually pretty consistent compared to Skilli, though by that I mean I don't expect feats of lyrical brilliance from the guy who brought us "Dope":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNxHQ2FaFE

on one level that song is amazing, on another the first line of the chorus is "we fuck gyal and sell coke" which is so hilariously lazy

I swore I already posted this one; man can spit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZGH91H0LQU

Rytikal, "Galaxy Brain"

All that thrilling energy at the start of the year has dissipated a bit, but I'm into this Jahvillani:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I67YaYy5-Fs

"North Coast"

That's the same riddim as Skillibeng's "Yo" which if, like me, you read the comments on dancehall youtubes you'll have seen has become kind of a meme about how lazy a lyricist he is. I can sympathize with that opinion, and yet I also kind of like "Yo"'s improvised babbling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9NumAv8rw

Dexta getting down & dirty with Davido:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwv_QXBZdiE
Dexta Daps ft. Davido • Scripture

(produced by Drumma Boy)

I’m adding all the tracks posted here to this integrated Rolling Spotify playlist for all the Caribbean music threads (soca, dancehall, reggaeton/dembow/urbano, Martinique, other caribbopop). we’re 77(!) tracks in, feel free to follow:

ILM rolling Caribbean vibes 🥁🥁🥁

Enjoying these two Aurelia Day songs that just popped up on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuydCAG2cTM
Aurelia Day - Huntress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbgGZnSY9PQ
Aurelia Day - All These Neighbours

*Aurelia Dey, in both cases 😕

aw "Scripture" is really great...apart from some of those lyrics imho

not sure I've heard of Aurelia Dey before--she's Ghanaian? (or UK?)

I like this summery new Intence "Walk Out"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea7WUPHorp4

lol people don't read this thread much huh, here's the actual Intence video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DkeWWJKjPo

we were all waiting with bated breath for your big reveal

XD

I guess Projexx being on that Juls song almost makes it work anyway!

so help me out here rob, which of my ILM Spotify playlists should it go on? rolling Caribbean or rolling Afro? this is just too tough...

Aurelia Dey is (Ghanaian-)Swedish btw. don’t know what ”The Dancehall College” in Gothenburg is, but she runs it apparently.

I guess I'd go African since Juls is the main credited artist, but these Black Atlantic collabs do trouble taxonomies nicely!

Hm wonder if I can get a Fulbright to go to Dey's college :)

...and wouldn’t you know it, they also do afrobeats: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQpfZIqLUw9KzU13e9vye-Qz1UpdxcCzCX6hg&usqp=CAU

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLC2u04pdvS/?igshid=z3f6v56mucnp

(only noticing now you had already posted the Juls track on Rolling Afropop)

Nicki Minaj jumped on Skillibeng's "Crocodile" for some reason

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJl77xMgGpU

🚨💉OH LORD it's the song of the summer💉🚨

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

Chi Ching Ching - "Vaccine"

(CW: that video has some of the most ott daggering I've ever seen)

Ding Dong is on the same Stadic/Johnny Blaz riddim (called Freestyle):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmjjhAllP5U

"Yo Pull Up"

CCC definitely deserves a prize for coming up with the vaccine/fuck scene double entendre

(maybe he didn’t come up with it, I was afraid to google)

loving vaccine

question: if amapiano ever hits dancehall, will we call it a) “jamapiano” or b) “ganjapiano”?
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), vrijdag 19 februari 2021 20:22

Voted raggapiano
― rob, vrijdag 19 februari 2021 20:35

can't wait for... shabbapiano
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), vrijdag 19 februari 2021 21:55

bambamapiano
― rob, vrijdag 19 februari 2021 21:58

while we're not quite there yet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjpTZwfU8IY

...this is IzyBeats producing Masego's "Yebo/Sema"

That’s really nice

Govana's "Karen" is a banger:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k16Wa_wkVQ

maybe the only time a video interrupting the song has paid off?

Maybe. But yeah that’s a catchy banger

lol there are probably zero instances of that trick truly paying off (I was at least amused by Govana tucking his gun under his armpit), and it's an esp annoying choice when the track isn't available anywhere else yet

boom bang, it’s a total pounder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXq0bS4W9xw
Konshens ft. Davido • Boom Bang

Skillibeng is just alright on this, but the riddim is neat, little flashes of fusion guitar, some tabla at the end, cool stuff:

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

"Money Tree"

really like Skeng's floaty, minimalist, elegant "Brrrp" (technically 2020 but I missed it):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48-ymyX6PlU

also slept on this as Iwaata hasn't always done much for me, but here's another malevolently simple riddim:

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

"Clip Tall"

this newer Skeng "Street Cred" is also v striking:

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

his other tunes are worth a listen too

Intence "Yahoo Boyz" is blowing up for good reason:

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

this song is also a hit, an interesting take on trap + reggae. maybe the first JA production that sounds influenced by some of the Trinibad dripping guitars sound to me (also the global pop bad mood):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSf_-k3OgE

Nation Boss "Humans"

Great to hear Di Genius riffing on late 80s/early 90s digital ragga (possibly a "Telephone Love" sample?) on Shenseea's "Run Run":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdo8aWBq3tA

Oh shit Busy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I31AFzC9euo

"Bruk Down Di Bed"

(Lol at my streaming service autofilling a search for this as "busy signal bruk down in bed")

SiriusXM moves reggae channel the Joint to online only and not on car radios and replaced it with Bob Marley hits channel

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20210704/there-one-love-two-siriusxm-satellite-reggae-channels?fbclid=IwAR0IOiTSkUk_-ftUXqSmMSv4zKmXkd0F87m81pmYKaO5R-1aMrAIG-8lydg

I've never listened to Sirius so can't say I truly care about that, but I do wonder why you'd want a radio channel that literally only plays Bob Marley (or any single artist). Is there someone out there who would really be annoyed to hear Toots or Peter Tosh or Jimmy Cliff interrupting their obsessive Marley listening?