After weathering two globe-traversing clashes in January, dancehall spent a lot of February reeling from these showdowns. If January was targeted on the worldwide attain of among the largest stars throughout dancehall, then February was a month of reflection for probably the most towering icon of West Indian music and tradition: Bob Marley.
On Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), Bob Marley: One Love — directed by Reinaldo Marcus Inexperienced and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch as Bob and Rita Marley, respectively — hit theatres to the delight of thousands and thousands of followers world wide. Regardless of middling evaluations, the movie has rapidly confirmed to be a blockbuster, crossing $100 million on the worldwide field workplace in simply 10 days and incomes the most important opening day for a movie in Jamaica, as per Deadline. Because the movie continues its formidable field workplace run, one other Marley — particularly YG Marley — has been climbing the charts due to his breakout hit “Reward Jah within the Moonlight,” which lately turned his first Billboard Sizzling 100 prime 40 scorching (No. 39, chart dated Mar. 2).
Though One Love saved spirits excessive, February bid the world goodbye with some devastating information. On Sunday (Feb. 25), Grammy-winning reggae group Morgan Heritage introduced the passing of lead singer Peter “Peetah” Morgan. Morgan Heritage’s publicist, Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards, advised DancehallMag that the 46-year-old vocalist handed in the US following a stroke. Morgan Heritage has launched a plethora of albums, together with Don’t Haffi Dread (1999), Full Circle (2005), Avrakedabra (2017) and Strictly Roots (2015), which hit No. 1 on Prime Reggae Albums.
Naturally, Billboard’s month-to-month Reggae/Dancehall Recent Picks column is not going to cowl each final observe, however our Spotify playlist — which is linked under — will develop on the ten highlighted songs. So, with none additional ado:
Freshest Discover: Eesah, “Behold the Conquering Lion”
When the opening observe to your debut album is beautiful as this, you understand you’re setting your self up for fairly the profession. On “Behold the Conquering Lion,” Jamaican singer-songwriter Eesah delivers a riveting mélange of roots reggae, jazz and gospel. “Immortal and all-powerful/ Carry the world pon your shoulder, you nuh want no assist/ The work you do is so glorious/ No concern, no fly by night time or pestilence,” he croons. Musically, the combination is so clear that it virtually sounds harmless, however Eesah’s subtly gravelly tone alludes to a weariness and maturity that provides credence to the religion he sings of. With “Conquering Lion” — and the remainder of his debut LP, Deep Medz — Eesah appears to be like to reggae’s previous to check its future.
Teejay, “4th of July”
Final month, Teejay dominated on-line dialog due to his conflict with Valiant. In a whole 180°, the “Drift” singer kicked off February with the discharge of his I Am Chippy EP (Feb. 2), his first formal mission underneath his new Warner Music deal. Whereas the whole tape is impressively constant, “4th of July” emerges as an immediate standout. That includes what seems to be a haunting interpolation of Billie Eilish and Khalid’s “Beautiful,” “4th of July” is a sly bait and change. The somber entice dancehall instrumental indicators equally bleak lyrics, however, earlier than even begins singing, Teejay assures us, “Me not even a sing no unhappy music pon di riddim yah, enuh/ Issa frass music hehehe/ Issa excessive music, dawg.” And that it’s. An ethereal ode to the transformative properties of Mary Jane, “4th of July” finds Teejay at his most fascinating and impressive on I Am Chippy.
Sean Paul & Beres Hammond, “Tender Tender”
Few artists have so seamlessly oscillated between the worlds of dancehall and reggae on a worldwide stage for almost three many years like Sean Paul has. For his newest single, he joins forces with beloved Jamaican reggae crooner for a candy love music titled “Tender Tender.” Balancing Hammond’s earthy, raspy tone with Sean Paul’s trademark brassy timbre, “Tender Tender” is rooted in conventional reggae, with heavy emphasis on the sultry guitar licks and regular percussion. “You raise me greater/ Greater than earlier than/ Bonfire’s burning/ Burning to the core,” Hammond belts, his voice dripping with ardour.
J Boog, “All the time Been You”
February is the month of affection, so it’s not a shock that among the warmest reggae tracks of the yr made their debut this month. On “All the time Been You” — a profitable symphony of soothing background vocals, a tasteful rocksteady melody and jaunty horns and percussion — J Boog croons of the inevitability of his one real love. “It’s at all times been you/ Hunny simply you/ All the time been you/ Eternally babe,” he sings within the easy, however extremely efficient, refrain.
F.S. & Eire Boss, “Chasing Desires”
There was a interval the place the innate moroseness of entice dancehall’s sparse soundscapes recurrently gave approach to deeply introspective tracks. With “Chasing Desires,” St. Thomas emcee F.S. injects a wholesome dose of hope into the dynamic. In an interview with World Music Views, F.S. describes the Eire Boss-produced observe as “ghetto gospel… my life story, what me been by,” and that’s a reasonably apt description. The essence of gospel lyricism — the idea in one thing greater than your self and the persistence to maintain going within the face of infinite trials and tribulations — are throughout “Chasing Desires,” simply in a decidedly up to date dancehall context.
Jah Vinci, “The place Is the Love”
Taken from the “Breadcrumbs” riddim, Jah Vinci’s “The place Is the Love,” is a hovering, melodic inquiry of the place the real love is in a world like ours. “The place is the love that all of them communicate of/ I’ve nobody that i can actually belief/ The place is the love that they declare to provide/ No person nuh actual once more, nuh belief no household, nuh belief no good friend,” he belts within the refrain. Is it it a bit grim? Positive, nevertheless it additionally speaks to a really actual emotion thousands and thousands of individuals have as we collectively witness the implosion and demise of a number of states and socioeconomic programs world wide. Whereas “The place Is the Love” matches properly within the up to date reggae soundscape, Jah Vinci’s lyrics reveal a steadfast dedication to the style’s historical past of talking reality to energy.
ZJ Chrome & Christopher Martin, “The Hate Tune”
Has Valentine’s Day actually handed if no person has made a music flipping the idea of Love Day? For his tackle ZJ Chrome’s “Above the Strains” riddim, Christopher Martin rides the electrical guitar-inflected reggae jam with heart-wrenching lyrics that hint the interconnected emotions of affection, hate, and infatuation. “I hate you/ Greater than something on this world/ However you understand I like/ And love you for all times,” he croons. Martin has a beautiful, wealthy tone that pairs properly with the wailing guitars and plucky rhythm that comprise ZJ Chrome’s riddim. When he employs that tiny little bit of rasp on the finish, we get a style of why rock and reggae are such shut musical family members.
Charly Black, “Oxtail ‘Additional Gravy’”
Right here’s one other query: have you ever lived in case you’ve by no means requested (and confronted the inevitable embarrassment of doing so) for oxtail with “additional gravy” from a correct Caribbean spot? You merely haven’t. For his new observe, dancehall staple Charly Black put his personal spin on the favored culinary request. The spin in questioning? Likening his girl’s nether areas to the delectable dish that’s oxtail with additional gravy. With guitar licks and drum patterns sourced from Afrobeats, this culture-bridging observe might very properly grow to be a sleeper hit as 2024 barrels on.
King Cruff & Runkus, “Fallback”
On the tail finish of the month, King Cruff and Runkus linked up for “Runkus,” a modern ode to heartache inna di dancehall. “Winter chilly, lady you freezing/ By the spring, you then waan come again/ You like me just like the seasons (Simply fall again!),” they harmonize over the electro R&B-infused riddim. Dancehall tracks are sometimes preoccupied with extolling the escapism of an evening of wining, however “Fallback” crashes the social gathering with a tasteful tackle the seemingly infinite back-and-forth that may generally include coping with a flaky lover.