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.
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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″
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”
“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.
