Best New Dancehall Music This Week: Buju Banton, Vybz Kartel, Alkaline, Jahmiel, Spice & More

This week in Dancehall gave us several great music videos from Jahmiel, Quada and Romain Virgo. All ranging from picturesque beach settings to capturing a precious family photoshoot and an Oscar-award winning performance.

We heard from the Vendetta Boss, Alkaline with his sharp lyrical unleashing in his new single Buryberry. Then, there was Spice and her dancers, flashing their expensive lace fronts while executing some tantalizing dance moves.

Buju Banton released four different remixes today of his Upside Down 2020 single Blessed which featured a few Hip-Hop icons and a terrific African infusion.

There is so much more to enjoy, check out our top picks this week for your Dancehall playlists, with exclusive highlights, reviews, and accompanying music videos for each below.

In no particular order.

 

Alkaline – Buryberry

Dancehall artiste Alkaline continues to spiel fire on the haters that forever taunt him. In this new release Buryberry , the deejay points out the tallest building in his peripheral view and kindly asks them to “chuck off” from it.

“Nuff a dem a look fi we fall off, dem alright. Dem alone wah rich, tink say uno smart, dutty heart jealousy, a uno mi a talk,” is the hook of the track. The single is featured on the Happy Step Riddim complete with the Vendetta Boss’s signature style of clear yet precipitated lyrical flow.

Released on August 29, produced by Fresh Ear Productions and distributed by Johnny Wonder, check out the official audio below-

Jahmiel – Hold A Vibe

“It’s such a beautiful life.” Patriotz leader, Jahmiel just wants to Hold A Vibe in his new single. Surrounded by beautiful ladies and a tranquil turquoise blue seascape in the music video, the Great Man deejay sings about taking life by the reins and seizing every opportunity. A trip to Ghana, making money every day and taking care of his family. “I grab my desire, dem can’t get my prayer,” he sings.

Released on August 30, produced by Dynasty Entertainment Group and distributed by Zojak World Wide, watch the video below –

Quada – Best Friend

Dancehall artiste Quada puts on a theatrical display for his new music video Best Friend. The visuals show the deejay and his girl going through some very tough times and relying on a life of illegal dealings to put food on the table.

The story is a journey “from nutt’n to som’n,” as he says, then eventually his music career takes off and they’re driving nice cars, wearing fancy clothes and sipping on Hennessy.

Released on August 30, produced by Money 3 Productions/Unruly Entertainment/ Louie V Music and shot by Lone Wolf Filmz, check out Quada’s single Best Friend and the new music video here –

Zagga & Kabaka Pyramid – Jamaica Wah Gwaan

Reggae singers Zagga and Kabaka Pyramid hit hard on some current issues in Jamaica right now in their new single Jamaica Wah Gwaan. Shining light on prejudice against Rastafarians, one verse goes, “Bleach good, cream cool, but di girl have locks and she can’t go ah school?”

More topics open-up about the government enforcing restrictions on social gatherings and events, while they move forward on their own political ventures like opening the borders to tourists and campaigning for the election.

Released on September 1, directed by OG Media and edited by Khing Cam, listen and watch the video here –

IWaata – NTN

IWaata has another new single, entitled NTN that dropped this week following last week’s, Start It and Detta Play . In the song, the deejay says now that he has made a name for himself, it has unleashed the naysayers but he’s not bothered.

“Man firm, yuh can’t crush dah heart yah,” he sings while describing their envious ways in other verses. Although the track is a vent on these issues, IWaata still achieves a pretty rhythmic hook on the song.

Released on September 1, produced by Arip Cooper, directed and edited by Lagikz Visualz, check out the new release here –

Romain Virgo – Hero

Romain Virgo may have just released a ‘dad anthem’ in his new single Hero. In melodious tones, the Reggae singer says becoming a dad has given him a different type of ‘hunger’.

“Mi naa go home without dem dinna, something’s gat to give … my youth dem haffi love dem father. Protect dem and be there for them mother. Everyday dem smile fi get broader … Oh’ they must know I’m there Hero,” he sings.

The singer takes us along the journey to fatherhood in the music video, from the birth of his twin girls at the hospital to what appears to be their first photoshoot. The video is an amalgamation of home videos, the photoshoot, and the taping of the new single.

Released on August 31, produced by ZJ Chrome, watch the new visuals and single here –

Sizzla, Yaawdi, Reemus K & Iyahmore – Live Life

Reggae dynamo, Sizzla Kalonji and his crew from the Judgment Yaad Camp, Yaawdi, Reemus K and Iyahmore join forces in a new single Live Life. From Martinque native, Yaawdi’s French deejaying to Sizzla’s exceptional rapping skills, this one makes an interesting collab.

Each voices their distresses on the heightened and blatant injustice taking place in the system but encourages the people to not be a victim and hold their ground.

Released on August 28, produced by Yaawd Music/ Kalonji Music Production, mixed by Maroon Riddimz and directed by Macedon and Nordia Rose, check out the single and video for Live Life here –

Stylo G featuring Stamma Kid – Put Eh Dung

The ever-flossing Stylo G and fellow Dancehall artiste, Stamma Kid, team up to talk about their many streams of cash flow in Put Eh Dung. “Make money show, make money stack, make money from weed, make money from crack, spend money but yuh haffi know when fi stop cause when money gone it nuh haffi come back,” Stylo sings in his segment of the track.

The large gains is also a means of taking your girl, “Eh we a get di legal money like trap, make yuh girl open like shop. Pu**y run, yuh a nuh gallis go put eh dung,” the two sing on the hook.

Released on August 31, produced by Kodistarr and Oceanic and Cleve Strapland along with 365 Records, listen to the official audio here –

Chronic Law – Family Time

Dancehall artiste and 6ixx crewmember, Chronic Law croons a touching homage to his daughter in his new single, Family Time. The Law Boss shows off his tender side even admitting to shedding a tear whenever he thinks about “family time.”

His daughter is just a baby, but the deejay says he knows she thinks about him all the time, “Mi wah see yuh like how yuh waa see mi. Hope seh yuh know dat. Mi know yuh nuh start talk yet but mi sure couple time yuh ask fi mi. Yuh inna mi mind at nights mi nuh want fi sleep. Mi want fi be next to you,” he sings.

Released September 3, produced by his label, 1Law Entertainment and OSJ Records, listen to Family Time here –

Vybz Kartel & Shaneil Muir – Loyal

Dancehall newcomer, Shaneil Muir says she’s as loyal as they come in this new single with the Worl’ Boss. Loyal finds the two in somewhat of a banter declaring their faithfulness through several scenarios. For Shaniel, she’ll put her head on the block for her man, even take a bullet if she has to. “Don’t hol yuh breath because mi man naa lef me,” she says detailing a tight union that’s coming from way back in the day.

Vybz Kartel dials it down a couple notches, delivering his session in his best singing voice, “Loyalty over a royalty … you’re so real and true and dats why I love you. Let dem talk all dem want, can’t stop we, cause the seed done plant,” he croons.

Released on September 3, produced by Short Boss Muzik and distributed by Johnny Wonder, listen to the official audio for Loyal here –

Spice – Inches

The colourful and effervescent, Spice is back, “stunting on these b**ches with her inches.” Blue, green, pink, yellow or red, she’s a ‘chameleon and her wigs are stacked by the cases.

In the music video, the Dancehall artiste’s guise is the fictional character Rapunzel, donning the longest blue tinted ponytail you’ve ever seen on a real person. She switches through several different coloured wigs including a fascinating rainbow piece as her dancers put on an engaging display.

Released on August 28, exclusively on VP Records’ Reggae Gold series, by Carleene Samuels and director Jay Will, watch Spice’s Inches music video here –

Buju Banton – Blessed Remixes

It’s only been two months since the official audio released back in June and already Dancehall icon Buju Banton has had four remixes for his single Blessed.

Released today September 4, The Blessed More Blessed Remix as it is called has been sampled with three pretty distinct genres. American rappers, Fabolous and Jadakiss team up with their rendition, merging hip hop flows on the track.

Nigerian Reggae-Dancehall singer Patroranking’s remake is a great fusion with himself and Banton, not only does he meet Buju’s lyrical flow but also that of the riddim.

Giovani and Pinwheel’s remix is an instrumental transformation, which changes the song’s original riddim. As they mix in more distinct tempos, the recreation takes on an Afrobeat sound.

The fourth was Mas Blessed Remix featuring Farruko.