Popcaan ‘Not Sorry’ As Backlash Over Usain Bolt Comments Mushrooms
Dancehall artiste Popcaan says he is not sorry, despite receiving strong backlash for his comments on sprint legend Usain Bolt’s Living the Dream single with executive manager Nugent “NJ” Walker.
The song was released on Saturday, and Popcaan, in true ‘Unruly Boss’ mode, was harsh in his criticism and held nothing back under a promotional video on Bolt’s Instagram page yesterday.
“Wid all due respect Legend, me feel like you fi just help up some youth wid real musical talent…them deya nuff. NJ a mi fam but please just give some hungry youth wey actually have some talent tha platform dey. Happy New Year,” Popcaan wrote in a since-deleted comment.
As the backlash grew, Popcaan doubled down and shared an Instagram Story yesterday that showed he did not regret his choice of words on Bolt’s song. “Me done say wey me say and me nuh bomboclaat sorry,” he wrote.
Several users diagnosed the Firm and Strong singer with a case of the most peculiar of Jamaican psycho-social maladies: “bad mind”.
“Badmind is active. Every youth deserve a chance, you of all people should know cause when you touch Gaza. you never talented until you master the craft so stop badmind ghetto youths and make dem try and follow dem dreams,” user jamscooptv commented.
Most don’t deny Popcaan his honcho status, what with a Billboard chart-topping album and landing collabs with the likes of Megan Thee Stallion and Maroon 5. Some however felt his tone and the forum were off: “If he want to do music it’s no one’s business to stop him. Stop trying to limit people. Like who are you to tell the man that him nuffi do music? Foh This was unprofessional him shoulda DM him.”
Another said succinctly: “who died and made Popcaan music police?”
Others felt the comment was in fact warranted, as Popcaan himself can attest to the value of uplifting raw talent, having assumed mentor duties for Unruly associates such as Quada, Italis, Zamunda and more, who may all appear on an upcoming Unruly project.
“For real, I agree…. Usain platform bigger than poppy so me understand weh him a come from!!” one person quipped.
“Nuff a unu need friends like Popcaan some a unu fren dem na tell unu she unu song nuh sound good,” another fan said in defense of Popcaan.
Interestingly, fans seemed the most torn between “Popcaan chat too much” and “Poppi a talk the truth thou”, both being among the most liked comments.
Romeich Entertainment boss, Romeich Major, was however supportive of Bolt and NJ and commented: “Once you a do music from you heart keep doing it!!!!!!”.
Popcaan’s former mentor, Vybz Kartel, also commented “A who dat #usainboltel” with a laugh and fire emojis.
The incarcerated dancehall hitmaker went as far as to address the issue in his IG stories, urging that at the end of the day, it was a good look for the genre: “People ah mek a big deal out of a zinga (dat bad e?) big up @popcaanmusic and @usainbolt nuh argument nuh inna it #DANCEHALLFOREVER.”
Meanwhile, when contacted by the STAR for comment on the firestorm, NJ said that it wasn’t his or Usain Bolt’s style to respond to controversies. “I would have to check for myself about that post but even then I would not have any comment. Controversy is not us at all. We’re just doing what we’re doing and commenting on these things, is not our style,” he said.
Bolt has seen previous successes in the genre with his own record label and 2019’s Olympe Rosé Riddim, a star-studded medley aptly named after the olympian’s Olympe Rosé champagne. He followed up with the Immortal riddim which featured Vybz Kartel, Masicka, Ding Dong, Demarco, Chris ‘Zuzu’ Martin, and Munga Honorable.
The Living The Dream single which has a ‘rags-to-riches’ theme was written by NJ last October and the single is currently number 20 on YouTube’s local trending chart, amassing some 90,000 views in 48 hours.