Sean Paul Turns 50: Here’s 20 Of His Best Party Songs
Sean Paul turned 50 on Monday, January 9, and despite his incredible work ethic, the Dancehall superstar looks nothing like a 50-year-old.
His energy doesn’t seem to be that of a 50-year-old either, and he recently credited his Jamaican diet for it. Paul told The Sun, “Nah man, it’s from good food. Living in Jamaica, the lifestyle is different and I’ve been blessed with that.” He was reaffirming that his youthful look was all-natural, and had nothing to do with Botox.
As for whether he will continue on in entertainment, Paul made sure to convey that though the life is draining, it is also a replenishing one. He explained: “It does get harder but I’ve never felt like, ‘Nah I’m not doing this anymore’. I have enough money but when I come home after a hard tour, I’m like, ‘Let me rest’. That rest is a day or two and then I’m back in the studio. I’m always doing it because I love it. Giving people that enjoyment on stage really keeps me going.”
As the legend celebrates his 50th birthday, we honor him by taking a look back at 20 of his most popular party songs.
1. NO LIE with Dua Lipa
No Lie, which features British singer Dua Lipa, holds the distinction of being the first and only song with Sean Paul – as a lead artist – to surpass a billion views on YouTube. The 2016 track, produced by Pip and Sermstyle, is also Paul’s most streamed single as a lead artist on Spotify, having in excess of 800 million streams.
The song describes a situation at a club where Paul encounters a beautiful and intelligent woman whom he wants to woo and take home. Interestingly, despite its insane numbers, No Lie didn’t appear on the US Billboard Chart. It was, however, certified double platinum in the UK last February.
Released: November 18, 2016
Producer: Pip and Sermstyle
Album: Mad Love: The Prequel
2. TEMPERATURE
Released on February 23, 2006, Temperature became one of Paul’s most successful singles, racking up over one million digital downloads. Produced by Rohan ‘Snowcone’ Fuller, the song reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained on the chart for 31 weeks, 17 of which were in the top 10. The song was also featured in the film Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy.
Released: December 5, 2005
Producer: Rohan ‘Snowcone’ Fuller
Album: The Trinity
3. GET BUSY
Paul’s hit song Get Busy, from his Grammy Award-winning Dutty Rock album, became an instant party anthem upon its release in January 2003. It spent 32 weeks on the Hot 100 Chart, peaking at Number 1. By May 2003, it had reached the top of the chart, been featured on Saturday Night Live, and became a top-10 hit in 11 countries. It also reached Number 1 in Italy and the Netherlands.
4. GIMME THE LIGHT
Gimme The Light helped establish Paul as a successful and flexible dancehall artist on the global stage. The single reached the 7th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and also achieved popularity in Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, making it into the top 20 in these countries. The music video for the song has garnered over 17 million views on YouTube.
Released: 2001
Producer: Troyton Rami & Roger Mackenzie
Album: Dutty Rock
5. I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU with Sasha
Paul’s performance on I’m Still In Love With You, which features Sasha, was a smashing success, reaching the 14th spot on the Hot 100 and remaining there for 25 weeks. Produced in 2003 by Steely, Clevie, and Murray Elias, the song was a top-10 hit in countries such as Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, and Italy.
Released: October 6, 2003
Producer: Steely & Clevie, Murray Elias
Album: Dutty Rock
6. SHE DOESN’T MIND
She Doesn’t Mind was released on October 31, 2011, and reached a peak of number 78 on the Hot 100 Chart in 2012. It’s Sean Paul’s second most-viewed video on YouTube, as a lead artist, with more than 500 million views.
The single, which was described as “electropop dancehall”, had a successful run internationally, earning Platinum certification in Austria, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, and 2X Platinum in Switzerland. It also received Gold certification in Italy and 3X Gold certification in Germany.
Released: September 29, 2011
Producer: Shellback & Benny Blanco
Album: Tomahawk Technique
7. GIVE IT UP TO ME with Keyshia Cole
The hit song “Give It Up To Me,” a collaboration between Sean Paul and Keyshia Cole, was extremely popular, and even earned a feature in the 2006 dance film Step Up starring Channing Tatum. It reached the 3rd spot on the Hot 100 chart and remained there for 22 weeks. The song was also certified Gold in Canada, selling 40 thousand units.
Released: June 6, 2006
Producer: Don Corleon
Album: The Trinity
8. LIKE GLUE
Paul’s hit song ‘Like Glue’ from the album ‘Dutty Rock’ reached the 13th spot on the chart on August 29, 2003 and remained there for 20 weeks. It was also a top-10 hit in Canada, Switzerland, and the UK. The song was listed as the 325th best song of the 2000s by Pitchfork and was featured in the video game Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition.”
Released: May 27, 2003
Producer: Tony “CD” Kelly
Album: Dutty Rock
9. WE BE BURNIN’
The upbeat single ‘We Be Burnin’ from Paul’s third studio album ‘The Trinity’, became a summer hit in 2005, reaching the 6th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The song, which was originally intended to be a tribute to Paul’s love of smoking marijuana, became a go-to track for those looking to have a good time that summer. It also reached the 2nd spot in the UK.
Released: August 22, 2005
Producer: DJ Delano, Saunders
Album: The Trinity
10. SO FINE
So Fine, another of Paul’s party-rocking anthems, was produced by Di Genius in 2009, and is a track that sees the legend shining in his element. The song’s upbeat instrumentals and catchy lyrics make it easy to see why it currently boasts 88 million views on YouTube.
Released: April 25, 2009
Producer: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor
Album: Imperial Blaze
11. HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE with Kelly Rowland
With over 74 million views on YouTube, How Deep Is Your Love, released in 2010, saw Paul tapping international star and former member of Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland for the Stargate-produced track. An infusion of Reggae, Dancehall and R&B influences, the song was a hit in its time, and remains a staple on most party starters’ playlists.
Released: October 4, 2012
Producer: Stargate
Album: Tomahawk Technique
12. MAD LOVE
Sean Paul, David Guetta and Becky G released this Platinum-selling track in 2018 via Island Records, and dominated much of the club scene with it once they did. Paul effortlessly carries the track, which is supported by Guetta’s signature synth-pop sound, while Becky G gave it her all singing the hook. The song currently has over 309 million views on YouTube, and over 180 million streams on Spotify. The song was the fourth single from Mad Love the Prequel, Paul’s 2018 EP.
Released: February 16, 2018
Producer: Banx & Ranx
Album: Mad Love The Prequel
13. OTHER SIDE OF LOVE
Coming from Paul’s album Full Frequency, Other Side of Love racked up over five million streams on Spotify and over 39 million views on YouTube, and featured the then Mohawk-wearing Paul voicing his concerns about a relationship that has gone bad. Out of all of Paul’s club bangers – and there are many – Other Side of Love may be perfectly positioned to have you dancing up a sweat and crying on the dance floor given its relatable dilemma and lyrics.
Released: February 14, 2013
Producer: Benny Blanco
Album: Full Frequency
14. BODY with Migos
In yet another example of Paul’s flexibility, Body seamlessly fused Hip Hop and Dancehall when he tapped the rap group Migos for the project. The colorful music video, directed by Daps, premiered on April 28, 2017, and currently has over 37 million views. Produced by Don Corleon, the song was certified Gold in Canada with over 40,000 units sold.
Released: April 28, 2017
Producer: Donovan Bennett
Album: Mad Love The Prequel
15. WHEN IT COMES TO YOU
An expert at dominating his lane, Paul dropped this party-mover in 2019, and showed off his vocal range with it, singing and hitting some impressive melodic notes along the way. The song, which speaks of Paul’s singular focus on one woman, reached over 21 million views on YouTube and thousands more streams on Spotify. It was produced by J-Vibe, Ian Kirkpatrick and Supa Dups.
Released: August 28, 2019
Producer: Supa Dups, Ricardo Johnson
Album: –
16. CALLING ON ME with Tove Lo
Produced by Banx and Ranx, Paul and Tove Lo’s Calling On Me is one that simply induces dancing. Released in 2020, the song speaks about valuing relationships and showing up for the people in your life. Somehow, Paul manages to preserve the emotional weight that comes with making those reassurances, while undoubtedly delivering a track you could get lost just being active to. It currently has over 19 million views on YouTube.
Released: February 7, 2020
Producer: Banx & Ranx
Album: Scorcha
17. WATCH DEM ROLL
“Watch di gyal dem roll”, sung on the high energy Tremor Riddim, with a music video to match, made this Sean Paul track a wild, hyperactive ride. The song was a textbook example of Paul knowing his strengths and sticking to them, all while cautiously experimenting on the international scene. The song has over 16 million views on YouTube, and was released by Atlantic Records.
Released: 2007
Producer: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor
Album: Tremor Riddim
18. CONTRA LA PARED with Jay Balvin
Contra la Pared, which literally translates to “Against the Wall”, is Sean Paul’s Reggaeton crossover hit with Spanish superstar J Balvin. A bilingual single that demonstrated Paul’s ability to be comfortable in any space and any genre, the song made its way onto most playlists looking for some energy when it was released on March 14, 2019. The track was produced Tainy and has over 200 million views on YouTube.
Released: March 14, 2019
Producer: Tainy
Album: –
19. DYNAMITE with Sia
Dynamite was just another piece of evidence that proved Sean Paul and Sia on a track automatically meant success. Though the two didn’t manage to recapture the wild success of Cheap Thrills with this one, perhaps because it was leaked online in 2016, it was certainly another banger. Released as a the third single from Paul’s Grammy-nominated Scorcha album, Dynamite currently has over nine million views on YouTube and over six million Spotify streams.
Released: October 21, 2021
Producer: Banx & Ranx
Album: Scorcha
20. CRICK NECK with Chi Ching Ching
When Sean Paul featured Chi Ching Ching on the 2016 track, Crick Neck, it morphed into a party anthem. Paul showed off his dance moves in the song’s official music video alongside Chi Ching Ching, and seemed at home delivering another track specifically geared at the ladies. The song was produced by Bulldog Productions, and currently has over 14 million views on YouTube.
Released: August 26, 2016
Producer: Banx & Ranx, Chimney
Album: Scorcha