Six Dancehall Songs For Dad: 2023 Father’s Day Playlist

Dancehall and reggae artists have been known for immortalizing their mothers in songs. However, songs expressing love to fathers in the dancehall space, have been few and far between and it is only in the recent past that fathers have been getting some positive highlights dedicated to them.

The polarization of fathers has, in most cases, been attributed to the absence of fathers in the lives of artists their lives, who came from broken homes where the woman is often the breadwinner.

In 2019, NotNice in an interview with The Star, attributed the absence of ‘father songs’ to the fact that most hardcore dancehall artists have never had fathers in their lives, their only caregiver being their mothers, thus the larger number of singles dedicated to mothers.

Nevertheless, there is hope yet for fathers, as some of dancehall’s most iconic stars have penned some of the deepest, most heartfelt songs, dedicated to the men who they call dads.   Here are six of the few:

Real Father – Jahmiel

In this track, which was released in 2014, Jahmiel sings glowingly about his father being rock-solid in his life, the fact that he was always around from the day his mother gave birth to him, was always involved in his academic life,  believing in him and always giving him maximum support in his endeavours.

Just Like You – Christopher Martin

The St. Jago Hih School old boy pours out his heart to his father, the man whom he said has been a constant figure in his life, in this tribute.  Christopher Martin juxtaposes his father with Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela, and makes it known that even though the two former presidents were great, only his daddy could be his ‘head of state’.

Good Father – Vybz Kartel

In this song, the Worl’ Boss said the love he shows his children, is a carbon copy of the love that his own father showed to him, noting “mi love my daddy from mi was a likkle bwoy, cause dat man teach mi di value of work”.

For Vybz Kartel, good fathers take care of their children and give whatever they are able to afford to them, no matter how little he has, because money and material things are not all that there is to parenting.   He urges fathers to spend time with their children, and showers those he considers real men with praise.

Happy Fathers’ Day – Sizzla Kalonji

The August Town native has never hidden his love for his father, even taking him on major music festivals to perform alongside him, and so in this track it is not surprising that he states that he loves his father whom he said he was giving his ‘utmost respect’.   In the two minutes and 36 seconds track, Sizzla serenades not only his father, but the forefathers and the Almighty, plus everyday fathers whom he describes as the ‘foundation of the nation’.

Original Daddy – Konshens

This 2016 single which was produced by Dunwell Productions, was an ode to Konshens himself in which he describes himself as a ‘real father’, who has never neglected his children. Konshens sings of the joys of fatherhood, and how it breaks his heart whenever his daughter cries, and admonishes fathers to take care off their offspring.

You are My Father – Wayne Marshall

“The Mary Jane singer describes his father as a ‘beautiful human being’, a gift that keeps on giving, and the perfect example of the man he wants to be in this song. Marshall speaks of is comforting presence and him providing love and protection and being his rock who constantly mad sacrifices to make him happy.