Jeremy Harding: “Beenie Man Is The Greatest Dancehall Artist Ever”

Jeremy Harding, playground riddim producer and former manager of Sean Paul, has declared Beenie Man Dancehall’s Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T).

“I have said it publicly and I will state it once again, that Beenie Man is the greatest Dancehall artiste ever in the history of this music.   Me Jeremy Harding seh suh,” Harding said in an interview on The Entertainment Report Podcast.

In the same breath, the producer declared Sean Paul Jamaica’s greatest crossover act but noted that neither he or any other Dancehall artist, dead or alive can match up to Beenie Man.

“Sean Paul is the greatest crossover artiste outta Jamaica in my opinion.  But the greatest Dancehall artiste, hands down is Moses Davis bro.  We love and respect Beenie for certain.  Let’s just get that out there,” Harding, who produced Beenie’s hit Who Am I, added.

Meanwhile, in a recent interview with Revolt TV, on Dancehall’s global influence, Sean Paul was asked about the period in the 2000s when he and Beenie Man reigned in Dancehall and even struck up some collabs.

“Beenie Man and I have done many songs that didn’t get released.   The last song with me and him came out in 2015,” Paul responded.

“Beenie Man is a consummate performer and a legend out here performing for people at nine years old. There’s been times where he was heavily booed and has now become the king of the space,” he added, seemingly referencing the time in 1992 when the King of the Dancehall was chased offstage at a concert in honor of Nelson Mandela at the National Stadium.

Beenie Man and Sean Paul’s last team-up was a collab with Future Fambo and Demarco for the Bloodclaute remix in 2015, from Fambo’s debut album titled Evolve- The Uprise.

The duo had also teamed up in 2013 for Greatest Gallis, on the Sneak Preview Riddim.

In 2003, Paul had also joined forces with Beenie Man and Lady Saw for the track titled Bossman, which was the second single from Beenie’s 16th studio album, Tropical Storm.   Produced by Pharrell and Chad Hugo (The Neptunes), Bossman went on to peak at No. 78 on the UK singles chart.

Sean Paul will be featured on Beenie Man’s long-overdue Simma album, which is still awaiting a release date. Simma will be Beenie’s 19th studio album, and follows on his last studio album titled Undisputed, which was released in 2006.    

The issue of Dancehall’s G.O.A.T has been a subject of much debate over the last few years.  

Another King of Dancehall contender Vybz Kartel, had, on June 2, 2020 declared himself Dancehall’s G.O.A.T, in a 270-word expository essay, which was shared on Zojak World Wide’s Instagram page at the time of the release of his Of Dons and Divas album.

“No one has had an impact on dancehall locally or worldwide in the last 20yrs like me. In the last 20 years no one has had an impact on dancehall as Vybz Kartel.  I entered the games officially as best new artiste 2002 ( by the then JFM) and three years later won deejay of the year, a title that I didn’t lose until badmind stop the awards,” Kartel had written.

“My styles of music, topics that were previously considered taboo..like oral sex gogo dancers..etc…,my business savvy , my reality show, the fact that I affected the culture in such a way that even the old desert boot made a renaissance via my marketing power, rosary sold out in Jamaica that even the Catholic church has to write an article in the Sunday Gleaner’s magazine section, pointing out me that its not “rosary chain” …just rosary.   And don’t even talk about image, from jersey and drag to tattoos and extensions , before kartel how did dancehall artiste look compare to vybzkartel?” the Fever artist had added.

Continued Kartel: “Bro, no one has brought the level of excitement to the genre like I did. From the Spanish countries all the way to mother Africa its “worlboss worlboss” . If Bablyon didnt envy my greatness, I would have been had multi platinum record sales and numerous Grammys but even so, still selling gold from behind bars, still remaining the Aplha DJ the king..worldboss pharaoh immortal kartel teacha chancellor a me dat.. even a lot of the new generation of artistes, have something about vybzkartel in their persona , lyrics style flow or image….a me a name gaza. Oh plus I gave the world popcaan”.