1Biggs Don Returns With ‘Scotch Money & Pound’

After a tumultuous run under the spotlight following the success of his viral 2022 freestyle  Bwoii Affi, 1Biggs Don has unveiled his latest project, Scotch Money & Pound – a groovy Dancehall tune complete with his renewed aspirations for mainstream glory.

The track, which is produced by Outta Space Records and Steel Chest, is aB reintroduction of the George’s Valley native, whose experiment with this new sound sees him deviating from his deejaying-heavy delivery to a more vibrato-rich, melody-centric style.

Interestingly, the single, which premiered on Friday, August 18, bears heavy hints of Afrobeats, despite the unfiltered Jamaican patois and cadence evident throughout. That ambiguity charms rather than distracts though, and it makes the track a respectable offering by 1Biggs Don, who seems ideally positioned for a resurgence with this latest effort. 

In the song’s accompanying music video, directed by Mattew Adesola, 1Biggs Don takes to the streets of London, England, with the location quickly forming the backdrop for the Jamaican artist’s European adventures – most of which are liberally and creatively sprinkled throughout the track.

A composite of varying flows, Scotch Money & Pound expands upon its variety by exploring a number of engaging themes – among them women, partying self-actualization and money. The result is a project that comes packed with something for everyone, as it impressively manages to be precise and thoughtful when needed, yet just as equally trivial and, at points, intentionally superficial. 

Additionally, the song breaks a sort of tradition for 1Biggs Don as it avoids any references to ‘Chopping’, which had often been a staple in his previous hits, most notably in the song that catapulted him onto the entertainment scene, the aforementioned Bwoii Affi – which currently sits at 8.3 million streams on Spotify. 

1Biggs Don, whose real name is Jamaal Thompson, had been one of Dancehall’s hottest rising stars following his Tik Tok viral freestyle. Its official release as a single last January was another in a line of personal feats by the then-aspiring Dancehall artist, who was endorsed by industry giants Popcaan, Aidonia and Teejay. He also caught the attention of rap superstar Drake, who also followed him on Instagram.

Following the sudden explosion of fame, however, 1Biggs Don would become embroiled in some less-than-flattering public displays, which ultimately affected his initially valuable stock. 

He was honest about some of those pitfalls in a recent interview with the Jamaica Star: “Personally, I feel like when me get the break, I was not prepared with all and the rush and everything I never really got to plan. But now I have to prepare and work things out and we a go the right way now. The buss just run in and me neva get no time fi grow. This year I am taking the time to perfect the business side of things, the music side and cope with life too.”

Ever since, the 19-year-old has been on a mission to regroup and relaunch, and Scotch Money & Pound is proving to be a good start to that campaign.