Fully Bright! 10 Dancehall Artists With College Degrees
Graduation season is in the air and meteoric act Nigy Boy is the latest example that one can pursue higher education while doing dancehall music.
The genre has been scrutinised for promoting “dunce” culture in recent years, adding to enduring labels of being uncouth and unintelligent. Amid the ever-green controversies and backlash for its influence on youth, dancehall has countered with booth and book stars, from acts like Sizzla Kalonji and Vybz Kartel, to Masicka and Alkaline being hailed for their scroll-stopping intellect.
Beyond artists who have been bestowed honorary degrees for their contribution to music, like Shaggy and Beres Hammond, some acts have truly upped the academic ante by becoming full-fledged college students and stepping out one degree hotter.
Check out 10 dancehall artists who are – for all intents and purposes – fully bright!
1. Mr. Vegas
Can somebody say 3.9 GPA?!?
Mr. Tek Weh Yuhself did just that in 2019 to “re-educate” himself, aiming to be a more helpful father to his children when it comes to school work. He also wanted to challenge the stigma that dancehall acts are mentally dull.
“You have the naysayers who will say that artists are just illiterate and we can’t hold a conversation,” Mr. Vegas, whose given name is Clifford Smith, told The Gleaner . “We are just supposed to just shut up and sing, or shut up and deejay, and I want to do more than that. I want to be able to speak on social issues.”
And so, from Florida, he pursued his General Education Diploma (GED) in 2019, before moving on to his first degree in mass communication at Broward Community College. By 2021, he was two degrees hotter, graduating with First Class Honours from Florida International University with a major in sociology/anthropology and minor in hospitality management. The Hot Wuk singjay is eyeing his master’s next.
2. D’Yani
Dancehall singers are a rare breed, so too was the degree choice for Feelings hitmaker D’Yani. The Downsound Records signee holds a bachelor’s degree in international shipping and supply chain management and logistics at the prestigious Caribbean Maritime University.
“I wanted to be different,” the singer, whose actual name is Andre McCormack, told The Gleaner . “I always pride myself in doing things apart from societal norms, and maritime was a choice of mine.”
But it was also part of an agreement with his mother Andrea Henriques. D’Yani’s heart longed to pursue music, but Henriques wanted him to secure a college education to expand his options. So, they agreed that he would earn the degree before going full force in music.
“His heart was set on becoming an artist, so I did not stand in the way of that,” Henriques told the paper. “What we did was come to an agreement for my peace of mind. If he wanted to do music, he had to go to college first. When he completed his studies, he had my full support in taking his next step.”
The training spawned a ripple effect, with D’Yani revealing that he applies much of what he learned to his writing style and marketing/research methods.
3. Tifa
Madam Spell It Out isn’t just lyrically educated, but boasts a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human resource management from the University of the West Indies.
The Wolmerian was always artistically-inclined, but shared that she was often made to feel like an outsider, as if a college grad had no business doing dancehall music.
“Most people don’t even know that some of these corporate meetings – because I have a degree, because I can speak, because I have a mind – I sat in them as a consultant,” Tifa, whose given name is Latifa Brown, told Sim Souls in April. “Some of the commercials that you even saw me in, I helped to manifest those because I am who I am… I can’t be apologetic for wanting to learn… I’m always wanting to do something different or to revolutionise.”
Like her career, her college tenure wasn’t easy. Tifa said she was taunted because of Blount’s disease – a disorder of the growth plates in the bones around the knee. She recalled being spat at by a gas pump attendant who found issue with her wearing a skirt, on one of her stops from school.
Despite more discriminating experiences, the entertainer shattered glass ceilings in music, like being the first female dancehall artist to land multiple brand deals in one year.
4. Nigy Boy
Hot act Nigy Boy is the talk of the town this week after graduating from New York’s Stony Brook University with a double major in political science and history.
The Continental hitmaker, whose name is Nigel Hector, had been balancing university and music since 2020, making viral covers on social media and coming to Jamaica on semester breaks.
“Balancing university and music has been fairly easy because nothing has really picked up yet, but I know as time goes on, it will become very taxing, but I signed up for this,” Nigy Boy told The STAR in 2021.
Since then, the Montegonian has shot to fame, having heavily-rotated tracks like Judgement and Waterfalls featuring Mr. Vegas.
He is already impressing in his field, receiving a standing ovation during a session of the New York Assembly this month where he was a special guest. He received glowing comments from Caribbean-American assembly member Alicia Hyndman, for whom he was an intern during his undergrad study.
Per previous statements, Nigy Boy is eyeing higher education with law.
5. Christopher Martin
Dancehall and reggae crooner Christopher Martin was the first person in his family to successfully complete tertiary education, pocketing a bachelor’s degree in business and administration from the University of Technology (UTECH).
The St. Jago High School grad always had his eyes set on higher education, initially aspiring to be a chemical engineer which fueled his entry in the Digicel’s Rising Stars competition in 2005. Emerging victorious, Martin invested the cash prize in his academic ascent, opting for a less demanding program as his music career jetted off.
The fruits of his labour continue to flourish with hits like Big Deal, Cheater’s Prayer and Mama contributing to an unwavering 19-year relevance.
UTECH saluted him in 2022 for his excellence in the arts.
6. Zumjay
Enlisting in the US Army in 2008 completely transformed Zumjay’s life.
The Do or Don’t deejay migrated to The States the year prior and needed to make himself more competitive beyond his high school diploma. Strategically, he joined the army at the Private E2 level, before working his way up to Sergeant First Class/E-7 in 2021.
Between being deployed to the Middle East in 2009 and even serving in the US Air Force in 2017, Zumjay invested in his personal development through a college education. It was quite the shift for the Waterhouse native who got his musical start as an apprentice studio engineer at Penthouse Records when he was 18.
“The military has taught me patience, and my education – through my service – has helped me to funnel the part of my brain where I look at people’s behaviour in a different way than I would,” Zumjay, whose given name is Rohan Stephens, told The Gleaner . “What I mean by that is we meet persons from different walks of life along the way, and I guess back in my dancehall days when I was much younger, I would react to certain things maybe more aggressively. Being in the US Army has taught me to observe from a different angle.”
7. QQ
Mr. Stukie isn’t only passionate about music, but also the welfare and rights of all people. Subsequently, he earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Canton University in 2022, and is now pursuing a bachelor’s in legal studies.
“Having an associate is the start for me helping people,” QQ, whose given name is Kareem Dawkins, told The STAR. “It’s the start of the journey to getting the bachelor’s and possibly going on to law school. By getting the necessary qualifications, puts me in a better position to be able to do that when the time comes.”
The child star shared that he initially pursued higher education in 2020 as he was bored during the pandemic. The endeavour turned out to coincide with his interest in legal matters.
“I also have a desire of wanting to be able to help persons, hence the full programme is a bachelor in legal studies,” he said. “However, I signed up, initially, for the two-year associate.”
8. Sister Carol
Before she became a pioneer for women in dancehall, Sister Carol was an educator, holding a bachelor’s degree in education from New York’s City College in 1983.
The veteran toaster migrated to The States in 1973 and soon gravitated to the burgeoning dancehall scene. With deejay Brigadier Jerry as a primary mentor, she honed her skills as a rounded performer, contributing to classics like Black Cinderella, Oh Jah (Mi Ready), and the Grammy-nominated project Lyrically Potent (1996).
Throughout her successes in music and extended portfolio to acting in films like Something Wild and Married to the Mob, Sister Carol, whose given name is Carol East, still found ways to incorporate her degree.
“The bachelor of science degree has enabled me to teach worldwide through the medium of music, as opposed to 25 students in a classroom,” she told Jamaicans in 2007.
9. Lt. Stitchie
Dancehall-gospel act Lt. Stitchie is a well-decorated educator with a teaching degree from the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport.
Upon graduating in 1986, the Wear Yuh Size deejay went on to teach physical education and biology for several years at three high schools: Tivoli Gardens (alma mater), St. Jago High and Johnathan Grant.
Stitchie had higher academic ambitions while doing music, returning to G.C. Foster with an application which never materialised.
“I wanted to study sports medicine and psychology,” Stitchie, whose given name is Cleve Laing, told The Gleaner . “With continuing my studies, I had started the process of getting the medical done and to acquire the school fee, but the Lord led me a different way.”
Stitchie joined Christendom in 1997, continuing teaching in his music and ministry. Consequently, he received two honorary doctorate degrees from the Dayspring Christian University (2021) and Cornerstone Christian University (2012) respectively.
10. Agent Sasco
A name change was one of several components in Agent Sasco’s calculated rebranding. The Banks of the Hope deejay evolved from Assassin in 2006, accepting a scholarship from Resource Development International to pursue a business management degree from the UK’s University of Sunderland.
“From the beginning, one of the things I was keen about was making sure that at the end of pursuing my music career, I’d recognise myself physically and figuratively,” Sasco, whose given name is Jeffrey Campbell, told The Gleaner . “I’ve seen transformations in artists that I’ve admired as a youngster growing up – artists at the pinnacle of the world industry. So, if you look, I have no piercings, no tattoos, nothing like that. I’ve never smoked anything in my life because I made that sort of pact with myself that I was always gonna be me and be true to me.”
His efforts have seen him land several corporate partnerships, while his degree has benefitted his own business ventures, including his Mulberry Valley eco-resort.