I'm In It: How Reggae Is Running Things In 2013

From rap to R&B and even K-Pop, reggae has been influencing all types of genres this year.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Ever since Kool Herc brought Jamaican sound system culture to the Bronx and birthed a billion-dollar industry called hip-hop, dancehall reggae has been the ghost in the American urban music machine. From island-flavored beats to yardie slang, Jamaican music has always exerted a profound if under-recognized influence on genres ranging from rap to R&B, rock, and pop. EDM? That was invented in Jamaica too.

Whether it was Yellowman and Run-D.M.C., Shabba Ranks and KRS-ONE, or Super Cat and Biggie Smalls, collaborations between dancehall and hip-hop artists have been going on for a long while now. These things go in cycles—the last big explosion began around 2002 when Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Wayne Wonder flooded the airwaves with raw uncut dancehall.

But in the past year there has been an explosion of something a little bit different. While a handful of Jamaican artists like Mr. Vegas and Konshens have enjoyed Stateside radio play, droves of international artists are incorporating elements of dancehall style into their own—a mountain of mash-up.

From Snoop Lion to Selena Gomez, reggae seems to be everywhere this summer. Even televised award shows are getting in on the act. In an effort to make sense of the trend and what it means for actual Jamaican music, we've rewound back through the past several months to separate the yardcore from the Ja-fakin'.

Written by Rob Kenner (@boomshots)

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French Montana's "Freaks" gets the party popping with Lil Vicious and Nicki Minaj.

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Date: February 14

Trinidad-born Nicki Minaj grew up in Queens hitting dancehall spots like the Q Club so it's no surprise that she went on to collaborate with reggae artists like Beenie Man, Gyptian, and Ricky Blaze. She even shouted out Tony Matterhorn's "Dutty Wine" on her classic version from Kanye West's "Monster." This summer she dropped two collabs with New York rappers where she supplied the dancehall flavor. On French Montana's "Freaks" and Busta Rhymes' "#Twerkit" Nicki let loose a new alter ego, bad gyal Barbz.

Sting, Bruno Mars, and Rihanna join the Marley brothers in paying tribute to Bob Marley at the 2013 Grammys.

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Drake, who's always dropping dancehall slang, says "Str8, Y Pree?" on "5AM in Toronto."

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Major Lazer's "Free The Universe" blends reggae with everything.

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Date: April 16

Diplo's dancehall fusion crew dropped their sophomore album this past April, and the guest list was even crazier than on their 2009 debut. Ranging from Jamaican OGs like Vybz Kartel, Elephant Man and Shaggy to Bruno Mars, Santigold, Ms. Dynamite, Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors, and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend. The sonic palette included generous portions of of electro-rap and trap, but on singles like "Jah No Partial," a reworking of Johnny Osbourne's "Mr. Marshall" by UK dubstep master Flux Pavillion and "Bumaye," a supercharged take on the "Dem Bow" riddim featuring Busy Signal, the Jamaican sounds were front and center.

Snoop Lion gets Miley Cyrus and Rita Ora singing reggae.

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Date: April 23


When Snoop Dogg announced that he had been reincarnated as reggae artist Snoop Lion, weeded-out rap fans saw it as a natural progression of his ganja fixation while some Rasta hardliners were skeptical of his faith in "Jah Rastafari." But when the Lion's "Reincarnated" album dropped last April the most remarkable thing was the guest list. Along with reggae stars like Mr. Vegas, Collie Buddz, Mavado and Popcaan, Snoop enlisted the talents of Drake, Chris Brown, and Busta Rhymes—all of whom have dabbled with reggae sounds and slang to one degree or another—and even Miley Cyrus and Rita Ora. When the Lion roars even pop princesses catch the riddim.

Syleena Johnson & Musiq Soulchild have a forthcoming reggae album produced by "Flava" McGregor.

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Mavado sings the hook on French Montana's "Fuck What Happens."

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Date: May 21

French Montana's album Excuse My French was stacked with A-list guest appearances. The single "Fuck What Happens Tonight," boasted verses by rappers from Miami (Ace Hood, DJ Khaled), Houston (Scarface), and L.A. (Snoop Dogg—no longer in Lion mode). But when it was time for the hook, French took it straight to Jamaica and called on Mavado because the Gully God is so special.

Kanye West's Yeezus features guest verse from Assasin.

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Date: June 18

Kanye West's affinity for reggae is well known. He is the man who sampled Max Romeo on the Jay-Z banger "Lucifer." More recently G.O.O.D. Music has been on a reggae bender, starting with the Fuzzy Jones sample on "Mercy," on through the Barrington Levy vocals on the "I Don't Like" remix, and the Popcaan intro to Pusha T's "Blocka." And when Kanye dropped Yeezus it was clear that he'd been bitten by the dancehall bug.

It's not just that four of the album's 10 tracks include dancehall vocals (samples of Beenie Man, Capleton, and Popcaan, and a new verse by Assassin) but the album's aesthetics—stripped down digital beats and heaps of raw aggression—sound like they're straight from yard. collaborated with Busta Rhymes, The Clipse, and Jay-Z in the past. But he's mostlyMaybe one day he'll actualy collab with a dancehall star. Now that would be really G.O.O.D.

India Arie sings a duet with Gramps Morgan.

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Date: June 25

India.Arie's breakthrough hit "Video" had a bit of a reggae backbeat, and the formerly dreadlocked Grammy-winner has maintained a touch of reggae in her mix. Her latest album Songversation features a soulful cut called "Thy Will Be Done" featuring Gramps Morgan, whose rich baritone was first heard as part of the reggae group Morgan Heritage. India previously appeared on Gramps's solo album Two Sides of My Heart.

MIA's new single is straight dancehall.

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Date: June 25

Ever since her breakout single "Galang," Brit Asian bombshell M.I.A. has shown a strong affinity for dancehall sounds. She's explored all sorts of global beats since then but "Bring the Noize," her latest single from the forthcoming album Matangi takes it back to the essence with a sparse digital beat and bad-gyal patois hook "Bring the noize when we run up pon dem."

The 2013 BET Awards features a reggae segment.

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Jay-Z samples Sizzla on Magna Carta, Holy Grail.

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Date: July 4
One of the standout tracks on Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail is "Crown," which opens with a spectral, slowed-down sample of Sizzla’s 2002 hit “Solid As A Rock,” taken from his classic Bobby Digital–produced album, Da Real Thing. The Jay-Z tune, Produced by Travi$ Scott and 16-year-old newcomer WundaGirl, is only the latest of many rap jams to touch that particular Sizzla track. But it was definitely the first to arrive on half a million Samsung phones simultaneously.

Even K-pop group 2NE1 dropped a reggae joint.

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Date: July 7

Reggae has been a big deal in Japan for years but Korean reggae is a somewhat newer phenomenon. The K-Pop girl group broke new ground when they released their reggae-flavored "Falling In Love" complete with a video featuring CL, Dara, Minzy, and Park Bom showing off their sexiest bubbling moves. The track was so hot the group's legions of fans voted it MTV Iggy's Song of the Summer.

Sean Paul turntz it up with Juicy J and 2 Chainz.

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Date: July 9

Dancehall star Sean Paul has risen to the top of the U.S. pop charts with straight-no-chaser Jamaican-produced hits like "Get Busy" and "Temperature." He's also collaborated with Busta Rhymes, The Clipse, and Jay-Z in the past. Now "Entertainment," the second single from his next album, features 2Chainz and Juicy J. Looks like Dutty Paul is getting turnt up.

A$AP Ferg drops "Shabba," a song named after dancehall legend Shabba Ranks.

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Date: July 15

The latest star to emerge from Harlem's A$AP Mob hails from a Trinidadian family who used to vacation in Montego Bay. When he was just a shorty going to school "he used to bump Shabba Ranks "Ting A Ling" and now that he's a grown man, he dedicated his first single off the album Trap Lord to the dancehall legend, whose inimitable swag is summed up in the chorus "Eight gold rings like I'm Sha- Shabba Ranks / Two bad bitches like I'm Sha- Shabba Ranks." Ferg even got Shabba to make a rare guest appareance in the video. Nuff respect.

Selena Gomez channels Buju Banton on "Like a Champion."

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Date: July 22

What ever happened to our darling Disney princess? First the former star of Witches of Waverly Place (and on-again off-again girlfriend of good-boy-gone-bad Justin Bieber) appeared in the R-rated movie Spring Breakers. And now on her latest album Stars Dance she covers Buju Banton's sexy dancehall smash "Champion." When Selena says "ram-pa-pa-pam" her Ja-fakin' accent sounds a litte silly, but she's too cute to hate on.

Busta Rhymes announces a "#Twerkit" remix that will feature...

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Date: August 1

Whether he was collaborating with Sean Paul, Buju Banton, or Snoop Lion, the formerly dreadlocked MC Bussa Bus has always repped for his Jamaican heritage. So we can't wait to see what he has in store for his next album, which reportedly includes a "Twerk It" remix featuring Vybz Kartel. Exactly how the incarcerated World Boss plans to record his verse is anybody's guess.

Drake's "All Me" samples Kardinal Offishall's "Ol' Time Killin"

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Date: August 1

Growing up in Toronto, Drake was always surrounded by West Indian culture. So it should come as no surprise that Drizzy stays dropping reggae slang on tunes like "5AM in Toronto." When he asks "Y Pree?" he's lifting a bit of slang from Vybz Kartel, translateed loosely as "Why are you watching me"? Drake's also been known to stop by local dancehalls to take in champion sounds like Mighty Crown. On his latest single, "All Me," there's even a sample of TDot rudeboy Kardinall Offishall's "Old Time Killin."

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