Skillibeng Defends Trap Dancehall, ‘We Know It Good For The Music’

Skillibeng aka Mr. Universe started the new year with some international clout as BBC1 Xtra’s first artist interview.  He last appeared on 1Xtra with a bracing freestyle back in January 2020 that’s since clocked over a million views as well as wide acclaim. 

The deejay’s career has soared since then, and he spoke with host Seani B about his new mixtape, and the criticism from those that think Dancehall-infused Trap beats have changed the sound of the genre too much.

Admitting he used to skip school for studio time, the E Syde emcee started out doing covers of his faves like Vybz Kartel and Mavado, but soon noted his execution was even more electric than the established stars he emulated.  His breakout single eventually came to be the punchy, viral hit Brik Pan Brik, which Seani B labeled the ‘poster child for trap dancehall’. 

This new wave has caught flak over the last few months from the likes of Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, and Capleton for its supposed appropriation, inauthenticity, and being too far removed from the golden years of 90’s dancehall. 

When asked whether he accepted the term trap dancehall, Skilllibeng said he does, “but as a musician trap dancehall is just a thing weh, yuh know, dem jus ah give it a name coz at di end a di day Skillibeng nuh really go after trap dancehall. Mi go after good music, yuh see wah me a seh.”

He explained, “Today mi will feel like mi fi sing a souls, tomorrow mi feel like mi wi jus kill seventy people pon a riddim, tomorrow is a whole gyal vibe, di odda day is a weed vibe, even di same day. Mi jus like fi be optimistic, nuh body nuh fi know wah me a forward wid. An Brik Pan Brik was jus ah ting like dat weh surprise dem.”

The 24-year-old from St. Thomas then addressed Trap Dancehall’s critics: “Dem free fi complain but we know it good fi di music because at di end a di day people weh jus born, kids inna fi wi era nah go have a good time listening to dem parents set ah music. Ah fi dem music dat. It have fi continue go by a process.”

“It’s not my era weh mi can listen to weh mi like. We listen it an hold a vibe said way enuh, but yuh kno wah we leff fi do? Gi dem homage fi mek we know seh, yow, we can do dis too. No disrespect but is not fiwi genre we wi want fi siddung an listen an enjoy,” he added.

“We haffi ah buil new sound and new music fi di people dem, straight. so nutn nuh wrong if we mix dancehall wid a hip hop beat because di biggest platforms been ah tek weh fiwi style and use it how dem waah use it.”

Unshaken by hecklers and loaded with prospects, Skillibeng says he welcomes the criticism from his elders in the genre.

[Criticism] “is a good ting fi me because criticism build people and at the end of di day di younger yutes weh inna dancehall now fi use dat and build demself an create better music until dem get accepted.”

“Music business is a nonstop game. Said ting when mi forward wid Brik Pan Brik dem seh mi ah one hit wonder. Nobody nah seh dat right now again,” he added.

The fast-rising act who’s featured on the British station’s Hot for 2021 List is also now signed to a Sony/ATV Music UK publishing deal.