Here Are 16 Dancehall Albums To Expect In 2021: Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Spice, Shenseea & More
Dancehall and Reggae artistes in Jamaica, as well as their compatriots domiciled overseas, were on a creative streak in 2020 leading into 2021, with a plethora of albums set to be dropped this year by some of the industry’s biggest names.
The protracted international COVID-19 lockdown has seen a total shutdown of tours and sojourns far-flung areas that artistes have grown accustomed to, and most are essentially confined to their homes, and certainly, their studios.
Many have remained resilient though, using the extra time to make the proverbial ‘lemonade from lemons’ and have gone into writing and production mode. Some of the albums have been named, some have had tracks already released, while others are still unnamed. Those who have already given titles for their albums are: Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Chronixx, I-Octane, Lisa Hyper, and Squash.
Here is a list of 16 new Dancehall / Reggae albums to expect in 2021:
Beenie Man – Simma
Beenie Man’s 19th studio album, Simma, follows his last studio project Undisputed which was released more than 13 years ago. The album had been initially projected by Beenie to be released in August last year on his 47th birthday but was pushed due to “personal challenges.”
Beenie had said Shaggy, Dexta Daps, Sean Paul, and Major Lazer are among the other stars who will be featured on the album.
In an Instagram post yesterday, the veteran deejay wrote “Soon fwd #SimmaTheAlbum.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKSFxXTr_IO/
Bounty Killer – Kings of Kingston
The announcement of this album was made in mid-2020, when the Warlord told disc jockey Nikki Z, that it was under production and that Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley was the executive producer. He later revealed the name of the album, Kings of Kingston, in the comments section of an Instagram photo.
The album is coming 19 years after Bounty Killer‘s last project Ghetto Dictionary, which was released by VP Records in 2002. The One General has promised that this album will be hardcore, ‘the real Dancehall’ and that he will be reminding people ‘what Dancehall is’.
Sean Paul – Live and Living
Live and Living is one of two albums that will be released by the Wolmer’s High school old boy this year, and, according to him, is partially aimed at increasing Dancehall’s international streaming numbers.
The project, produced under the auspices of Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock Productions, is an all-collaboration album with a slew of Jamaican Dancehall/Reggae artistes, including Buju Banton, Busy Signal, Serani, Masicka, Bugle, Intence, Squash, Mavado, and Chi Ching Ching. One track from the album titled Guns of Navarone, has already been released and features Jesse Royal and Mutabaruka and the Temperature artiste himself.
Sean Paul – Scorcher
Scorcher, which features some solo tracks, will be the second album to be released by Sean Paul this year and will be under the auspices of Island Records. The lead-out single which is produced by Chimney Records, is also titled Scorcher according to Sean Paul.
The album features Gwen Stefani, Australian singer-songwriter Sia, Shenseea, and Jada Kingdom as well as a track with Dumpling artist Stylo G.
Paul has so far released a total of six studio albums, one of which, Dutty Rock, won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album and was certified platinum. His Trinity album was also certified platinum, while his 2005 chart-topping single Temperature has been certified triple-platinum.
Chronixx – Dela Splash
Chronixx’s sophomore album, Dela Splash was expected to be released in 2020, but has been delayed, even though he released its first track Dela Move in March 2020.
It follows his 2017 Grammy-nominated Chronology album and according to the Spanish Town native, is “much darker than anything else I’ve ever done.”
Koffee – Title Unknown
After her performance at A Taste of Sumfest, Koffee told the Jamaica Star that, “I am doing a little camp right now, that’s just me and some musicians and producers and a few artistes. We just a build a vibes, seeing where that vibe takes us, and hopefully we create magic. The biggest thing for me right now is this album. Of course, I’ll be releasing singles in-between to kinda keep the pace a little, but the album is really where my focus is right now.”
In December, she announced on a virtual question and answer session on Grubhub Soundbites, that the follow-up to her Grammy-winning EP Rapture would be arriving “very, very, very soon”.
This album could feature Burna Boy, as in February last year, the Nigerian singer, posted a video clip on Instagram of Koffee deejaying some verses whilst in a studio session with him.
Spice – Title Unknown
Perhaps the most significant thing known about this album so far, is that it is being executive-produced by Shaggy. Grammy award-winning producers iLL Wayno and Shane Hoosong, Grammy-nominated producer Costi, Olaf Blackwood, and Tessellated may also contribute.
The album will be the first from Spice since signing with VP Records in 2009. She self-released her Captured mixtape in 2018.
So far there has been no announcement of an official working title or a definitive number of tracks. However, based on recent statements by her colleague Sean Paul of “a song on a different project with Spice”, it is likely that he will be featured on this album.
Shenseea – Title Unknown
During an interview on Hot 97’s Ebro In The Morning in November last year, Shenseea had announced that among her major plans for 2021 is the release of her long-awaited debut album.
“We’re hoping for March, I’m hoping for February because I just really wanna release this. I’ve never released an album before, I wanna see how well it’s gonna do. I wanna see how people gravitate to the different kinds of music I’m putting on there. Hopefully, we’re really aiming for March they say,” she said.
In December during an Instagram Live, fans were curious as to what sonic surprises await on the upcoming album. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she teased, though she did welcome collaboration suggestions. Many poured in, with the Blessed star agreeing she’d be glad to work with several including Rihanna, Megan Thee Stallion, Mary J Blige, Moyann, and Kenyan musician Tanasha Donna.
Popcaan and his Unruly squad – Title Unknown
In September 2020 Popcaan told Kube 93.3 Radio, based out of Seattle, that he was working on a new collaborative EP with members of his Unruly clan that was far advanced. The EP would see him working Quada, Frahcess One, Furnace, Chev the Goddess, Prince Ikeem, J Deva, and Unruly Cuz, among others.
When asked about the status of that effort, he responded that they were currently mixing it. “Well, we mixing it right now, so once it’s finished mixing, we are looking at a date to drop it,” he said.
Jada Kingdom – Title Unknown
Jada Kingdom recently said on Instagram that she “couldn’t wait” to share her new project with her fans. Sources tell DancehallMag, that the singer may drop an EP soon, and a longer project later in the year.
Last year, she released the E-Syde Queen – The Twinkle Playlist, a 30-minute mixtape that included WiN, remixes with Vybz Kartel and Skillibeng, a refix of Megan Thee Stallion’s Savage, and more.
I-Octane – Reggae Booth
This 17-track album is expected to be a ‘conscious’ one. It is the artiste’s fourth studio album and is scheduled to be released within the first quarter of this year. It will feature collaborations with artistes such as Gentleman, Agent Sasco, Demarco and Stephen Marley, as well as I-Octane’s daughter Octavia and his protoge Banxx.
Rygin King – Title Unknown
After recovering from a shooting in June 2020, Rygin King teased that he was “working on the album #trapking #oneking,” in an Instagram post in November. His hashtags allude to the Dancehall subgenre that has brought the Tuff deejay much of his success.
No further details or a release date were offered, but he did later share what might be the album’s cover.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CH-v7JpJUyz/?utm_source=ig_embed
Lisa Hyper – Phoenix
Lisa Hyper had announced plans to release her Phoenix Dancehall album in the summer of 2020, but a few months later, changed her mind and pushed the release date to 2021. She had told The Star tabloid at the time, that although the album had been completed, she felt that the timing was not right as the “universe’ is leading her in a different direction’. So far she has released a single titled Cry Me River.
Squash – Mr. Whittaker
Squash, whose given name is Andre Whittaker, announced last year that he was putting all his attention on his album, to make sure it was Grammy-worthy. The album he said, is a joint venture between 6ix is Real Records and VP Records, and is expected to comprise at least 14-tracks covering various topics which he believes the international market will find appealing.
There are some productions underway that have not been named.
Bling Dawg – Elevate
Last July, veteran deejay Bling Dawg announced the release of what is to be his first studio album, whilst speaking on Television Jamaica’s entertainment programme, Intense. According to the St. Thomas native, the one-drop album, is in tandem with his new holistic lifestyle.
The album will be titled Elevate, according to an Instagram post by the artist last week.
While he did not give the exact release date for the production, he has outlined that Damian’ Junior Gong’ Marley produced two of the tracks on the album and that it features the likes Popcaan, Tanya Stephens, Busy Signal, Bounty Killer, Morgan Heritage, Christopher Martin, and Romain Virgo who were “embedded in that culture of one drop”.
Intence – Title Unknown
On January 10, Intence vaguely confirmed on his compatriot Govana’s Twitter feed that an album was in the making, after the Likkle Bit a Money artiste told him that he wanted “a project” from him this year. Intence had replied: “Yea G a anytime now.”