7 Dancehall, Reggae Albums To Expect In May

sean-paul-shaggy
Sean Paul, Shaggy

With summer fast approaching, there’s no shortage of new music to usher in the concerts and parties that are set to follow. Here’s the release calendar for the month of May.

1. UTG – Team Different

May 6th

This Friday, brothers Likkle Vybz and Likkle Addi are set to expand the Gaza-branded catalogue with their joint album, Team Different. In conversation with DancehallMag, Likkle Vybz assured fans that the duo would be injecting the Dancehall scene with a much-needed dose of “music for the ladies.” On Euphoric Love, the lead single for the project, the pair adopts their father’s formula for romance as they attempt to counterbalance scenes of dancing women with heart-shaped hand gestures and Kartellian melodies.

2. Skillibeng – Mr Universe EP

May 12th

The last time that Skillibeng dropped an EP was in August of 2019, a few months before his music would go on to etch itself into the national consciousness. In the three years since Prodigy EP was released, the St. Thomas native has managed to: (1) amass a global following; (2) stack his resume with a constellation of features and co-signs; (3) polarise some Dancehall fans beyond reconciliation.  The new EP also follows his debut Crocodile Teeth LP, which sold 627 units during its first week of release in October 2021.

Skillibeng hasn’t revealed too much about what fans can expect from the forthcoming Mr Universe EP but of course, that’s part of the fun.

3. Runkus & Toddla T – OUT:SIDE

May 20th

As the Jamaican government moves to sever its monarchical ties with England, Runkus and Toddla T are bridging the two cultures with their own joint project, OUT:SIDE. With roots in the BBC 1xtra’s Freshman Freestyles, the album’s release marks the culmination of years of creative ideation between the Portmore-based deejay and the Sheffield-raised producer. OUT:SIDE also arrives as the third instalment in a conceptual series for Runkus beginning with 2016’s Moving In and its follow-up, 2021’s IN:SIDE. The album is being led by the singles Big Chune and GOODLOVE with Ky-mani Marley which were released in February and April, respectively.

4. Shaggy – Come Fly Wid Mi

May 25th

If there’s any immutable fact of life, it’s probably that you can never predict Shaggy’s next move. Consider these highlights from the past four years of the Boombastic singer’s career: he dropped a Grammy-winning joint record with Sting; he played a major role in the production and promotion of Spice’s debut album, 10; he is about to release a collection of reggae-revised Frank Sinatra hits. What could possibly be next? With Come Fly Wid Mi on the horizon I can only leave you, dear reader, with this advice: don’t set expectations because Shaggy will surely find some way to defy them.

5. Sean Paul – Scorcha

May 27th

2022 started out as a big year for Sean Paul for at least two reasons: the Grammy nod for 2021’s feature-rich Live n Livin and the upcoming 20th anniversary of his groundbreaking Dutty Rock. Though others might celebrate these milestones by easing up and slowing down a bit, the dancehall icon is shifting back into full throttle. Sean Paul’s eighth studio album arrives on May 27 with 15 tracks, 5 of which have already been released: Only Fanz, How We Do It, Dynamite, Calling on Me, and most recently, No Fear. The tracklist boasts guest features from Damian Marley, Shenseea, Jada Kingdom, Stylo G, and Gwen Stefani, among others.

6. Mr. Lexx – Like I Never Left

TBA

In an interview with DancehallMag, Mr. Lexx revealed that his forthcoming album, Like I Never Left, will be his last. The swan song follows a 2020 EP entitled Touch Down and will bookend the Full Hundred singer’s decades-spanning musical career. “I’m going into TV … I also have this podcast, and like I said I’m going into TV so I’m looking forward to that transition,” he noted during the conversation. Mr. Lexx also offered his birth month, May, as far as a time frame for the full-length release.

7. Rik Jam – TBA

TBA

Rik Jam broke onto the scene at the beginning of 2021 with Ready Fi Dem, an autobiographical track that traces his journey from living in Fletcher’s Land in downtown Kingston to carving out his own space in the reggae community. Since then, he’s dropped a handful of singles, embarked on a U.S. tour and found placement for his music on Protoje’s Reggae: Fresh and Clean Spotify playlist. Continuing the trend, Rik Jam can add another milestone to the pile as he revealed to the Jamaica Observer that his debut album will be released at some point this month.