Stefflon Don Says Spice Is ‘Queen of Dancehall’ Even Though Her Streaming Numbers Are Higher
British Jamaican rapper Stefflon Don says that regardless of streaming numbers, Spice alone has a claim to the title “Queen of Dancehall.”
The 16 Shots rapper, 30, made the declaration during a recent appearance on TVJ’s Entertainment Report. At one point, the host Anthony Miller cited the fact that Stefflon Don’s music has surpassed “a billion streams” before saying, “when it comes to the numbers, you’re miles ahead of anyone else. So maybe Stefflon Don is the Queen of the Dancehall.”
Stefflon rejected the notion, telling Miller, “I would not call myself Queen of the Dancehall. Listen, Spice has that title and so be it. She deserves it. She’s been in the game a long time, from she was young, and she’s still killing it.”
“I’m not the Queen of no Dancehall. I don’t just do Dancehall, I do a lot of other genres. So I do not claim that title at all – even if my numbers are more than anybody else’s,” she further explained.
According to YouTube, Stefflon Don currently has 688 million video views on the platform, with 16 Shots and Hurtin’ Me with French Montana being her most viewed songs as a lead artist. Spice has 703 million video views on YouTube, with Go Down Deh with Shaggy and Sean Paul, and So Mi Like It being her most viewed songs.
On Spotify, Stefflon currently has 5.8 million monthly listeners, while Spice has 3 million monthly listeners.
Shenseea currently has 691 million video views on YouTube and 6.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Stefflon’s ER interview follows Spice’s official ‘coronation’ at Reggae Sumfest in July of this year, in which DownSound CEO Josef Bogdanovich presented the veteran artist with a crown to symbolize her ascension to the throne. The passing of the title, which had previously belonged to Minister Marion Hall (fka Lady Saw), to Spice was met with rapturous applause from the crowd in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay.
The interview also follows the August release of the single Clockwork, the first collaboration between Stefflon Don and Spice. The song, which appears on her upcoming debut album Island 54, is the latest in a career-long effort from Stefflon Don to weave her Jamaican heritage into her creative output.
Stefflon also offered thoughts on the creative and commercial state of Dancehall as she chatted with Miller in Denham Town, Kingston – the hometown of her father.
She pointed to TikTok as a reason to be optimistic about the future of Dancehall.
“Dancehall is huge [in the UK.] Especially since TikTok. I think when a Dancehall artist drops a song, it transitions to the world through TikTok straight away, like it’s instantly. Before it would have to travel, you’d have to be at a Dancehall party to hear certain songs. Or you’d have to have Jamaican friends to hear certain songs. Now, it don’t matter what country you’re from. If you’re on TikTok, you’re going to hear the baddest Jamaican songs.”