Kranium’s Breakout Hit ‘Nobody Has To Know’ Certified Gold In The UK

Kranium’s 2013 breakout hit Nobody Has To Know has officially struck Gold in the United Kingdom.

According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the single was issued the Brit Certified Gold Award on Friday (January 16), having sold over 400,000 units in the country as measured by The Official Charts Company. The milestone comes nearly five years after the track was certified Silver for surpassing 200,000 units.

Originally released in 2013, Nobody Has To Know was produced by Lamar Michael Reynolds of PLMR Productions. The track’s organic success and infectious melody propelled Kranium to international recognition, eventually leading to him signing with Atlantic Records.

His first major release under the label was a remix of the single featuring Ty Dolla $ign. This was followed by his debut album, Rumors, which included the original track, the remix, the title track Rumors, and his earlier hit, Lifestyle.

Kranium (born Kemar Donaldson) has previously spoken about the steep learning curve that followed his initial success. In a 2021 interview with DancehallMag , he explained how the single shaped his approach to music making.

“When Nobody Has To Know came out in 2013/4 it put me in a space where I was the only one with a big hit record,” he said. “So when I started going on the road now, I realize that when I dropped  Buy Weh You Want Buy (Lifestyle), there’s was a difference between that and Nobody Has To Know. So I learned the difference between a known song and a hit song. So I just didn’t want anymore known song, I wanted hit songs.”

That drive has clearly paid off, as Nobody Has To Know isn’t the only track from the “Melody Gad” moving major units between the Atlantic.

He holds Brit Certified Silver awards (recognizing sales of over 200,000 units) for his 2016 collaboration We Can featuring Tory Lanez, and his 2020 anthem Gal Policy. He also secured a Silver UK plaque for his contribution to Wiley’s 2019 hit My One, which also featured Lanez and Dappy.

In the United States, Nobody Has To Know peaked at No. 44 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA in September 2019 for sales exceeding 500,000 copies.

In Canada, the track is currently certified Platinum (80,000 units). Additionally, his singles We Can (feat. Tory Lanez) and Can’t Believe (feat. Ty Dolla $ign and Wizkid) are both certified Gold (40,000 units) in the country.

Despite the song’s massive success, Kranium admitted that its dominance initially brought significant pressure. During a 2022 interview with Billboard, the singer revealed he battled depression due to the fear of becoming a one-hit wonder.

“Nobody Has to Know, at that time, when it came out, was the only thing you were hearing. That was the only reggae that translated from the American market to Africa and the Caribbean at the time. It was a hard mountain and a high one at that,” he explained.

The Montego Bay native shared that the weight of expectations took a toll on his mental health before he found his footing again.

“I didn’t believe I would climb that mountain because that was the same time I went into a depression… The first time I knew what anxiety and depression were, was when that song came out. You get so much love, and then eventually it starts slowing down, and you start thinking everything doesn’t seem the same anymore, and then it’s like, ‘What’s next?’”

While Nobody Has To Know was the catalyst that landed him a major record deal, Kranium is now navigating the industry on his own terms. In March 2023, the singer announced his departure from Atlantic Records after an eight-year partnership.

“I was the only Dancehall artist signed to a major when I did the deal,” Kranium wrote on Instagram at the time, noting that while he had “great moments,” he was ready for a new chapter.