Ding Dong has spent close to twenty years getting dancehall crowds to lose their minds, and this October he gets to do it on the same stage as Cardi B.
The veteran deejay is one of four local acts just added to Campari BZR WKND Jamaica, and he is not hiding how much the booking means to him.
“It is always one a dem great feeling deh fi know seh you get considered or you’re a part of these international show pon Jamaican soil, yuh know wha I mean?” Ding Dong said. For him, this is about more than a name on a flyer.
“[It is] always a honour fi be one a dem person deh fi bring dah real dancehall street vibes deh to dem international stage yah pon di local scene,” he added. “It’s always a blessing.”
Organisers confirmed on Monday that Ding Dong, Malie Donn, Stalk Ashley and Shaneil Muir are joining the bill for Cardi B and Friends. The show lands on Sunday, October 18 at the National Stadium.
The four new names complete a line-up that already had Cardi B and Keyshia Cole, with Spice stepping in as host. That puts hip-hop, R&B and dancehall on one stage for one night, a mix that clearly sits at the heart of what the festival wants to be.
Ding Dong’s road to this moment started on the dance floor. He began as a dancer before moving into recording, founded the Ravers Clavers dance crew, and has kept a steady run of dancehall anthems coming over the years. His work earned him Dancehall Performer of the Year at the Caribbean Music Awards 2026.
The rest of the new additions bring very different energy. Malie Donn, known for a harder, trap-influenced take on dancehall, broke out with his 2023 single V6 and has since taken his live show to Sting and Reggae Sumfest.
Stalk Ashley has built a loyal fanbase with a sound that slides between dancehall and R&B. Shaneil Muir can sing, rap and deejay, and she uses that range to push messages of female empowerment.
Ryan Burke, managing director of BZR WKND, said the picks were deliberate. “Ding Dong, Malie Donn, Stalk Ashley and Shaneil Muir represent exactly what we wanted on this stage: real dancehall energy,” he said, pointing to Ding Dong’s crowd control, Malie Donn’s fresh energy, Stalk Ashley’s distinctive sound and Shaneil Muir’s versatility.
He also framed the night as a showcase for homegrown talent. Bringing them together alongside Cardi B, Keyshia Cole, with Spice as host, gives patrons a night that celebrates the depth and diversity of dancehall music, while putting our artistes on a stage with some of the biggest names in international industry,” Burke said.
That angle matters for a festival still finding its footing. BZR WKND debuted in 2023 by bringing Chris Brown to Jamaica, and this year it returns as an expanded multi-day experience, with the Cardi B and Friends night now shaping up as one of its biggest draws.
