Sean Paul

Sean Paul, born 9 January 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a rapper, singer, and songwriter and one of the biggest international stars of dancehall. He grew up in a family of swimmers and played for Jamaica’s national water polo team from age 13 to 21, before giving up the sport to pursue music. He began recording in the 1990s with manager and producer Jeremy Harding, and released his debut album Stage One in 2000.

His breakthrough came with “Gimme the Light” and the 2002 album Dutty Rock. The single “Get Busy” topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2003, the first dancehall song to do so. Dutty Rock sold over six million copies worldwide. The Trinity (2005) followed with another US No. 1, “Temperature.” He also became a sought-after collaborator, appearing on Beyoncé’s “Baby Boy” and Blu Cantrell’s “Breathe.”

After leaving Atlantic Records in 2014, he had a major resurgence in 2016 with Sia’s “Cheap Thrills,” his first US No. 1 since 2006, and Clean Bandit’s “Rockabye,” a UK Christmas number one. His own single “No Lie” with Dua Lipa passed a billion YouTube views. He has since moved into the Latin market with J Balvin and Feid. He runs his own label, Dutty Rock Productions, and is active in charity work and climate advocacy. In 2020 he founded the Sean Paul Foundation, which supports communities in Jamaica. He has also pledged matching donations for Hurricane Melissa relief in Jamaica.