International dancehall superstar Beenie Man asked who had the keys to his Bimmer in 1997. Nearly three decades later, the question is still getting dance floors to answer back. “Who Am I (Sim Simma)” has been certified Gold in the United Kingdom, adding another plaque to one of dancehall’s most recognizable records.
The British Phonographic Industry awarded the single Gold for 400,000 units from sales and streams. The track had already gone Gold in the United States, where the RIAA certified it for 500,000 equivalent units.
The hook began with a new BMW and a song on the radio. Beenie heard Sean Paul’s “Infiltrate” over Jeremy Harding’s Playground Riddim and drew on the cadence of Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” as he freestyled his own opening. The result was a line a DJ could cue up in Kingston, London, or New York and let the room finish.
Harding’s production gave that hook room to hit. The Playground Riddim drew inspiration from “Section,” a track on the Roots’ 1996 album Illadelph Halflife. Its booming 808 drums and thick bass gave “Who Am I” a hip-hop pulse that stood out in late-’90s dancehall.
Featured on Beenie’s 1997 album Many Moods of Moses, the single reached No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles chart and No. 15 on Hot R&B Singles. It helped make Beenie an international star and carried dancehall into clubs far beyond Jamaica. The UK plaque puts a number on that reach. On the dance floor, two words still do the job: “Sim Simma.”
