Billboard-charting producer Kemar “Flava” McGregor has added another remarkable chapter to his growing list of achievements after his latest compilation, Riddim 91, knocked his own ‘Kiss of Judas’ reggae crossover album from the top of the U.S. iTunes Reggae Albums chart.
Released on July 17, Riddim 91 wasted little time asserting its dominance, surging to No. 1 on the streams-driven iTunes Reggae chart while extending McGregor’s unprecedented grip on the digital reggae marketplace.
The feat means McGregor now occupies the chart’s top two positions with back-to-back projects, an accomplishment that underscores both his commercial appeal and his growing influence as one of reggae’s most successful modern producers.
McGregor’s feat is phenomenal for a producer and only Bob Marley can lay claim to this achievement, albeit with the same Legend album.
On the iTunes Top Reggae Albums Chart, Bob Marley frequently “replaces himself” because multiple editions of his 1984 greatest hits compilation, Legend, occupy the top slots. It is common to see Legend (Remastered) sitting at No. 1 while Legend (Deluxe Edition) or the Bob Marley: One Love Soundtrack shifts into the runner-up positions, creating a continuous cycle where his various repackaged sets trade chart dominance.
Known throughout the industry as the “Billboard King,” McGregor believes the achievement reflects reggae’s expanding reach among younger listeners.
“I’m extremely grateful for the support from reggae music fans in the U.S., especially college-age listeners,” McGregor said. “The demographics and analytics show that a significant percentage of our streaming support is coming from younger consumers. That tells me reggae music is becoming more popular and more relevant with a new generation.”
His optimism is echoed by industry data.
According to Luminate’s Midyear Report, reggae—which includes dancehall—recorded a 7 percent increase in U.S. on-demand audio streams during the first half of the year compared with the same period a year earlier. The genre generated 1.3 billion on-demand audio streams in the United States during the first six months of the tracking period, highlighting reggae’s continued commercial growth in the world’s largest music market.
McGregor is equally proud of the sustained success of Kiss of Judas, which spent more than eight consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the iTunes Reggae chart before being replaced by Riddim 91.
Over the weekend, the project achieved another milestone by appearing on the front page of the iTunes All-Genres chart—a coveted position typically dominated by global pop and hip-hop superstars.
“This is huge,” McGregor said. “To get a reggae project onto an all-genres chart means you’re competing with every style of music. That’s a major accomplishment.”
Unlike genre-specific rankings, all-genre charts combine performance across multiple consumption metrics, including paid and free streaming, digital and physical sales, and terrestrial and satellite radio airplay. Breaking into those rankings requires exceptional commercial momentum across several platforms simultaneously.
McGregor believes such breakthroughs help create opportunities for the wider Jamaican music industry.
“This is a great achievement for Jamaican music,” he said. “It’s important to keep the bridge open for our culture and to show future producers and artistes that it is possible to compete on an international scale.”
At the heart of Riddim 91 is a sprawling 25-track compilation running one hour and 42 minutes, showcasing McGregor’s polished production and signature ability to blend veteran performers with contemporary stars.
The project features an impressive lineup of reggae and dancehall heavyweights, including Beenie Man, Junior Reid, Glen Washington, Turbulence, Duane Stephenson, Etana, I-Octane, Pressure Busspipe, Ginjah, Zamunda and Ras Shiloh, among others.
“We’re going directly to the buyers of music, we are forging collaborations with hip hop artistes to gain access to their Spotify and Apple Music fans and listenership, this is the way forward for reggae music…a spirit of collaboration and direct-to-consumer marketing,” McGregor said.
Now available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Deezer and other major streaming platforms, Riddim 91 has not only extended McGregor’s remarkable chart run but also provided fresh evidence that reggae continues to expand its global audience in the streaming era.
