Mark Anthony Myrie, known professionally as Buju Banton, is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae singer. He is one of the most significant and well-regarded artists in Jamaican music. Banton has collaborated with many international artists, including those in the hip hop, Latin and punk rock genres, as well as the sons of Bob Marley.
Moses Anthony Davis OD, professionally known as Beenie Man, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.
In Jamaican dancehall music, a riddim is the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the term consist of the riddim plus the voicing sung by the deejay. A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances.
Rodney Basil Price OD(born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair for gun talk". He is considered one of the best dancehall lyricists of all time.
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably, with digital dancehall becoming increasingly characterized by faster rhythms. Key elements of dancehall music include its extensive use of Jamaican Patois rather than Jamaican standard English and a focus on the track instrumentals.
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques is a Jamaican dancehall deejay, singer, and rapper. Paul's first album, Stage One, was released in 2000. He gained international fame with his second album, Dutty Rock, in 2002. Its single "Get Busy" topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, as did "Temperature", off his third album, The Trinity (2005).
Clifton George Bailey III, better known by his stage name Capleton, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician. He is also referred to as King Shango, King David, The Fireman and The Prophet. His record label is called David House Productions. He is known for his Rastafari views expressed in his songs.
T.O.K. are a dancehall reggae group from Kingston, Jamaica. As of 2024, the group consists of Alistaire "Alex" McCalla, Roshaun "Bay-C" Clarke, Craig "Craigy T" Thompson, and Xavier "Flexx" Davidson. They started their band in 1996, and announced its dissolution in 2015, before reuniting in 2022 and releasing a new song which would be the first after their reunion, titled NPLH (Home), featuring Shams the Producer. This song was released in 2023. T.O.K. were described as "the world's greatest dancehall-reggae boy band" by The New York Times in 2004. They were best known for such hits as "Footprints", "Diamonds and Gold", "Gal You Ah Lead", "Chi Chi Man", "Eagles Cry", "Guardian Angel", "Money 2 Burn", "She's Hot", "Hey Ladies", "The Voice", "I Believe", "Shake Your Bam Bam" and "Galang Gal".
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in Jamaica face legal and social issues not experienced by heterosexual and gender-conforming people. Consensual sexual intercourse between same-sex partners is legally punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment in the country.
Stop Murder Music is a campaign to oppose Caribbean artists who produce music with lyrics alleged to glorify murder of homosexual men. The campaign was mainly against Jamaican musicians, primarily dancehall and reggae artists such as Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, and the Bobo Ashanti Rastafarians Sizzla and Capleton.
David Constantine Brooks, better known by his stage name Mavado, is a Jamaican singer. Mavado signed with DJ Khaled's We the Best Music Group, a then-imprint of Cash Money and Republic Records in 2011. He guest performed on each of Khaled's studio albums, beginning with We the Best Forever (2011) until parting ways with the label prior to the release of his twelfth, Khaled Khaled (2021). His 2013 single, "Give It All to Me" was released in promotion for his debut major label studio album, which remains unreleased.
Collin Demar Edwards, better known by his stage name Demarco, is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae recording artist.
Aidonia is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae artist from Kingston, Jamaica. He became active in early 2004, and has released albums on the record labels, VP Records and Jag One Productions.
Adidja Azim Palmer, better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as Worl' Boss or Teacha. As summarized by Rolling Stone, he "attained folk-hero status in Jamaica with provocative lyrics, and a mischievous public persona", and "few have captivated [the dancehall] audience – or offended the sensibilities of its detractors – as consistently and thoroughly as Kartel."
Andrae Hugh Sutherland, known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican deejay.
Winston Foster, better known by the stage name Yellowman and also known as King Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a series of singles that established his reputation.
Grace Latoya Hamilton, known professionally as Spice, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay, singer, and songwriter. Known as the "Queen of Dancehall", Spice is recognised as one of the most prominent dancehall artists in the world. She is known for her aggressive flow, musical versatility and outspoken lyrics. Spice first gained recognition after performing at the annual dancehall festival Sting in 2000. She released her first single "Complain" for record producer Dave Kelly's Madhouse Records in 2003. She continued to release the singles "Right There" and "Hype", even being featured on songs with Jimmy Cliff and Beenie Man in 2004 and 2006, respectively.
Earlan Bartley, better known as Alkaline, is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae musician from Kingston, Jamaica.
Desmond Méndez, better known as Charly Black, alternatively known as Charly Blacks, and originally known as Tony Mentol, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, selector and singjay. He is best known for his track "Gyal You a Party Animal", which became popular outside Jamaica in regions including Mexico, South America, and Spain. The song was a hit in these regions, as well as in some parts of the Caribbean and Central America. It is also one of the most watched dancehall videos on YouTube with over 238 million views as of February 2022. Other songs include "Whine & Kotch" Feat. J Capri, "Girlfriend", "Bike Back", and "Hoist & Wine". Mendez has also collaborated with other music artists, including his collaboration with American Latin pop star Jencarlos Canela in the single "Pa Que Me Invitan".
Jahvillani, born Dujon Mario Edwards is a Jamaican and dancehall artist from Great Pond, St.Ann, a parish in Jamaica. He has two sisters and was raised by a single parent.
