**This piece is part of my monthly series called “Dancehall and Dialectics.”**
When we think of dancehall music, a few things automatically come to mind like Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Aidonia and Alkaline. We think of infectious beats and oversexualized lyrics that have woven their way into the center of dancehall musical culture. Dancehall is also notorious for featuring songs with violent lyrics — or gun chunes as they are called in Jamaica — that advocate for horizontal violence.
These songs are catchy as hell and often display lyrical genius — my personal favorite artist happens to be Addi di Teacha — but I was excited to see a contrast to the typical dancehall music that we’ve come accustomed to hearing burst onto the scene.
During the past two years, dancehall saw an emergence of young female artists who challenged the male-dominated genre with uplifting and non-degrading lyrics while being just as catchy as a Kartel tune.
You’re probably already thinking of the first subject of this piece: Koffee.
“Pickney of the Century”
The 19-year-old lyricist turned dancehall on its head with her 2018 single, “Toast”, a lively celebratory tune which quickly became the summer anthem for 2019 as one couldn’t go to any party without the song being played at least three times.
With the release of her EP “Rapture,” Koffee brought political and social topics wrapped in pristine lyricism to the forefront of dancehall. On her track Raggamuffin, she calls out the sellout government of Jamaica and its negative effects on poor people: “Hear say di government vile out here, ghetto tears long, river Nile out here.”
She speaks specifically to the government’s theft of resources with the following bar: “What a gwan ah Jamaica? Parliament tun di paper. Fi ghetto youths dem nuh cater. That’s why di country nuh safer.”
The precocious Koffee is confident in her talents — she also plays the guitar — and what she will offer music genres in Jamaica. On her track “Rapture” she touts herself as the “pickney of the century” and she just might be. Koffee’s talents have been able to do what not many in dancehall have done before: attract young and old people alike.
The songstress rounded out 2019 by dropping her track “W” which encourages listeners to be winners. This may be some foreshadowing since Koffee is the youngest person to be nominated for the Best Reggae Album Grammy and is favored to win by the people of Jamaica. The future is hot for Koffee and with bars like “2030 we still a dweet,” it’s clear that she doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
Jane Magizmo: A musical rebel
The soft, melodious voice of Jane Macgizmo was an exciting — and the only — feature on Koffee’s album, on the track “Blazin.” In this song, the duo exposed the classism and poverty in Jamaica while Macgizmo sings “we are the fire full of love,” an empowering statement to the youth.
I was first introduced to Jane Macgizmo’s music with her 2018 single “One Away.” The song’s sly lyrics and rhythmic baseline went perfectly with singer’s sultry vocals.
The songstress is known for her sultry ballads and didn’t disappoint when she debuted her newest single “Midas” in October last year. A ballad with a wicked baseline, the song has an air of confidence, even boastfulness, as she sings about a breakup. “The love I gave to you it’s the finest. And now it costed you the touch of midas.”
It’s not hard to appreciate Macgizmo’s talent in creating music that discuss love, heartbreak, and sex while being discreet with superb use of metaphors. This comes in contrast to songs that tend to hit the listener over the head with oversexualized lyrics.
Jane Macgizmo is truly a “rebel in this music.” The music she makes draws on a few different genres — from R&B to soul — in order to give her a sound unlike what we are used to hearing come out of Jamaica.
When I asked what her mission is when it comes to her music, Jane responded, “For me I just wanted to be able to create a sound coming out of Jamaica that doesn’t leave the artist to be labeled as either a reggae or dancehall artist…”
It’s obvious that Jane is ready to make her unique stamp on Jamaica, and the world. And I will certainly be listening.
Sevana: A vocal powerhouse
We can’t discuss changing the narrative of dancehall music without mentioning our next artist, Sevana. The songstress debuted her energetic single “Nobody Man” back in July which boldly challenges the norm in dancehall of women “stealing” each other’s boyfriends and husbands.
Sevana sings, “me nuh want nobody’s boyfriend, nobody’s husband.” A message which refreshingly contrasts what we’ve grown accustomed to hearing from many female artists in Jamaica.
Sevana’s talent is unmatched as she features her soaring vocals in the chorus and bridge while dj-ing (or rapping) on the catchy verses.
The vocal powerhouse is known for her songs’ meaningful messages with “Sometime Love” which she released in 2018. On this ballad Sevana sings about loving “bravely” and completely. Her newest release, “Haul and Pull” which came out early December on the Rock and Groove riddim, encourages people to stand firm and not be easily influenced.
The musical variety on Sevana’s catalogue is impressive as she easily moves from soft ballads to uptempto dancehall and then to a smooth rock steady beat. This vocal general has brought something special to Jamaica’s music and I eagerly await her future projects.
Lila Iké: Sweet Inspiration
I was really late to the party when it came to learning about the final vocal prodigy of this piece: Lila Iké.
I first heard Lila’s captivating voice in the summer of 2019 on the smooth reggae track “Where I’m Coming From,” which speaks of her life and musical journey and being thankful for it. But Iké first came onto the music scene in 2018 with her first single “Second Chance,” a sorrowful song about a breakup and a plea for reconciliation of love.
Lila’s latest single, “Sweet Inspiration,” displays her sweet sound once more as she sings about finding inspiration and motivation.
Lila, however, has been successful is providing a similar type of inspiration for her listeners with her music that generally falls under the traditional reggae category. One can easily be brought to a simple, thoughtful and meditative place while listening to her socially constructive music. Certainly, Lila’s music is for “good people” looking for “good vibes.”
The future of Jamaica’s music
Koffee, Jane Macgizmo, Sevana and Lila Iké represent a growth in Jamaica’s music that we haven’t really seen or heard before. They have had the ability to broaden Jamaica’s musical sphere with the topics that are discussed in their songs and with the composition of the songs themselves.
Though their music range in sound and style, I have hope that the positive messages are steadfast. There is a market and a space for people who want a change to the world and express that in their music, people who recognize the contradictions facing oppressed poor people of Jamaica and are able to speak to that.
I truly find it inspiring to witness this period in time where an influx of women in Jamaica’s musical world are providing an alternative to the often degrading messages with beats that can carry a party.
