In an increasingly crowded Dancehall arena of young artistes trying to carve out a space for themselves on the local entertainment scene, these artistes managed to grab the attention of Dancehall fans in 2024.
This top 5 which was curated by Yardhype features locall artistes such as Eddy G Bomba, Nhance, Skippa, Jamal and Nigy Boy. These deejays made their marks after previously being under the radar to the mass.
1. Eddy G Bomba
Eddy G Bomba released his 16-track mixtape Jumanji Book earlier this year. The project included features from Squash, Brysco, and Qwella, but it was his solo track, No Cap, that garnered the most attention.
While the song went viral online, increasing the deejay’s fandom, it also ignited controversy as many believed it glorified motorists mowing down police officers on the road. As the controversy grew, the St. James police proclaimed that permits for events featuring Eddy G would not be granted.
However, the deejay has described his catalogue as a source of motivation for the poor. Among his releases this year were the tracks Bingy Stick, Impolite, Dutty Brick, BMF, Luigi, Plan B, and Cess Pool. In regards to his viewership on YouTube, Eddy G has amassed 19.1 million views globally on the platform over the past year.
2. Jamal
Jamal began his professional Dancehall career in 2018, with songs such as #39 Gud. However, it was his “fully dunce” slang that would go viral and garner attention.
Despite the controversy surrounding the phrase, Jamal continues to take ownership of it boldly. The deejay released his EP, Rated D For Dunce, this month. Speaking on the project release during an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Jamal expressed that he is glad to be a part of the changing Dancehall landscape.
His top releases for 2024 include tracks like Ballandor, 1 Chop, Never Fear, Psalms, Contract, and 300 BLK.
3. Skippa
At the end of 2023, Skippa exchanged disses with Rvssian over his coveted Dutty Money riddim, and the artiste would continue to shade the producer on his track Self Belief. 2024 has seen Skippa, born Tahjay Clarke, grow from a little-known underground Dancehall artiste to a fixture on trending music in Jamaica on YouTube.
Beating out a number of well-established Dancehall stars, Skippa is currently ranked #5 on YouTube’s Top Artistes Chart for Jamaica, with 59.4 million views locally on the platform this past year. His top releases this year, include tracks such as Hugo, Uncle Sam, GTS, Young, No Prop, Krazy, and Most Wanted.
His track, Hugo, is ranked #10 on YouTube’s Top Songs in Jamaica for this year.
4. Nhance
Born Kenneil Lawrence, Nhance’s passion for music was ignited at a young age thanks to the influence of his mother, former Gaza Empire member Gaza Sheba. While he also harboured a love for dancing, competing in Dancing Dynamite while in high school, he pursued a professional career in music.
2024 was a year of highs and lows for the rising Dancehall star, with the artiste making his Reggae Sumfest debut over the summer. However, he also lost his newborn son.
As Nhance continues to use music as a means of expression, his top releases this year include Life featuring Chronic Law, Spider, Unstress, Dutty Mill, Nuh Frighten, and Tables Turn featuring Teejay. The young artiste has acquired 48.3 million views globally this past year on YouTube.
5. Nigy Boy
Several Dancehall artistes received a career boost amid the popularity of Rvssian’s Dutty Money Riddim, none more than rising Dancehall star Nigy Boy. His contribution to the riddim, Continent, is currently #9 on YouTube’s Top Songs in Jamaica for the year.
The single was released in January, and Nigy Boy has been praised for his lyrical ability and the lack of profanity in his music. He made his Reggae Sumfest debut this summer, and despite his growing fame, he continues to balance school and music.
He was awarded bachelor of arts degrees in political science and history from Stony Brook University in New York this year and announced that he will be taking the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) next year.
Among his releases this year were tracks such as Judgement, Dangerous, Nomad, Old Gyalis, Get Wild, and Jeezum featuring Skillibeng.
