Murda She Wrote: November 2023
November’s hottest dancehall tracks from Masicka, Samory I & Lila Iké, Queen Omega & Little Lion Sound, Yaksta and Busy Signal & Seanizzle.
by Reshma B
November is the time of year when everything seems to accelerate. Even though the whole world is going crazy, why does everybody seem to be in a mad rush to the holidays? Counting our blessings with friends and family soon gives way to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and life turns into one big shopping spree. At times like these, we all need to “Slow Down,” as Skip Marley and H.E.R. once sang.
Reggae music is all about giving thanks, so even when your holidaze gets out of control, you can always tap into our “Reggae Thanksgiving” playlist to tap into peace, love and attitude of gratitude. Before you know it, we’ll have “Reggae Christmas” in heavy rotation, with classic selections for the season. Meanwhile, Murda She Wrote is back with the latest, greatest musical gifts wrapped up especially for you.
Masicka
“LimeLight”
Back in December 2021, MSW called Masicka “one of the greatest lyricists ever to emerge within the dancehall genre.” Born in a tough part of Portmore known as “Sin City,” Masicka had to fight for his spot in Jamaica’s ultra-competitive music industry. Dropping his debut album 438 two years ago was a major career milestone, yet Masicka told me he felt like he was just getting started — even though he’d been grinding for the better part of a decade by that point. “The story continues,” he promised me with a laugh. “Trust me.” And he was right.
The success of 438 — a dancehall classic that won Album of the Year (Dancehall) at the Caribbean Music Awards — attracted the attention of Def Jam, which signed the young star to a recording contract. Over the past year he’s been whetting his fans’ appetites by sprinkling gems like the confessional “Pieces” featuring Jahshii, the aspirational “Tyrant” and the sexual “Bed a Rock!” On December 1, he will release his highly anticipated sophomore album Generation of Kings — another major milestone in a journey where every step forward has been accomplished against all odds.
“Being great at anything require sacrifices,” Masicka told me while working on the new album. “Me can tell you definitely that the music have some hard times. You have times when you wan’ quit. Numerous of times before me even get the break me feel like me ah go quit.” Fortunately, Masicka is a firm believer in the old adage that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Facing considerable resistance from industry insiders who perceived his talent and relentless drive as a threat, Masicka persevered. “Me’s the type of person, me like the fight. Me nuh know bout nobody else, but me like when people doubt me.”
It comes as no surprise that the artist should take a moment to big up his chest on the recent single, “LimeLight.” Masicka doesn’t just compare himself to Michael Jordan and 2Pac in their prime, he says they “woulda shock at me skill.” Despite all the big talk, he remains humble enough to realize how blessed he is to witness this moment. “God alone know how we here,” he says as if pinching himself. “Fuckin’ lonely at the top of the hill,” he laments elsewhere.
While Generation of Kings is Masicka’s major label debut, he hasn’t switched up at all, maintaining the creative chemistry that’s brought him to this point. The title of the album picks up from a standout track on 438, which proclaims “Every Black man a king.” (That song concludes with a prayer recorded by his grandmother, who raised Masicka from a tender age with a perfect blend of tough love and stern discipline.) The new album features cutting edge production by Dunw3ll and Moz Hamm from the artist’s close-knit 1Syde team. The guest appearances include Popcaan and Dexta Daps, both of whom also appeared on 438, as well as Jamaican stars Lila Iké and Chronic Law. Also present are FAVE, the Nigerian Afrobeats star known for her hit “Baby Riddim,” and Fridayy, the R&B artist who’s sung hooks for the likes of Meek Mill and DJ Khaled.
“Sometimes me feel like the black sheep,” Masicka told me. “Nuff people never know me woulda be this great in the music ... Nuff people inna me community never know say me woulda make it out alive. So you can’t make your surroundings define you. You can’t make people define you. You can’t make a bad day define you. You haffi believe it, you haffi want it, you haffi become the greatness.” Paraphrasing the late, great Bob Marley, Masicka observed with confidence that “the stone weh the builder refused always becomes the head cornerstone.”
Samory I & Lila Iké
“Outside”
The opening track of Samory I’s sophomore album, Strength, sounds like victory. “Living the dream inna real life,” the Rasta vocalist sings. “Bright lights and a brand-new tone.” That sound — thumping drums and a pumping bass line, enhanced by hard-rock power chords — was crafted by Phillip “Winta” James, who’s progressed from playing keyboards for Damian “Jr Gong” Marley to being a Grammy-nominated producer for the brightest stars of Jamaica’s new roots movement. After crafting hits for the likes of Chronixx, Protoje, Jr. Gong, Jesse Royal and Jah 9, Winta has created an album that solidifies Samory’s place amongst the top tier of Jamaican reggae artists.
With a stage name inspired by the West African leader Samori Ture, the artist grew up in the tough Kingston neighborhood of Kencot, singing strictly conscious lyrics from his very first song. The renowned Rorystonelove produced Samory I’s 2017 debut Black Gold, which featured the hit single “Rasta Nuh Gangsta.” Guest appearances on Grammy-nominated albums by Jesse Royal and Protoje strengthened his musical momentum.
The buildup to Strength — a title inspired by the artist’s son’s nickname — began with powerful singles like “Blood in the Streets,” “Crown” and “Wrath,” featuring Capleton and Kabaka Pyramid. Other guest appearances on the album include Jesse Royal on “Continent” and Mortimer on “History of Violence.” This is not roots reggae born in a bubble of privilege, but music about walking the path of righteousness through desolate places.
“Step away from the madness,” sings Samory, remarking later, “If you seen what I been through in the land where the good die young.” Lila Iké speaks life on her guest verse: “Jah Jah we call upon your name,” she sings. “Pray you lengthen all our days.” Later she sings, “Now we counting the winnings from humble beginnings.” A raucous, rousing outro by street dance selector Boom Boom completes the triumphant mood. “Big up every ghetto youth,” Boom Boom roars. “Who go outside go start fe your own. Go make your mother and your father proud.”
Queen Omega & Little Lion Sound
“No Love Dubplate”
The Trinidad-born dancehall artist Queen Omega got her start as a child singing in local talent shows, and went on to sing backing vocals for various soca artists. Gravitating to Rastafari and reggae, she began writing her own songs and performing alongside Jamaican reggae legends like Marcia Griffiths and Barrington Levy.
Back in 2022, she recorded the song “No Love” for Little Lion Sound, a reggae sound system and production team based in Geneva, Switzerland. “No love, no love, no love in them heart, me see them got,” she declared with her powerful voice. “No love in this world, many lose them soul under mind control.” The song became a moderately successful tune in an independent reggae label’s catalog and that seemed to be that.
But then this past summer Queen Omega recorded a “dubplate” version of the tune over the beat from Dre and Snoop’s hip-hop classic “The Next Episode” for Little Lion Sound. Dubplates are exclusive custom recordings intended for live play during clashes with other sounds. But this dubplate sounded so dope that Little Lion decided to post a video of the artist’s one-take performance online.
Blending Omega’s rebellious rhymes with Dre’s banging track, the new version went viral, racking up millions of views on YouTube before the Swiss sound system landed a distribution deal with RCA. This may be the first time in history that a sound system dubplate has been picked up by a major label. When Queen Omega says, “Little Lion Sound not local — we international and we global,” believe her.
Yaksta
“Cut & Clear”
Hailing from the rural Jamaican parish of St. Mary — also the birthplace of reggae legends Beres Hammond, Tanya Stephens, Capleton and Ninjaman — Yaksta sometimes refers to himself as the “Bush Lawd.” He made his name in 2021 with a song called “Ambition” that cut against the grain of designer-brand-obsessed dancehall songs by endorsing “farming over flossing.” His song’s catchy melody and common-sense message suddenly made it cool to invest your money wisely rather than splurging on expensive status symbols.
“Sometimes we spend on frivolous things that really and truly is not a thing that you need right now,” Yaksta told me this summer. “The song was not designed to tell the people what not to wear, but sometimes you can prioritize things that is still valuable, but cost less.” With dry wit, Yaksta observes that you can’t live in your smartphone or eat your designer sneakers. “The song was an eye-opener for people who was actually sleeping,” he says. “But after that they went back to sleep. That’s the reality. But me can’t stop it. Me just put my two cents in.”
Yaksta’s latest release, “Cut & Clear,” is all about overcoming obstacles, or as the Bush Lawd puts it, “moving out of the gutter to find the butter.” Co-produced by Tru-believas Entertainment, the production team responsible for Byron Messia’s recent “Dear Dancehall,” the song finds Yaksta manifesting prosperity with every utterance. “Me can feel success is near,” he sings. “Done sow the seeds so the fruit shall bear. Abundance. Enough fi it share — rice and peas and pear. No Louis V but di thugs have a flair. One of a kind, this gem is rare.”
Busy Signal & Seanizzle
“Phone Stress”
With a name like Busy Signal, it should come as no surprise that this respected dancehall hitmaker has a long history of songs about telephones. In 2008 he released “Unknown Number,” explaining why he doesn’t answer anonymous calls. The year 2015 brought the hilariously hectic “Text Message,” followed in 2017 by a multi-part telephonic epic known as“The Reasoning.” He’s even had one of his songs placed in an LG cell phone ad.
Busy also has a long history of collaborating with Grammy-nominated producer Seanizzle, who made his name in 2010 with the One Day Riddim. Best known as the backing track for Beenie Man and Future Fambo’s worldwide smash “Rum & Redbull,” the riddim’s inspirational title track, “One Day,” was sung by Seanizzle himself. Since then the producer has connected with Busy on tracks like “Play the Horns” from the 47th Floor Riddim and “Bad Longtime” from the 90’s Don Dada Riddim — among many more.
Their latest release, “Phone Stress,” is an addition to Busy’s list of telephone tunes, describing what happens when a playboy’s personal life plays out over their mobile device. “Gyal call mi phone, say she want some loving,” Busy chats over Seanizzle’s energetic, uptempo riddim. “Mi say, ‘Come, make me fix things.’” Before long the caller brings four more friends to the party. “Plus me, that a 6 things,” Busy reasons. By the time his wife gets involved, the plot gets pretty complicated — hence the stress, highlighted by a wide range of ringtones and vibrating alerts. When this song plays in the dance, you’ll have to fight the urge to check your own device.
