Jamaican Crossover Artists to Watch in 2019

The trend of Jamaican crossover artists started in the 1960s when Millie Small dominated local and international airwaves with the hit ‘My Boy Lollipop’. It has continued over the years with legends such as: Shabba Ranks, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Diana King, Lady Saw, Patra, Damian Marley and Beenie Man. This list boasts multiple Billboard entries, Platinum albums/songs and most significantly Grammy winners. These artists have also embodied the ability to tap into multiple genres, deeming them as crossover artists. The standout crossover act of this is Sean Paul as his crossing over into the international market would make Kyrie Irving proud.

These crossover artists are not on their marks, or even in the set position, they are on the go. We must provide the audience that need, before crossing the finishing line, because when they are on the podium of commercial success receiving their different accolades we all want the Jamaican flag to be waving high.

The time has now arose for new Jamaican crossover acts to march across the bridge into the international scene. Check out the list and enjoy the talent of our new crossover artists to watch in no particular order.

KaleX

KaleX does it all, he produces, he mixes, he writes and sings. He is quite talented all over. I have heard he also cooks excellent Mexican food. KaleX’s style of music is smooth and melodious as he croons mostly for the ladies as he urges them to fall in love or lust. He recently dropped an EP entitled 1 SXMMER with content laced with intimacy, encouragement and good vibes. Our top picks are ‘1sxmmer’ and ‘My Name’.

Bakersteez

He has completely reinvented the way in which we listen to music as the hard-hitting beats of trap music and the lyrical flow of dancehall music has piqued our interest massively. He is at the forefront of the genre of music that is called ‘trap dancehall’.  His recent collaboration with dancehall rising star Quada on the mixtape ‘Nuh Badda’ has fast-tracked his popularity immensely. Furthermore, his frequent link-ups with dancehall’s ‘winner’ Konshens and Uncle Demon aka Tommy Lee has even more so made Bakersteez a staple in the musical diet of many young Jamaicans. Our top picks are ‘Propane’ featuring Tommy Lee and ‘Diamonds’.

Rude Jerms

Rude Jerms is another disciple that preaches the glory of music that is trap dancehall. His flow rivals 21 Savage as he delivers his music in a low menacing tone and yet it still grasps your attention easily. His catalogue of music features a very well captured mixtape entitled ‘Pop Champagne Mix’ which features a majority of his tracks while teasing new content. Our top picks are ‘Knapsack’ and ‘Blessings’.

EvaFlow

They always say the sky is the limit but for Evaflow the sky is just the starter. His music is something different as he electrifies it with his eclectic blend of reggae, hip-hop and dancehall dubbed “Dub-Hop”. His music continues to be limitless and as his track entitled ‘The Anthem’ demands attention yet still his soothing voice brings you to a place of relaxation. Just like the sky Evaflow’s music is vast and offers us key moments of serenity. The sky is his start but it won’t be his end as his music bridges on the extra-terrestrial. Our top picks are ‘Familiar Stranger’ and ‘The Anthem’.

Khxos

Hailing from the parish of St. Elizabeth, Khxos is the definition of crossover as his music is the metaphoric music blender as he mixes reggae, dancehall with pop and r&b to deliver a refreshing cocktail of commercial content. He broke unto the music scene with his ‘One Dance’ remix featuring Trabass which amassed digital ovation from all over the world. His catalogue boasts an impressive collection as his EP ‘Deception’ features the lustful serenade entitled ‘One Touch’. His most potent releases all fall under the banner of his 2018 album entitled ‘Dopamine’ which possesses quite an impressive array of melodies teamed with his signature rugged tone. Our top picks are ‘Dopamine’ and ‘Foolish’.

Royal Blu

Spanish Town. Fi di gyal dem & badness. Fuego. Europe tour 2017.  Need I say more? Just like the opening line, Royal Blu is a man of few words but the words he doesn’t utter in speech he triples them in song. His lyrics are their own Clansman and One Order gang as they fire with utmost precision and quality as they drives fear into any mediocre artist. His catalogue is expansive ranging from lyrical warfare to fi di gyal dem as tracks such as ‘Believe’ featuring Lila Ike being the midpoint in a masterclass discography. Being from Spanish Town doesn’t make him fluent in Spanish but it makes his music “fuego” as she will always tell mediocrity “hasta luego”. Our top picks are ‘Sing With God’ and ‘Blu Mahoe’ all from his ‘Sing With God’ EP.

Tessellated

His massive breakout song ‘Pine and Ginger’ is a hit!  Let me tell you how I know it is a hit, it is the soundtrack for many coaster bus drivers as it scores their high speed day. Tessellated is a gifted producer, songwriter and artist and the coming together of all 3 elements teamed with a mixture of genres fusing, reggae and pop creating a melodious mosaic is a direct link to his stage name. His musical range is astounding as his unique sound is a bookmark for many young musicians who aim to emulate his style in creating their own. Our top picks are ‘Streets’, ‘Hallucinate’ and ‘Searching’.

Toian

She is the heralded ice queen but yet her tracks are so fire. Toian is an immense talent and this was displayed with her breakout feature on the song ‘Ice Queen’ which was led by the legendary Vybz Kartel. Toiann’s sound is sultry as she massages your auditory nerves into a musical orgasm. Our top picks are ‘Love It’ and ‘Rude Boys’.

Dehshh

Anywhere she ‘deh’ we expect to hear ‘shh’ as her sound lulls you into a hypnotic musical trance that only she can break. Dehshh is an amazing singer and she showcases this with her growing catalogue. Her frequent link-ups with producer extraordinaire KaleX makes her sound even more fluid as they are a devastating duo. Our top picks are ‘Rewind’ and ‘On Track’.

Sheen

He is an amazing vocalist as his voice is a tranquil ocean breeze that vitalizes your entire being. His sound is new but yet refined as he ensures that he delivers quality in all his releases. His collaboration with Roe Summerz is the type of song that resonates with this generation due to its unique dare I say Frank Ocean type vibe. Our top picks are ‘Distance’ and ‘So Amazing’.