Battle for DJ of the Year! Beenie, Kartel,Mavado, Busy & Munga the front runners!
As we turn into the homestretch of 2007, dancehall fans the world over have been flooding phone lines, entertainment call-in programmes, internet chatrooms and their respective comment sections wondering who will grab Artiste/DJ of the Year honours this year. All of them privately cheering for their individual favourites to be declared the man of the moment. Will it be Beenie Man? Vybz Kartel? Busy Signal? Mavado? Or the Gangsta Ras, Munga?
At this point, Beenie Man is one of the frontrunners, having had a stellar year with several huge songs on the local charts, number one chart-runner ‘Back It Up’, ‘Dreaming Of You’ featuring Alaine, and ‘Give It Up’ featuring Barbee which recently hit number one as well. His latest singles, ‘Gangsta Prayer (These Streets)’ and ‘A Mama’s Cry’, are also sure chart hits, but he still gets almost no play at Bembe Thursdays at Weekenz. Still, there is no denying that he will be one of the hottest commodities for the end of year run of shows. Beenie is an enormously genial presence, never anything less than a joy to watch, and sometimes, the music is, if anything, secondary to the sheer spectacle of Beenie Man himself – a master performer in his element.
DJ Vybz Kartel has a bonafide claim on this year’s title. He has already scored two number one singles this year,
‘Beyonce Wine’ and ‘Wine Pon You’, and as the end of the year approaches, he continues to dominate the street dances with a veritable armada of singles, girl tunes and gangsta singles. He has showed incredible versatility this year as well with softer songs tackling social issues such as incest in ‘Love’, and even heartbreak with
‘Missing You A Lot’ on Arif Cooper’s popular rhythm, Guardian Angel. He has arguably the most singles on the road of any dancehall artiste, and dancehall insiders say his latest singles, ‘My Scheme’ recorded for Stephen
‘Di Genius’ McGregor and ‘Any Man’ for Don Corleone, are sure number ones. However, his street anthem ‘Waan Fi War Me’ is one of the biggest songs in the dancehall today, getting big forwards wherever it is played.
The dancehall world has watched with glee as Busy Signal seems to have rediscovered his touch after axing former manager Julian Jones Griffith. He has scored a huge number one with ‘The Days’, while his follow up hit
‘Nah Go Jail Again’ is moving up the charts. With his catchy sing-along hooks and clear delivery, Busy is easily one of the most talented DJs the game has ever produced. And right now, he is the hottest DJ in the streets.
“Busy ah get DJ of the Year, him hot ya now. Yes, Beenie have two number one and it was a Munga summer but right now, the people dem a say Busy. If yu put Munga and Busy on the stage right now, Busy ah get the bigger forward,” said Stampede, whose Street Vibes chart is published weekly in the XtraNews.
Mavado has continued his good run with songs like his last number one ‘Gully Side’ on the Airwave rhythm and he has a battery of girl songs such as ‘Squeeze Her Breasts’ on DJ Liquid’s rhythm that are favourites of the selectors. However, his hype has largely cooled off considerable, while Munga is now the flavour of the moment.
Munga, known for his signature ‘yes yes’ and his offbeat dancehall-rap delivery with a studio-tweaked voice, scored his second number one single with ‘Talk To Me’, after his breakthrough hit, ‘Bad From Mi Born’. He has other popular singles such as ‘Nuh Flesh’ and ‘Earthquake’ on the Raging Bull rhythm.
Richard ‘Richie B’ Burgess of HOT 102 is playing his cards close to his chest this year, declining to reveal the top picks for his annual EME Awards which are based on the Jamaica Music Countdown charts.
“When the EME Awards come around, I will be announcing our winners, but the top names in the male DJ category are Beenie Man, Munga, Shaggy, Busy and Vybz Kartel. I don’t see Mavado as a DJ, he will be in our singjay category,” he said.
The EME Awards will feature an additional category this year for songwriters who penned inspirational and uplifting songs.
“I feel that this is an important category to recognize those writers who gave us socially conscious, edifying and uplifting songs,” Richie B said.
Song of the Year
When it comes to debate over the Song of the Year, all indications seem to point to Beenie Man’s ‘Back It Up’, which spent several weeks on top of the charts this year. The Doctor’s brain-meltingly simple lyrics are the ones that stand out the most when it comes to dancehall this year. Vybz Kartel’s ‘Wine Pon You’ is also a candidate in this section as is Munga’s ‘Talk To Me’. However, the consensus is that Beenie Man is a clear favourite, as his song, released sometime in February, is still popular as the year draws to a climax.
Maybe everyone doesn’t quite agree with this, but most of us have long accepted that a great dancehall single doesn’t necessarily have to include great deejaying, not if the beat and hooks and moment all converge in the right ways, and that’s why many girls love to sing ‘back it up, back it up….’
The consensus is that Tarrus Riley’s ‘She’s Royal’ is the reggae song of the year, beating all comers. It is a true gem of a song that played while this year’s Ms. Jamaica World Yendi Phillips was announced as the winner of the pageant, showing that it had permeated all sectors of the society with its beautiful sentiments regarding women.
Female DJ of the Year
In the female department, Flames Production recording artiste Queen Ifrica is the clear favourite because of the strength of her number one single, ‘Below The Waist’ and her recent sure chart-burners, ‘Daddy Don’t Touch Me There’ and ‘Me Nah Go Rub’.
Macka Diamond has had a good year but other than ‘Hula Hoop’, she has failed to find a defining song this year. DJ D’Angel sure gets a lot of ink in the newspapers but has failed to translate that into chart success.
Reggae Rhythm, Dancehall Rhythm of the Year
There’s a toss-up between Arif Cooper’s Guardian Angel and well, nobody, for reggae rhythm of the year, but Don Corleone and Stephen McGregor reportedly dropped one-drop rhythms this month, while producer Flava has released the remarkable 83 rhythm with the sure number one, ‘Daddy Doan Touch Me There’ by Queen Ifrica.
While there is no clear winner for dancehall rhythm of the year, there are several notable contenders. Don Corleone has the twin tigers, the Artillery rhythm and the Raging Bull. However, Mario C’s ‘Back It Up’ and
‘Tease Her’ singles on the Back It Up rhythm stayed a combined nine weeks at number one. Stephen McGregor’s dark series, After Dark, Shadow and Dark Again, are crowd favourites. Most dancehall insiders, however, give the nod to Don Corleon’s Artillery riddim which spawned the hits Mavado’s monster number one
‘Gully Side’, Kartel’s ‘Knock It’, Bounty Killer’s ‘Nutten Nuh Change’ and Beenie’s ‘Product Of The Ghetto’.
DANCEHALL INSIDERS’ PICKS
• Richie Feelings of BEMBE
MALE DJ: Mavado because he was very consistent, he dominated in the early part of the year with songs like
‘Dreaming’, ‘Gully Side’, while Kartel was second. Beenie Man was a late non-starter, Munga dominated the summer so mi nah tek it from Mavado, him deserve it.
FEMALE DJ: Queen Ifrica take over the ting.
Reggae Rhythm of the Year: Ghetto Blues featuring hits by Voice Mail, Wayne Wonder and Cherine Anderson/Fenda and Christopher Martin. Honourable mentions to Guardian Angel, Heavenly with ‘Brown Skin’ and ‘Jamdown’ with Below The Waist.
Reggae Song of the Year: Tarrus Riley’s ‘She’s Royal’ but it tie with two of his other songs, ‘Beware’ and ‘Stay With You’.
Dancehall Song of the Year: ‘Wine Pon You’ by Vybz Kartel was the biggest tune fi several months so him win by points, ‘Back It Up’ pick up late in the last part of the summer but when ‘Wine Pon You’ play, all the girls dem get mad and that was the case fi months.
Dancehall Rhythm of the Year: Firelinks’ Airwave was the banger. Tremor gets the second most play with Kartel, Mavado, Elephant Man and so on. Last year, Show Off got the most play with the Beenie-Bounty-Angel passa passa, and Last Night and Erup and so on.
Dance of the Year: Tek Weh Yuhself
Slang: Bembe
Singer of the Year: Alaine, Cherine Anderson, and Etana
Breakthrough Artiste: Bugle and I-Maroon with ‘Mi Salt’, that song get crazy play as well.
• CLIVE AQUARIUS
Male DJ: Munga sell the most. He was the most popular, him tek the biggest piece of the cake with songs like ‘Bad From Mi Born’ and ‘Wine Pon It’. Mavado slow down in the last part of the year.
Female DJ: Queen Ifrica
Reggae Song of the Year: ‘She’s Royal’
Dancehall Song of the Year: ‘Bad From Mi Born’
Reggae Rhythm of the Year: Guardian Angel
Dancehall Rhythm of the Year: Don sold the most. Artillery over Firelinks’ Airwave.
Breakthrough Artiste: Bugle
• NIKKI Z
Male DJ of the Year: Personally, I believe that Busy deserves it. His songs have the most meaning to society. However, Mavado had the most hits between the end of 2006 to present, and of course, Beenie is the artiste that the people love the most. Addi is the boss, excellent songs but it wasn’t a special year for him. It is between Mavado and Beenie Man for me, but it will come down to who the people love the most. People are still waiting to see if Mavado can have longevity and continue to keep coming up with the hits.
Female DJ: Queen Ifrica hands down. I put in Queen Ifrica’s CD and played every track, I did not have to fast forward any song, and at first it was one song, now she has 10 songs on the radio. Yu cannot mess with the Fyah Mumma.
Dancehall Rhythm: Airwave had the most impact
Reggae Rhythm: Guardian Angel
Dancehall Song of the Year: Munga’s ‘Wine Pon It’. When that plays in the club, the girls lose their minds. ‘Back It Up’ is a runner up with ‘The Days’ third.
Reggae Song of the Year: Tarrus Riley’s ‘She’s Royal’
Breakthrough Artiste: Bugle, it’s all Bugle.
• DJ SMURF
Male DJ: Beenie Man. When it comes to the charts, it is clear Beenie should get it, two number ones, ‘Back It Up’ and ‘Give It Up’ featuring Barbee. Mavado was leading a good part of the year, slow down and then pick up again. To me, Busy hot now but him start the year late and run on in the last. Kartel did well with ‘Wine Pon Yuh’, but when it comes to charts and consistency, yu have to say Beenie even though he doesn’t have as many party songs.
Female DJ: Queen Ifrica hit with ‘Below The Waist’ and she followed up with ‘Daddy Doan Touch Me There’. She is leading but Macka did well with ‘Hula Hoop’.
Song of the Year: ‘Back It Up’
Reggae Rhythm: Guardian Angel
Dancehall Rhythm: It is between Artillery (‘Nuh Flesh’, ‘Doan Mek Mi Hold Yuh’, ‘Wifey’) and Raging Bull (‘Wine Pon Yuh’, ‘Get Mad Now’ and ‘Earthquake’)
Breakthrough Artiste: Bugle
• DJ KENNY
Male DJ of the Year: Busy. Busy is hot right now, and him have crazy hits, ‘Rise And Beat’, ‘Rising’, ‘These Days’, ‘Nah Go Jail Again’, ‘Gully Code’, ‘Buss It’, ‘Sex Time Fi Jam 2’, and ‘Private Number’. Munga de second ‘cause him have a good year too. Mavado have nuff songs but dem nah push right now. Kartel de third, most of his songs get good response, ‘Waan Fi War Me’, ’50 Caliber’, ‘Wifey’ on the Artillery, ‘Seductive Wine’ and ‘My Scheme’ and dem songs de. Mi no know wha the people dem a deal wid between Kartel and Mavado right now, it come in like whoever tune dem play last get the biggest forward, it nuh matter which tune.
Female DJ of the Year: Queen Ifrica
Dancehall Song of the Year: ‘Back It Up’
Reggae Song of the Year: ‘She’s Royal’
Breakthrough Artiste: Bugle
Reggae Rhythm of Year: Guardian Angel
Dancehall Rhythm of the Year: Firelink’s Airwaves which had the hits like ‘Gully Side’, Killa’s ‘Nutten Nuh Change’, Kartel’s ‘Knock It’ and ‘Product Of The Ghetto’. Honorable mentions are Artillery and Liquid’s Bluetooth riddim with Mavado’s ‘Squeeze Her Breasts’.
