A twenty-seven year old Jamaican dancehall by the name of Popcaan has been making waves recently, not only in Jamaica, but around the globe. The up-and-comer got his start when he was still just a teenager after Vybz Kartel began to put him on, and since then he's become somewhat of a household name, working alongside the likes of Young Thug, Drake, Pusha T, and even being sampled by Kanye West.
In 2013, Popcaan recorded a music video in Toronto shot by OVO Sound's Niko, and he and his crew can be heard speaking in patois throughout the course of Drake's most recent full-length project If You're Reading This It's Too Late. "Controlla," which is supposedly going to be on Views From The 6, has boosted his stock even higher, and leaves him poised to be a global phenomenon. Let's take a look at ten of his essential cuts.
"Everything Nice"
Popcaan has crossover appeal because he has a crossover style. "Everything Nice" sounds like much of what you'd hear on pop/rap radio in America, and it fits right in. The lyrics are positive and uplifting, and the Jamaican flow adds just the right spice to the minimalistic tropical-meets-trap beat.
"Dreams"
This one's a little bit of a throwback. "Dreams" features a piano-driven beat that you could almost hear Adele or Rihanna singing on, but Popcaan flows on it nicely. With 14+ million views on YouTube, there's obviously a bunch of people out there who agree.
"Hustle" featuring Pusha T
Invite King Push on the track and see if it doesn't pop. The dancehall steeze has an epic cool when Popcaan connects with the G.O.O.D. Music president for "Hustle."
Snoop Lion - "Lighters Up" featuring Mavado & Popcaan
Say what you will about Snoop Dogg's reggae phase as Snoop Lion; he crushed tracks like this in a legitimate way. With our subject and Mavado along for the ride, "Lighters Up" stands as a stand-out cut on the 2013 record.
"Only Man She Want"
With a straight-forward modern dancehall style, "Only Man She Want" showcases Popcaan's champion Jamaican sound. It's a certified pop single that'll still set a party off a good five years later.
Jamie xx - "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" featuring Young Thug & Popcaan
This song probably did more for Popcaan's popularity than any of them. Jamie xx crafted the song of the summer last year, inviting two different MCs with two different styles to flow on the tropical beat. It was inescapable, and still goes off.
"Where We Come From"
Popcaan pours one out for his old homie Scumpy on "Where We Come From." As he describes his upbringing and the village he grew up in, you get a glimpse of what it might have been like to grow up in a poor Jamaica. "Real thugs never forget the dump land or where mi come from."
"Way Up"
As his style has become refined, Popcaan has entered the finest stage of his career thus far. His proper debut Where We Come From is chalk-full of great tracks, including this one "Way Up." Those four-wheelers look fun too though...
"Love Yuh Bad"
Sometimes you just have to put a fly love song out there, which is exactly what happened with "Love Yuh Bad." Popcaan flows about loving his girl, and rolls around in bed with her inside what appears to be a sweet pad in the middle of a breathtaking jungle.
"Rup Rup (Bad Inna Real Life)"
It can't be all love songs, though, as Popcaan reminds his listeners that he's a bad boy too. "Rup Rup (Bad Inna Real Life)" sees the Unruly boss with a thick crew, rapping in the land of Jamaica.