Popcaan Is Redefining A Dancehall Legacy — The Unruly Way
In 2010, Popcaan sang of his lifelong goals becoming reality on one of his earliest reflective singles, “Dream”: “Anytime mi a roll in di streets mi music a ring like bell / And mi mother bills dem alright, mi daughter can tell.”
In the decade since, the Jamaican singer-songwriter has transformed into dancehall’s millennial torchbearer, carrying on what Bounty Killa and Beenie Man started, Vybz Kartel evolved, and his generation is now owning. Born Andre Sutherland, the 32-year-old has further pushed the genre into a stratosphere uncontained to the island’s shores.
When we first spoke for 2018’s sophomore album Forever, a very pensive Popcaan had a tough time trusting people. “Knowing this industry, people try to tarnish my name a lot in the media,” he said. “When I do good things, they don’t publicize it. So I always try to stay away from the whole craziness.” Oh, what a difference two years makes. Not only is he more jovial (his signature playful demeanor as he rolls a spliff is near-tangible over Zoom), he’s secured more career milestones.
Popcaan has since signed to Drake’s OVO Sound, reunited with Davido for 2019’s “Risky”, August’s FIXTAPE project in August (which features Jada Kingdom, French Montana, PartyNextDoor and Drake twice) peaked at №2 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart, hopped on Maroon 5’s “Nobody’s Love” remix, teamed with OVO affiliate Preme for their Link Up EP, appeared on Megan Thee Stallion’s Good News album and most recently collaborated with reggae legend Bered Hammond for March’s “God Is Love”. But all of these accolades haven’t gone to his head.
Popcaan’s best trait is his humbleness. A quick scroll on Instagram will reveal a loving relationship with sister Squid and fiercely religious mother Rhona (the artist enjoys teasing her about it), having impromptu dance battles with friends while cooking meals and cracking jokes with the same rapid ease as his beloved lyrics. His debut album is named Where We Come From for a reason: that modest upbringing in Jamaica’s St. Thomas parish hasn’t left him. In fact, Popcaan has hosted Unruly Fest right in his birthplace’s backyard since 2018. The one-day music festival hosted legends like Bounty Killer and Drake to newcomers like Chronic Law and Quada. Once you hit that stage, you’re seen as equal.
Unity is important to Popcaan, and it extends way beyond a concert. The artist uses his popularity to his advantage by highlighting local talent. On the Soundcloud version of FIXTAPE curated by Kingston-based soundsystem Chromatic Sound (which surpasses the one available on streaming platforms thanks to its fluid 90-minute runtime dotted with samples and guest shout-outs), Popcaan often mentions “di new generation ah dancehall.” These voices are ever-present throughout: Skillibeng, Quada, Furnace, Shev and Unruly Cuz.
He’s also been integral in bridging the gap between dancehall and reggae, from reaching out to Protoje do to a collaboration “for the culture” (which resulted in the reggae star’s “Like Royalty” single last August) to joining Lila Iké’s Instagram Live in celebration of her debut The ExPerience EP last May.
“I was very happy when Protoje and Popcaan did that song because it breaks down that whole idea that that dancehall music is not pure and reggae music is conscious,” Iké says. “You have two artists who are at the top of their game in both of those genres collaborating and coming together. It sets a really good example for the youth.”
As Popcaan continues to steamroll his own lane, he’s simultaneously establishing a foundation for the new artists to create their own. “Dem say mi clothes dem never clean and me nah live fi see 17,” he mused on “Dreams.” New designer threads aside, it’s made clear that Popcaan’s legacy was always meant to surpass naysayers’ life sentence.
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This mixtape has already received a few accolades like debuting on the Billboard 200 and scoring a high Pitchfork rating. Does it still matter having that kind of mainstream recognition?
It’s a very great feeling because I put a lot of work into that tape, you know? It’s a blessing from the almighty. But it’s very important to have mainstream recognition as an island artist. We’re always open to expanding our fanbase and try to let my music reach a wider audience. I put out my music just to put it out, so if I happen to get some new fans then that’s okay. I’m working to go to the highest heights that I can possibly reach, yuh zimmie?
The Chromatic version on Soundcloud opens with Vybz Kartel giving you a big up. It felt like a full-circle moment. What are some lessons you learned from Kartel that’s been applied to your career?
Him neva teach me anything, I just paid attention because mi already did have my dreams. I just observed and tried to apply myself to the game di way mi see him do it. It’s not like we had grade 9 classes where Kartel taught us to record or go on stage. No, him give all ah wi an opportunity. Everybody had to just prove themselves, and that’s what I did. Vybz Kartel’s work ethic alone is something we admired. I could’ve just used that alone and conquered the world.
I wanted to get into some of the tracks on the mixtape. My favorite is “Unda Dirt” with Masicka and Tommy Lee. I believe this is your first collaboration with Lee in years, and of course you both are former Gaza team members.
We weren’t in the studio at the same time. But I had that song since I was on tour. I came to Jamaica with it. One day Masicka and I linked up. I let him hear that track and he liked it. Then ah next time Tommy Lee came and it was the same thing. It was just natural vibing.
“Twist & Turn” is definitely a ladies anthem that leans more R&B. How was it working with Nineteen85?
We had that song for a while too. It was supposed to be a track with me and PARTYNEXTDOOR at first, then Drake ended up doing a part on it. It was actually supposed to go on Drake’s album but I don’t know what happened. So we just used it for the tape instead.
“Bank & God” almost sounds like a sequel to Forever’s “Silence. We previously spoke about dealing with fake people, and with “Bank & God” you’re still having trust issues.
I’ll forever feel that way because it’s the same world we’re living in with the same people. It’s good when I know what’s up so I know my next move. As time goes by I have more experiences with friends, family, enemies — that’s why I end up singing songs like that. It just shows you that those things continue.
The strongest part of the mixtape is its versatility. There’s raw dancehall, R&B, a little afrobeats, some ‘80s-inspired reggae, hip-hop. It shows multiple sides of Popcaan.
Yeah, it’s something I’ve done before and that’s how I wanted my tape to be. I wanted it to have a mixture of everything. I chose most of those riddims so I actually knew what I was looking for.
There are parts on the Chromatic version where we hear you having fun in the studio.
That was the whole idea: when you’re listening to it you feel like you were there when it was being made.
You refer to the “new generation of dancehall” on the mixtape often. Who do you think is up next?
There’s a lot of talented artists out here. Quada is a very good young artist, Skillibeng is one of mi young youth dem who’s doing very well, there’s Chronic Law, Govana, Masicka. Dem haffi just take it serious and prove themselves because you can never tell [what’s going to happen]. A lot of people never expected Popcaan to be where I am, you know? And some still can’t believe it. All of my young guns dem, I just want them to just focus on the wide scale of music and not just Jamaica or the Caribbean. Try fi make the music be appealing to as many people as you can.
The last time we talked, you said you wanted more unity in dancehall rather than all the egos. We’re definitely seeing that a lot more now with the ongoing collaborations, like you hopping on Protoje’s “Like Royalty” single.
It makes sense, at least [the dancehall artists] are taking di ting seriously. It’s a battle to get them united. But at the end of the day, it can work. Not everybody is going to be united, only to a certain level. If they’re not doing it for themselves, I think they should do it for the culture. Even for young dancehall artists, it’s good when they do a song with an artist [who has] a bigger fanbase who can introduce them to new fans as well. It’s a good thing.
You’re one of the few dancehall artists who release albums. The Jamaican industry is so singles-based, so is it important for you to have the complete package?
Of course it does. Even within our industry, I wish these artists would put out more albums and projects. Everybody can search for singles. But if you’re introducing yourself to somebody as an artist, they would ask you, “What is the name of your album?” If you don’t have an album, it don’t even make sense. You know you still have more work fi do. And that is one of the main things [we’re lacking] in our industry right now. More dancehall artists need to put out albums because the reggae artists dem already ah do that.
The mixtape is your second release on OVO Sound. Why did you sign to the label in the first place?
It was just from years of friendship: chilling, parring, working together. Over time, a few labels approached me and wanted me to sign. Some of them even offered me more money than OVO, but a lot of people within the OVO circle are more understanding of my music. I thought I would’ve been more comfortable working with them, so that is why. Really and truly.
Do you want your own Unruly imprint eventually?
Of course. That’s the only way I can help more people: signing Jamaican talent. It’s only right. OVO is all about greatness, so from dem see mi greatness them ago be a part of it same way. That’s what we do!
“Unruly” itself has become its own brand at this point, from the slang to the name of the young artists you have on your team. What’s your definition of being unruly?
A lot of people put the meaning of the word “unruly” itself inna di wrong context. The reason why I call my crew “unruly” is because it describes me as a person, even from when I was a young kid going to school. I’m not somebody who can easily be controlled. Secondly, the fact that we don’t stand for certain things makes us unruly. That’s what it means to me. If you try fi overstep certain boundaries with us, that’s when the real unruly comes out. Otherwise, we just cut through the earth with humility and love, yuh zimmie?
So many of your singles have transformed into dancehall anthems. Anytime I go to a party, “Family” is the one song that everyone is shouting all the lyrics and you feel the emotions. There’s also “Firm & Strong, “Silence,” “We Pray” with Dre Island —
Yeah, also “Dream,” “Gangster City.” It’s very great and you know why? Those songs are real and they are very personal. It’s so good to see that the world can actually relate to my story. It’s not something that I made up, it’s not fiction. With “Where We Come From” from my first album, I was telling my whole life story.
That personal connection is special.
Definitely. Sometimes when I’m out and I see my fans, they wonder if mi know weh dem ah go through daily because of some things weh mi sing. It’s like they were waiting for that song or that message. So that is why I always like to keep it real.
You previously told me that you’re already a legend. I’m guessing that hasn’t changed.
It’s evident! [laughs] I am a living legend. I’m a blessing to dancehall music. I’m always crossing different borders and breaking records. That alone gives me more confidence because I told people around me that I would do this. So when I do them, it’s just one to the next one.
What other records do you want to break?
I don’t know, there’s so many things. I have no limit right now. I’m just going higher.
You’re not an iron balloon [a person who can’t achieve success, especially outside of Jamaica]. [laughs]
No, definitely not. [laughs]
You’ve remained so family-oriented even as you become an international star. We still see you hanging with your sister Squid and having fun with your mom Miss Rhona.
Yeah, that’s something that keeps me grounded. That is why I go to the river a lot because that’s where I grew up [Editor’s note: The riverbed in Popcaan’s native St. Thomas has been referred to as the “Unruly River” to honor how much he frequents it] and where I was when I just had the vision to do this. When I actually started to live this dream now, that’s where I go sometimes to remind myself. “This is where you’re coming from.” That’s what keeps me focused as well. It’s like my meditation zone, you know? I like to stay connected with nature. And when I get connected I also go there with the family, like Squid. There would be a lot of us out there on the river just cooking, smoking, drinking, playing music. It’s just a vibe.
I saw you cooking fish on Instagram the other day —
Yyyy [the patois version of “no homo”]! Bun up! [laughs]
Poppy stop it!
Weh yuh seh, you saw mi cook some seafood pon di river? I’m a genius in the kitchen. I was just cooking curry chicken earlier. I delayed this interview for the curry chicken. [laughs] I love to cook.
