Dancehall music has been one of the most dominant music genres for the past decades ever since it emerged in the late 1970s as a stripped-down, more rhythmically aggressive offshoot of reggae. The genre’s name itself was tied to the spaces it thrived in: the dance halls, where sound systems blasted riddims and deejays rode them with their distinctive patois flows. By the 1980s, pioneers like Yellowman, Shabba Ranks, and Super Cat were shaping dancehall into a global sound, leaning heavily on digital rhythms such as the iconic “Sleng Teng” riddim of 1985, often cited as the birth of digital dancehall. This transition set the stage for its export to wider audiences, with artists like Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, Sean Paul, Vybz Kartel crossing over internationally while still retaining their Jamaican grit.
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But as fast as dancehall rose, its grip on the global stage began to loosen. The cracks appeared in the late 2000s and International markets that once embraced the infectious chaos of dancehall began to turn away, partly because of content controversies. Many of the genre’s biggest stars were criticized for homophobic lyrics, leading to boycotts, bans, and shrinking radio play in key markets like the UK and parts of Europe. Suddenly, the music that thrived on rebellion was boxed in by political and cultural backlash. Also came competition. Afrobeats rose to prominence, filling the dancehall-shaped void on global playlists. It brought the same energy—party-ready, percussive, irresistibly danceable—but packaged with cleaner narratives, fewer controversies.
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But if 2025 has shown anything, it’s that dancehall is roaring back with vengeance. The resurgence has been impossible to ignore. Vybz Kartel, long considered a figure trapped in controversy and distance, is once again at the center of the movement. Against all odds, his return to the spotlight has reignited interest in the genre, culminating in historic sold-out shows at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and London’s O2 Arena—milestones that would’ve seemed unlikely during dancehall’s quieter years. His presence has reminded fans why he is regarded as one of Jamaica’s most electrifying cultural exports, and his renewed visibility is breathing credibility back into the global market for dancehall.
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But he isn’t doing it alone. A new wave of stars is amplifying the genre’s resurgence, artists like Valiant, Masicka, Byron Messia, Projexx with the success of Shake it To The Max which had Shensea & Skillbeng on it. Dancehall is enjoying a rare second act. Its icons are reclaiming stages once lost, and its new stars are charting futures that extend well beyond the Caribbean.
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