Dancehall is dead! That’s how pessimistic some music fans are today about the state of Jamaican party music. The danceable, minimal beat is omnipresent. Because even if Sean Pauls and Shaggys aren’t currently dominating the charts, German rap mega-successes like “Palmen aus Plastik”, global reggaeton hits, French big names like Aya Nakamura and of course the Afrobeats superstars are getting the world dancing with Jamaican grooves.
Jugglerz are at the forefront of the European reggae and dancehall scene, proved themselves at sound clashes in the Caribbean and produced for big names on the island such as Busy Signal and Spice. Later, German rap greats such as the KMN Gang, Luciano and Bausa were also among their beat clients.
Dancehall roots
On their third compilation, however, they concentrate on their dancehall roots to remind the world how diverse and inspiring Jamaican music still is. On “Jugglerz Family” we hear artists who have actually been part of the Jugglerz world for years, such as Jamaica’s dancehall star Konshens, who lures us onto the dance floor with a minimal riddim in 90s dancehall style in “None A Dem”. Another highlight is the appearance of Spice, the reigning Queen of Dancehall, who praises her physical assets in the raunchy “Sexercise”. Another strong woman is newcomer Lanae, who turns her boyfriend’s head in “Bounce Pan It”.
And then there’s Chi Ching Ching. The two-meter-tall party machine stormed the Jugglerz’s accommodation in Kingston unannounced at 10 a.m. – with a bunch of friends in tow, a few bottles of rum and enough energy to record three songs straight away. “Kingston City” from the session made it onto the compilation, where he shows his socially critical side: He describes the daily struggle for survival in the Caribbean, gun violence, the corrupt police and how people never lose hope despite all these problems. Because dancehall is more than hedonistic party music, it is an unfiltered mouthpiece for ordinary people.
Poor People Newspaper
Several songs on “Jugglerz Family” deal with serious, profound thoughts. In “Change of Thoughts”, Konshens sings with Germany’s reggae star Gentleman about unity, loyalty and positive action. On “Tall Shade”, Ghana’s Afrobeats star Mr Eazi and global pop ambassador Patrice reflect on how to deal with haters. And finally, Jamaican Jesse Royal explores his African roots together with Ghanaian Stonebwoy in “Made in Africa”.
From Jamaica to Africa
The connection from Jamaica to Africa also plays a prominent role on “Jugglerz Family”. The Jamaican dancehall artist Demarco sings on an instrumental in the South African Amapiano style about the things he has been blessed with in life. The Jamaican producer Dre Island sings a duet with the newcomer Zion DeLion from Lagos and the Afrobeats-style instrumental to Blvck H3ro’s “Low Key” was originally intended for Burna Boy.
Dancehall International
“Jugglerz Family” also shows connections to other genres that were inspired by dancehall: “Hard & Done” by Charly Black and Nyla works with a straightforward reggaeton rhythm, the song is aimed at audiences in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico or Colombia, where dancehall-reggaeton hybrids are very popular. In “Fi Fun” we hear the minimal shatta genre from Martinique and Jahyanai from French Guiana kicks lyrics on Kréyol and Patwa. Despite the focus on Jamaica, “Jugglerz Family” sounds like an international dancehall family celebration, with Jamaican riddims as the universal party language.
