Songs such as "Shabba Madda Pot" (2015), "3G" (2016), and "21" (2017), all of which have been placed on volumes of VP Records' Strictly the Best series, have made Dexta Daps a dancehall mainstay known for appealing to the streets and bedroom. During the year "21" was issued and licensed for Strictly the Best, Vol. 57, Dexta also released his first album, Intro. The vocalist has since issued Vent (2020), his second full-length showcase.
A proud native of the Seaview Gardens neighborhood in West Kingston, Dexta Daps (born Louis Anthony Grandison, Jr.) has been an active recording artist since the turn of the 2010s. During his first several years of studio work, he appeared on numerous riddim compilations, released singles such as "Shabba Madda Pot" (honoring Shabba Ranks' mother, a beloved Seaview matriarch), and recorded with M.I.A. ("Foreign Friend"). Intro, a collaboration with the Daseca Productions team, was issued in 2017 as his debut album. Singles and featured appearances throughout the next couple years led to the 2020 arrival of his self-released second album, Vent. Among the set's standouts were "Breaking News," "A Plus" (a duet with Spice), and "Obviously" (featuring Beenie Man). ~ Andy Kellman
Jamaican pop vocalist Jada Kingdom started out modeling but soon found success releasing her own music. Shortly after a starring role in the video for Sean Kingston's 2016 single "One Away," the still-teenaged singer began working on her own tracks and released a series of singles beginning with 2017's R&B-edged dancehall track "Love Situations." Over the next several years she released a steady flow of new songs as well as 2020 EP E-Syde Queen (The Twinkle Playlist) #Snacksize.
Combining elements of dancehall with modernized R&B production and a versatile vocal style, Kingston-based singer Jada Kingdom transitioned from modeling and having a social media presence into a full-on pop star in 2017. Releasing mostly singles and occasionally guesting on other artists' tracks, she had viral hits with both "Love Situations" and follow-up single "Unwanted," both of which had videos that would be viewed by the millions. Throughout 2018, the singer released new singles such as "Wull On," "Best You Ever Had (B.Y.E.H.)," and "Banana," and ended the year with a one-two punch of two new tracks released in the last days of December, "Medicine" and "One Time." Both of these songs included some trademarks of reggae and dancehall but overall had a smoother R&B sound. Over the next few years, Kingdom's songs were given the remix treatment by artists such as DaVido and Vybz Kartel, and along with singles like "Badum," "Green Dreams," and "Happy Place," she compiled several tracks on 2020 EP E-Syde Queen (The Twinkle Playlist) #Snacksize. In 2021, along with appearances on tracks from other artists, Kingdom released new singles "Perfect Timing" and "Jungle." ~ Fred Thomas
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