Did Vybz Kartel Shade Shaggy Amid Heated ‘King of Dancehall’ Debate?
The two Jamaican superstars are both staking their claim for the King of Dancehall crown.
A heated debate surrounding the title "King of Dancehall" continues to rage as dancehall superstars Vybz Kartel and Shaggy both make their claims. In a September 23 interview with Roadblock Radio, Shaggy stated that his strategic approach to music has resulted in him remaining the second-largest streaming artist in the genre at age 58.
The Jamaican-born star has 58 years of experience behind him and boasts three Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits, including "Angel" and "It Wasn't Me." He is also a two-time Grammy winner, holding the title of best reggae album in 1996 and 2019. Shaggy has acknowledged the achievements of other dancehall legends such as Beenie Man, Kartel, Shabba Ranks, and Sean Paul, emphasizing that there is no single king for the genre.
Just days after Shaggy's statements, Kartel took to Instagram to share a lip-sync video of an unreleased track with a seemingly disparaging caption aimed at manufactured pop stars. A few days earlier, Kartel had also graced the Barclays Center stage, solidifying his presence in the dancehall scene. Despite his 13-year incarceration and independent artist status, Kartel has managed to secure 10 top 10 entries on Reggae Albums, although none of them topped the weekly ranking.
As the "King of Dancehall" debate continues to unfold, fans from both sides remain vocal and fiercely loyal to their respective favorites.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
