Dancehall in soca 2019

This year’s soca playlist is turning out to be peppered with cameos from the dancehall fraternity. So far, new music releases from the easterly islands have revealed features from local dancehall stars as others tease upcoming potential collaborations.

Once again, Romeich Entertainment’s sole female artiste, Shenseea, has collaborated with soca legacy sensation Nailah Blackman on the brand-new singleWe Ready. Additionally, her label-mate, Ding Dong Ravers, leader of the indomitable dance crew Ravers Clavers, features on Machel Montano’s latest single,So Good. The display of Caribbean camaraderie is a welcome one , especially considering the burgeoning carnival scene in Jamaica.

But according to some artistes, such collaborations appear to have been a long time coming.

According to Ding Dong,So Good was recorded seasons ago. “I don’t remember exactly when, but the song was recorded about two years ago,” he toldThe Gleaner.

Ding Dong reached out to the international soca star for other business, and not surprisingly, music came into the mix. “The link wasn’t anything to do with a collaboration. He came out to do a soca party, and the conversation turned to us doing music,” he said. The conversation revealed that both men shared similar sentiments with regard to perceived boundaries between the Caribbean islands.

“People like to separate the Caribbean islands. We thought, ‘Maybe we can make a difference by doing a collaboration,” Ding Dong said. From his own catalogue, the dancehall entertainer proves that there is a way for the indigenous music form to fit into the soca scene. He notes that recent soca party playlists have included his music likeGenna Bounce,Fling,Flairy, andLebbehLebbeh. “Why are we separating our cultures? It’s one Caribbean. I have a lot of songs playing in soca parties but not a soca song. So this is huge for me. Machel’s platform is not a normal one, so I’m blessed to be a part of the project,” he said.

Improving Caribbean relations

Emphasising his point on improving inter-Caribbean relations, Ding Dong spoke of the video shoot, revealing : “We went to do a show in Barbados in late 2018. I’m from Jamaica, Machel is Trini, and the video was filmed in Barbados. Those are the connections we aim for. Coming around to the new season, it’s going to be great. I applaud others doing collaborations across the Caribbean,” he said.

Last year, Nailah Blackman collaborated with Shenseea onBadishh, and earlier this week, the pair followed up withWe Ready. Regardless of stark differences between the genres, Blackman finds strong kinship with her fellow Caribbean princess.

The soca star toldThe Gleaner that the dancehall vixen is the closest friend she has right now. “She’s somebody who understands me and the things I go through. And we have a lot of fun together,” she revealed.

While noting that the styles are different, Blackman notes that there are common elements (beyond pelvic-centred movements). “I would say what is similar is the effect they have on people. Dancehall is feel-good music. Soca is also feel-good music, and they are both music of the Caribbean,” she said.