Popcaan and Chronixx display the unity we want to see in dancehall.
BBC Radio 1Xtra has been keeping the vibe alive during this quarantine period with its online artiste showcase series. The series has been around for a number of years and has showcased some truly enjoyable live performances from top urban acts around the world. Entertainers from the island of Jamaica have featured heavily on the series, with numerous upcoming acts being handpicked by resident 1Xtra deejay Seani B. Other heavy-hitters such as Sean Paul, Chi Ching Ching, Lutan Fyah, Shenseea, and now Popcaan have also heated up the online series.
The Unruly Boss’ performance was his first official show since the global shutdown implemented as a COVID-19 safety measure. The 20 minutes set was definitely one for the books, as Poppy delivered hits such as “Buzz,” “Numbers Don’t Lie,” and “Mamakita,” meanwhile teasing other cuts from his impressive catalog. The performance was a refreshing mix of dancehall and reggae infusions, with the latter being delivered by the live band on set. The band featured Adrian Henry holding down the bass guitar, guitarist Lamont Savory, Wade Johnson on keyboard, and Hector Lewis from the ZincFence Redemption band working the bongo drums.
During his performance, the Unruly Boss requested that the cameras got a close-up of the drummer’s tools, which highlighted the name “Chronixx.” Poppy proceeded to shout out the reggae superstar before jumping into his follow-up track.
Chronixx, who has also occupied the BBC 1Xtra platform, shared an exert of the special shoutout he received to his Instagram page, which he captioned “Unruly galaxy.” Popcaan hopped into the comment area to second the caption when he wrote, “To the galaxy my bro.” Chronixx also coupled the exert from the recent performance with another clip showing Jamaican rapper Jakal, who said, “We need more credit.” While Chronixx did not explain the meaning behind the second clip, previous accounts of the singer calling for more unity among the members of the industry could be the ultimate aim.
It was previously believed that Chronixx shaded Popcaan on his 2013 track “Odd Ras” when he referenced a line from one of the Unruly deejay’s earlier songs. However, tensions were lowered following the reggae singjay’s explanation that the lyrics were not aimed at anyone in particular. Since then, both Popcaan and Chronixx have shown each other love on social media. In 2017, Chronixx took an opportunity to preach unity among Poppy and Movado during their rift that had begun a year prior.
“So we want Popcaan and Mavado to know that them are the artists that… them man there are going to take dancehall to the next level and if them unite it will be like a earthquake,” Chronixx said. “Check the African artists them, they are united and look how Africa big.”
You can check out an exert from Popcaan’s performance below.
