Aidonia is celebrating his 40th birthday today, April 6, and since the recent lockdown imposed on Jamaican citizens to curb the spread of Covid 19 has been driving many crazy, we can celebrate with Didi through this special playlist of his exciting singles while giving ourselves a mental chill pill.
First, let’s look at where this artiste is coming from.
Aidonia, whose correct name is Sheldon Lawrence, knew he wanted to become a deejay at an early age after watching a tape with the clash between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer at Sting in 1993. He rose to the front line of the Jamaican dancehall industry through his alliance with Bounty Killer in early 2004.
He became a performer at an event called “Battle Thursdays,” enacting the dancehall clash style in 2004, and later through producer Cordell “Skatta” Burrell, Aidonia recorded his first hit, “Lolly.” The song was later included on the VP Records annual Strictly The Best (Volume 33) compilation.
In 2011, the artiste started pushing other artists from the J.O.P (Jag One Production) family, including Govana, Tanso, Shoktyme, and Size 10. Together they produced a few hit songs, including “Run Road” and “All 14”.
On his birthday last year, 2020, Didi’s Dats a Trap mixtape was released featuring 17 tracks.
Aidonia has mastered the art of catering to the ladies but has also given fans a plethora of gritty party tracks for partygoers to “buss a few blanks” to. Here are six songs from the dancehall deejay that can definitely lift your spirits.
1. “Caribbean Girls”
This track found its way into the hearts of fans when Justus of JA Productions dropped his Overproof Riddim compilation in 2011. “Caribbean Girls” resonated with the entire region and quickly became a favorite among the other tracks aboard the project. The groovy, tropical beat aided Donia in caressing the females as he sings about just how he shares his love with/for his Caribbean ladies. You can check out this classic below.
2. “Flying Dagger aka 100 Stab”
This one sees us opening the vault as we head back to the year 2008, when food prices were relatively low and parties ran until the morning. The loosely used term of ‘daggering’ was also prevalent, as dancers, bother male and female, joined forces to display more than just rapid public movements. Producers rushed to cement their place in this era of dancehall, with fast-paced beats. However, they also needed entertainers who could manage to deliver on said beats. The Equiknoxx team comprising of Gavin Blair & Nicholas Deane tapped Aidonia for their Flying Dagger Riddim, and the rest was history. “100 Stab,” as it is mostly called by deejays and partygoers alike, will definitely get your heart racing and your waist moving while you try to count in multiples of 10.
3. “Fi Di Jockey”
Real bodies, a*ses, and horses dominated the music video for this cult classic when it was released in 2013. Aidonia’s knack for catering to the ladies was well documented by then, with nearly a decade in the business. Songs such as “6:30,” “Jook So,” and “Tip Pon Yuh Toe,” were all represented in the visuals. However, one should note that while Aidonia’s raspy voice is enough to drive immense pleasure into the hearts of his female fans, Stephen “Di Genius” Mcgregor of Big Ship Records should be receiving his flowers for the stellar production. The riddim track was clearly a Godsend and explains just why the song still towers over most new productions when it comes to getting the ladies ready and waiting.
4. “80’s Dancehall Style”
Tenor Saw’s “Golden Hen,” Michigan & Smiley “Diseases,” and Yellow Man’s “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng,” are just a few cuts from the world-renown Mad Mad Riddim done in the early 80s by Henry’ Junjo’ Lawes. The styles of the 80s form the very fabric that today’s dancehall is tailored from. The heavy bass drop and easy-to-follow rhyming patterns have been copied and sampled numerous times around the world. Upon the request of his associates, Aidonia decided to drop his own freestyle, titled “80’s Dancehall Style.” Along with delivering the same, if not a higher caliber of lyrics than the other greats on the riddim, Aidonia also proves that the younger generation was still intuned with the sounds of yesteryear. The track is laced with neat little details about Aidonia’s life, which makes it even more fitting for this list.
5. “Look”
A few more years under his belt brought about a more mature Aidonia, which is on full display in “Look.” Over the years, Didi has always ensured a trendy look is the name of his game. He has sung about it on tracks such as “Run Road” featuring Govana and “Yeah,” but never has he dedicated an entire track to his walk-in closet. His styles are endless and flawless! Whether it is full black or a bright colors affair, Donia has the threads to pull off the look. Even though the weekend looks pretty dismal, that’s if you are in Jamaica, then “Look” may just inspire you to take a peek into your closet just to look ‘goodt’ for your mirror. Why not?
6. “Dat Eazy”
This track marked Aidonia’s entrance into the world of TikTok challenges, as his #DatEazyChallenge dominated social media and had everyone and their mama attempting Aidonia’s immaculate flow. There’s no shortage of lyrics on this one, which means you should probably keep your finger fixated on the rewind button to ensure you soak up all the sauce he’s pouring. “Dat Eazy” is all about dunking on his haters and naysayers who have been doubting his abilities over the years. #StyleAStyleRiddim? by Chimney Records provides the basis for this recent banger.
