Sean Paul delivered a stellar performance of his classic hits on Tiny Desk Concert. The dancehall legend joins Shaggy, Damian Marley, and Jimmy Cliff as among the only Jamaican artists to have performed on Tiny Desk.
Sean Paul’s voice is a unique gem in the dancehall space, and his 20-minute set on Tiny Desk Concert is a testament to his musical prowess. With a career spanning three decades, the Jamaican singer, backed by his touring band, delivered a distinct performance of his classics “Gimme the Light,” “Get Busy,” “Infiltrate,” “I’m Still in Love With You,” “Deport Them,” “Like Glue,” and “Temperature.”
“You are the number one sexy ladies, Tiny Desk,” Sp said. “We’ve been on tour, and we just did DC last night, so I thank you for accommodating me and partying on a day like this.”
These are all singles that helped shape Sean Paul’s career in the 2000s when he became a household name in music globally. SP earned a major breakthrough following the success of his collaboration with Mr. Vegas, “Hot Gal Today,” released in 1999 on the Street Sweeper Riddim, produced by production duo Steely & Clevie. The song paved the way for his second album, Dutty Rock, released in 2002, which presented a shift in the musical landscape that was dominated by rap, R&B, and pop at the time.
Dutty Rock marks a pivotal moment in Sean Paul’s career and is part of a memorable era for dancehall music. Within a matter of months of debuting the project, almost every big artist on the planet wanted a Sean Paul collaboration. The result was some big songs with Beyonce, Keyshia Cole, Blu Cantrell, and more. The album has since been certified triple platinum in the United States by the RIAA.
Meanwhile, fans have been reacting to Sean Paul’s Tiny Desk performance with overwhelming praise. “Can’t stop moving my shoulders, back, head and neck….chair dancing at work while folks think I’m crazy!!!! Love Sean Paul, he is instant ENERGY,” Jessica exclaimed, echoing the sentiments of many other fans.
“Who ever idea this was at Tiny Desk to bring on Sean Paul Thank you, you deserve a raise. I’m so glad to be a child growing up in the 2000s. I got all kinds of shiny pop, rock, dancehall, hip hop and r&b music burned into my brain in my formative years and I’m forever grateful for that,” another female fan wrote.
