Kabaka Pyramid

Kabaka Pyramid, a Jamaican rapper, singer, and producer, achieved prominence in the early 2010s through a socially conscious fusion of hip-hop, reggae, and dancehall. Born Keron Salmon in Kingston, he derived his stage name from the Ugandan term for “King” and from the pyramids’ spiritual resonance. Already established locally, his 2013 album Lead the Way reached listeners beyond the Caribbean, earning a Juno Award in Canada and a broad international following. Working as a producer and collaborator from Kingston’s Bebble Rock Studios, he has contributed to projects by artists ranging from Protoje to Akon. Momentum built further with the 2018 release Kontraband and culminated in a Grammy Award for his third album, the acclaimed 2022 set The Kalling.

Growing up in Kingston, Pyramid displayed an early affinity for music by rewriting lyrics to familiar songs and recording himself on his mother’s tape recorder. Although rooted in reggae, he developed a strong interest in hip-hop’s rhythms and lyricism while in high school and initially performed as a rapper. After appearing on a mixtape by New York’s DJ Green Lantern, he released his own 2007 project, The Transition, Vol. 1. The following year he affiliated with the Kingston studio, label, and production company Bebble Rock, an association that continued for the next decade. The Transition, Vol. 2 arrived in 2009 while he expanded his profile through collaborations with Five Steez and Keznamdi and produced material for Ashanti and Massyka.

Around this period his style increasingly merged reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall, as heard on the 2011 Rebel Music EP and the full-length debut Lead the Way in 2013. The latter achieved major success at home and marked his international breakthrough, securing two Jamaica Reggae Industry Association Awards and the Juno Award for Best Reggae Album in Canada. He also became more involved in social initiatives such as Manifesto Jamaica, which empowers Jamaican youth through arts and culture.

A series of singles followed Lead the Way, among them the 2015 track “Phenomenon,” the intense 2016 Raekwon collaboration “Be Inspired,” and the more contemplative 2017 cut “Revolution of the Mind.” In May 2018 Pyramid issued his sophomore album Kontraband, which featured guest appearances by Damian Marley, Akon, and Protoje.

In addition to the 2020 singles “So Much Love” and “I Don’t Care,” his first major undertaking of the new decade was producing the 2021 juggling mix Victory Rock Riddim, a 15-track collection spotlighting emerging artists including MediSun, Iyaz, and Irie Soldier. Most notably, his third album The Kalling appeared in 2022 and earned Pyramid the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.