Popcaan

Genre-bending Jamaican dancehall singer Popcaan achieved worldwide recognition in the early 2010s through tracks such as "Only Man She Want" and "Party Shot." Initially rising as a key figure in Vybz Kartel's circle before linking with Dre Skull's Mixpak imprint and later joining Drake's OVO Sound roster, the versatile and prolific performer crossed stylistic boundaries on his own releases as well as on Jamie xx's 2015 hit "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" and Gorillaz's 2017 cut "Saturnz Barz," paving the way for his sophomore album Forever in 2018. Following the 2020 mixtape Fixtape, he concentrated on individual releases that included 2022's "Skeleton Cartier" and the Drake collaboration "We Caa Done," which opened his 2023 project Great Is He.

Popcaan's path in dancehall started in 2007 after he aligned with Vybz Kartel's posse and gained early exposure to Jamaican audiences through Kartel's performances at events including Reggae Sumfest and Sting. Cuts like "It Nuh Work So," "Jah Jah Protect Me," "Hot Grabba," and "Gangsta City" established him on local radio, yet his global profile surged in 2010 via a guest spot on the remix of Kartel's major single "Clarks." The following year brought further momentum with the solo offerings "Ravin" and "Party Shot," though 2012's "Only Man She Want" reached greater heights, gaining airplay on reggae and R&B stations internationally and appearing on collections such as Reggae Gold 2012 and Certified Boomshots.

With Kartel incarcerated on murder charges, Popcaan emerged as the foremost voice in the mentor's Gaza or Gaza Empire collective. Projects including the 2013 release Yiy Change maintained the camp's visibility, while 2014's Where We Come From expanded his reach through electronic production supplied by Brooklyn's Dre Skull. Issued on Skull's Mixpak label, the album entered at number two on Billboard's Top Reggae Albums chart. That December also saw the appearance of a joint album with the imprisoned Kartel titled Gaza Unruly.

During the subsequent two years, high-profile features on tracks such as Jamie xx's "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" and AlunaGeorge's "I'm in Control," combined with his own singles like 2016's "Ova Dweet" and 2017's "Family," kept him prominent while he readied his next full-length. Early 2017 brought a turn on Gorillaz's "Saturnz Barz" alongside a supporting slot for Drake on a European run, and 2018 delivered the sophomore set Forever.

Ongoing ties to Drake culminated in Popcaan's late-2018 signing to the OVO Sound label. His initial output under the imprint was the ten-track Vanquish mixtape, which surfaced in December 2019. The Fixtape mixtape followed in 2020, again featuring Drake along with PARTYNEXTDOOR and Jada Kingdom, and reached number 94 on the Billboard 200. Across 2021 he issued and appeared on numerous recordings, from standalone pieces like "Win" and "Wine All Day" to the joint EP Solid Focus Riddim alongside Furnace and Zamunda. His opening solo track of 2022 arrived as "Skeleton Cartier." In January 2023 he reunited with Drake on "We Caa Done," the lead single from his fifth studio album Great Is He.