The Deejay opens up to Billboard about the success of his recent album, the changing landscape of dancehall, his collaboration with Chronic Law, and a range of other topics
Masicka, "feel Like it's my time" (Photo: Nicholas Gregg)
Dancehall star Masicka, has achieved an extraordinary milestone on the Apple iTunes charts. With the release of his latest album, "Generation of Kings," he has secured an impressive presence by occupying the top 17 positions simultaneously. The buzz surrounding Masicka continues unabated, and there is a palpable anticipation that he is poised to surpass the acclaim generated by his debut album, "438."
In a recent interview with the esteemed Billboard, the 32-year-old dancehall deejay delved into various aspects, including insights into the album, his aspirations, the decision to join Def Jam, and more.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind his new project, Masicka expressed, "mi feel like mi cement myself inna di dancehall space with a great body at work. So, with Generation of Kings, mi just feel like it’s my time".
Discussing the challenges of curating the album's tracklist, he remarked, "I think that was the hardest part, being we had quite a number of great tracks on the album." Masicka highlighted the highly anticipated collaboration with Chronic Law. "The most anticipated collab was the Chronic Law , he’s a lyricist from Jamaican and people always wan us fi do a song together. That song also features Lila Iké too – bad upcoming female artist. Mi think di people dem really resonate with that collab", the 'Triumph' artiste added.
The Portmore-Native also sheds light on his unique songwriting process, stating, "Sometimes it’s just the melody alone mi have, I just go inna di studio and mumble it. And throughout the day, when I’m playing a game or something, I just think about it subconsciously, and I finish it like that. Mi nuh have no songbook. I’ve never had a songbook."
Addressing the evolution of dancehall from the old school to the current era, Masicka expressed his perspective: "Mi think the difference is modern dancehall just gets five minutes of fame. Bounty and Beenie Man start from when they was small, so dem actually really love di music, so they never had any other options."
Masicka while signing with Def Jam
When discussing his decision to sign with a major label like Def Jam, Masicka praised the label's work ethic and Tunji Balogun CEO of Def Jam. "Mi like how dem work. Mi like Tunji's vision more than anything else. We spoke probably about a year and a half before [I] actually signed. Mi also like the humbleness. Mi think we share the same work ethic and vision all in one. Anything’s a risk, but mi think this a good risk".
Finally, Masicka revealed his influences from various hip-hop artists and dreams of remixing one of his songs. "Probably Lil Baby. Lil Baby dope. Jay-Z. 50 Cent", he concluded.
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