July Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks of the Month: Royal Blu, Cham, Shemmy J, Teejay & More

For the final track of his Spain Root debut album, which served as a highly personal dedication to his hometown of Spanish Town, rising Jamaican artist Royal Blue turned to the God-fearing lessons of his childhood and how he’s internalized them in his adulthood. “I just waah fi be di best bro to my bros/ That sometimes I get lost in the lifestyle that I chose/ Diamonds, pearls, and the most expensive gold/ Means nothing if I lose the ones that made me who you know,” he croons in the atmospheric chorus, which takes the song away from the brassy reggae of its verses and towards a more soul-driven space.

To celebrate Lucian Carnival this year, six of the island’s brightest stars joined forces for a rousing power soca anthem dedicated to the spirit of the annual celebration. Shemmy J, Umpa, Imran Nerdy, Ezra D’FunMachine, Arthur Allain and Sedale united across Elmo Norville’s pounding production, welcoming listeners to “Di Land of Party” through verses that flip the melody of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” Each artist fuses their respective idiosyncrasies into the relentless production, making for a seemingly endless stream of road-ready revelry and cheeky double entendres.

Cham’s Sherlock project arrived at the end of July, and “Hustling In My Blood,” featuring Stephen and Damian Marley, is an easy standout. Each artist flexes their pen across fiery verses that complement the track’s militant drums and nostalgic trumpet refrain. “Hustling inna mi blood, guf gor it inna di mud/ Tru the fire and the flood, listen to my every word/ Whoa, we the strongest of the strongest/ Whoa, we will be here the longest,” he declares in the chorus, evoking a triumphant urgency that sets the stage for each passionate verse that follows.

Trinidadian talent Jimmy October has teamed up with frequent collaborator Brooklyn Decent for his new single, “Bam Bam.” His first official single since last year’s From October With Love EP, “Bam Bam” finds the singer delivering a sweet ode to the ladies and their waistlines, incorporating elements of amapiano, dancehall, reggae and calypso along the way. “Gimmie di wine, Gimmie di wine/ 10 outta 10/ Gimmie di light, Gimmie di light/ Fire go bun dem down/ Waistline deya go round and round/ TikTok yuh gone viral now,” he rhymes in the second verse.

Thanks, in part, to Chronic Law, Cjthechemist has found notable success with his “NY Girls” riddim. Now, 28-year-old Jamaican dancehall star Armanii is adding his own flair to the sultry trap-dancehall beat. Once again proving himself as one of Kartel’s sharpest descendants, Armanii spits countless XXX-rated bars like: “Love it when you slide that tongue/ Love it when you ride and cum/ P—y clean, we nuh buy condom/ Baby, yuh face pretty, have my child and done.” Armed with a slightly raspy flow that snaked around Cjthechemist’s riddim, Armanii has yet another hit on his hands.

Solomon Islands reggae band DMP, Polynesian “Let’s Do It Again” reggae singer J Boog and Virgin Islands crossover star Iyaz have teamed up for a new version of DMP’s 2022 hit, “Long Way Home” — and it’s the kind of starry collaboration that feels like a true event. Anchored in swaying roots reggae melodies, “Long Way Home” embodies the tender hopefulness of holding onto an unforeseen — but eternally welcome — connection. Iyaz appeared on the original version of the song, and J Boog’s reserved tone offers a nice contrast to his rugged delivery.

ZJ Chrome’s new Circuit Riddim features icons like Sean Paul, Ding Dong and Vybz Kartel, but Teejay’s “The Wall” might be the set’s best offering. Effortlessly shifting between a hard-hitting, percussive flow and a markedly more melodic sung-through cadence, Teejay’s stab at the Circuit Riddim features all of the elements that made the world fall in love with him through 2024’s “Drift.”

After scoring a hit earlier this year with his Nicki Minaj-assisted “Eskimo,” Trinidad Killa is eyeing another buzzy record with his new “Enjoy Yourself” single. Featuring DJ Big Skipp and Jamaican singer Moyann, “Enjoy Yourself” finds Killa honoring and spoiling his special lady. “I wan you enjoy yourself/ And you know what you do, wan make me buy Chanel and Gucci for you/ From the club to the den, now you wet up the bed/ Again and again,” he sings in the chorus before handing the baton to Moyann, whose sweet timbre and feminine energy smartly complement Killa’s presence on the track.

As Grenada’s annual Spicemas celebration draws nearer, Lil Kerry has delivered a vigorous, CollisBeats-produced power soca anthem that incorporates musical and aesthetic odes to jab jab. His infectious “bury all” chant is the song’s central element; the simple refrain propels Kerry through his wordy verses while also providing an easily identifiable hook for revelers to punctuate their moves as they take over the road.

This year, the late Connie Francis’ “Pretty Little Baby,” which made hit No. 13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 over six decades after its original release, found a new life with Gen Z on TikTok. Now, dancehall icon Elephant Man is reimagining the hit for Jamaican audiences.

“We can f—k for hours next to the flowers/ Siddung pon mi h—d girl, yuh doing good girl/ Kitty grip me baby, have me running back to you,” he sings in the hook, which sits on an arrangement largely lifted from Francis’ original. Stacked with hilariously vulgar slingers and a surprisingly catchy flow, Elephant Man has seemingly stumbled into a viral hit 30 years into his illustrious career.