Upcoming Jamaica shows

July 20 - Portmore @ Club Famous Starlife Saturdays (My Birthday Edition)
July 25 - Mo Bay, Reggae Sumfest
July 26 - Mandeville, Hennessy Lifestyle
July 31 - Manchester, Manchester Fest
Aug 10 - Mo Bay, Xtasy Igloo @ Pier One

Only ManShe Want live at Summerjam Festival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ungq4uDCaM8&feature=youtu.be

With Videos in Rotation on MTV, VH1, Popcaan Performs at the Top European Festivals and Gets Ready for Reggae Sumfest

Fresh from a successful Canadian tour in June, Popcaan performed for full house venues in cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. The popular artiste has remained at the forefront of the dancehall scene from climbing charts to performing sold out shows worldwide. 

Now Popcaan, raises the bar as he has performed to sold out concerts in Europe on his European Summer 2013 Tour, playing major festivals in Germany, France, Switzerland and Holland over past 2 weeks. Of significance was his first time performing with a band on such festivals as Afro Latino in Belgium and Summerjam in Germany.

After rocking a crowd 30,000 strong at Summerjam, Popcaan said “it was an amazing experience, its great to see how the people accept the music, Summerjam is a special vibe and a every energetic crowd”

He will return to Jamaica just in time for the highly anticipated Reggae Sumfest, one of the biggest nights for music in Jamaica at the end of July. After a critically acclaimed performance last year, the DJ looks forward to delivering on Dancehall Night yet again. 

In between the tour dates and appearances, the dancehall artiste is still working assiduously in the studio. Last summer the 'Unruly Boss' dominated with the release of his award winning hit single "When We Party". His recent release "Unruly Rave" for Hapilos Digital Production seems out to do the same with heavy rotation on the radio, in the clubs and in the streets. He commemorated the summer by releasing the video for the track on the first day of the season. The video shoot for another track, the Jam 2 Records produced single "Wine Like That" was also just completed which fans can also look out for in July.

With Popcaan's latest collaboration "First Time" with Megan James from the group Purity Ring featured in the Puma Dance Dictionary and gaining traction worldwide, Popcaan will be adding a number of international collaborations to his growing catalogue this year as well. Songs featuring both UK and US based artistes can be expected.

Presently his worldwide hit, “The System” is in rotation on MTV Jams and VH1 Soul, and the song remains one of his most popular. Of this song Popcaan says “It’s a song that the people just love, it a sing along everywhere when I perform it and it has nearly 2 million views on YouTube on my page alone, so maybe 5 million all over the internet so with MTV rotation it can only keep growing”  

Popcaan’s full length album is already underway, with finishing touches being done. The album will be crafted by the ingenious Dre Skull of MixPak Records along with well known Jamaican producers. The first single from the album will be released in September 10.

 Unruly Rave:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZvFdD9EIqI&feature=c4-overview&list=UUYGHSw2kacL589nNX4l0fMg

First Time:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQOHAVb9Wdg

The System live at Afro Latino: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2MQTRHwkM8&feature=c4-overview&list=UUYGHSw2kacL589nNX4l0fMg

Clarks live at SummerJam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P71Hr5qljvs

Popcaan shots music video with rapper, Pusha T; takes Vanity Fair spotlight

Working assiduously at turning himself into an illustrious brand, while 'repping' for dancehall music, Popcaan has made a smooth entrance into the world of rap music through a recent collaboration with a popular American rapper.

The entertainer recently wrapped up a video shoot with popular US rapper, Pusha T, who is signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music label.  Pusha T, who came to the fore as one half of the duo, Clipse, was featured alongside Big Sean on Kanye’s blockbuster single, “Mercy”, which went on to achieve platinum-selling status this year. A  musically astute artiste, Kanye sampled the high-pitched vocals of Jamaican Fuzzy Jones, on “Mercy”. Jones was a popular song/dubplate intro man during the 70’s and 80’s and with the huge success of Mercy, it isn’t surprising that the G.O.O.D  team have come to Jamaica for an original – Popcaan.

Papi is featured on Pusha T’s single “Blocka”, and the decision was taken to have the music video shot on location in Jamaica using talented Los Angeles-based director, Orson Whales. Interestingly, while Pusha T was in Jamaica, Popcaan introduced him to all the main dancehall street parties, where Pusha T even got on the mic a few times, much to the delight of his Jamaican fans.

It was quite a busy period for Popcaan, as he also shot the video for the Dre Skull-produced single, “So We Do It”, on the Kling Kling riddim. The video was directed by "Vice" magazine editor and feature documentary filmmaker Andy Capper, whose credits include the Snoop Dogg documentary "Reincarnated”.

“It’s all about playing my part in ensuring that dancehall music lives on and it continues to make a mark globally. Some people say that dancehall is dying, but we as artistes know that it isn’t so,” Papi stated.

Meanwhile, the Ravin’ King quietly stole the spotlight recently, when highly-rated international lifestyle magazine, Vanity Fair, featured Dancehall in its November Web Exclusive entitled 'A Diary of Dancehall’.

While  in Jamaica working on new music, Vanity Fair travel correspondent, Diplo, who is also a producer and DJ, documented what is described in the feature as “the dancehall scene’s quirks and most influential progenitors, from Creep Chromatic to Popcaan”. Diplo is no stranger to dancehall, having worked with many of the biggest names in the genre and playing at many of the popular parties. He revealed that Popcaan has been writing with him and Snoop Dogg (now Snoop Lion) on an upcoming record for Snoop, and, although Diplo mentions several dancehall heavyweights, it is Popcaan who he sees as the current flavor.

He  noted, “The music always moved forward; you can always anchor the sound on the shoulders of the superstar the city put its money behind—which has shifted from the uptown, say, Sean Paul, to the gully/garrison side, like with Bounty Killer and Mavado, over the past 10 or so years. Vybz Kartel may be one of the most prolific artists of all time …. but in 2012, the scene is owned by one artist, the next in line to Vybz Portmore Empire/Gaza Crew: Popcaan.”

The magazine further states that “in a music scene where controversy sells—and hype and drama are the motivators behind a buzz—Popcaan has made a career out of the opposite. He just makes music about pretty girls and having a good time partying. Still, his distinctive high-pitched voice, distinct swagger, and up-to-the-minute street vocabulary have enabled him to have a meteoric rise that hasn’t been seen in years.”

This unsolicited, kudos-filled, Vanity Fair feature is clearly a testament to Popcaan’s immense talent, his ever-expanding caliber as an artiste and his fulfillment of the expectations that have been heaped on him ever since he emerged on the dancehall scene. Recognising the limitless possibilities associated with this Vanity Fair endorsement, Popcaan is simply giving his slow, relaxed smile.

“Yes… I feel good about the feature…it was unexpected, but it came at the right time. Thanks to all those who made it happen,” Papi said.

After Guyana concert and Sting, Popcaan heads to Zimbabwe

Dancehall artiste, Popcaan, has a very busy season ahead as he prepares to debut recently shot music videos, fulfills engagements both overseas and at home, while putting in some quality time in studio on his first album project.

The artiste, who has made the Caribbean his home this year, will quite appropriately spend Christmas in Guyana where he is scheduled to perform on December 25. With many of his songs doing exceptionally well on that mainland territory, Popcaan is definitely the ‘Ravin’ King’ in Guyana, a country which holds a special place in his heart.

 “The people are so friendly ….it feels just like home. The fans there have a special place in their heart for me,” he said as he pulled out his brightest smile.

Of course, fans at home will not be left out and Papi, as he is affectionately called, is set to make a supreme performance on what is dubbed the greatest one-night reggae/dancehall show on earth – Sting. The annual December 26 treat is shaping up to be quite an occasion this year and Popcaan is good and ready. He has an arsenal of hit songs, old and current, which cater to both the girls who love to gyrate and his 'rude bwoy' fans who see Popcaan as their role model and mentor.

Known in some quarters as the Gaza Prefect, Papi has matured significantly during this year, and with his ever-expanding stature as an artiste, he defies being pigeon-holed, but reiterates that his loyalty remains unchanged. For him, Sting will not be a showdown in any shape or form, it will simply present a chance for the artiste to show his mettle and thrill his fans on a show that has the reputation of catering to patrons who are “hard to please”.

“We have the songs and we have the package and I am looking forward to performing on Sting 2012,” Popcaan declared.

Right after Sting, Papi will pack his bags and head out to Zimbabwe, where reggae legend Bob Marley and the Wailers performed  in April 1980 at the official Independence Ceremony, at the invitation of the newly elected president Robert Mugabe. Many reggae acts have since performed in Zimbabwe and Popcaan has every intention of being a great musical ambassador as rings in the New Year with his first performance on African soil.

POPCAAN POPPING WITH ENERGY

POPCAAN POPPING WITH ENERGY

Sold-out tours, hot new singles and intense adoration from his fans are the elements that have combined to keep acclaimed entertainer, Popcaan a main contender in the fiery furnace of dancehall juggling. Not only has he come to terms with a lot of the drama that surrounded his meteoric rise in the dancehall, Popcaan is intent on making it work for him.

Positioned as an artiste whose versatility sees him locking the town with ultra bad bwoy lyrics, while at the same time playing the role of the ultimate ladies man, as he belts out “Mi a the only man she want”, Popcaan is certainly enjoying the best of both worlds. It is little wonder that 2012 has seen him hitch his wagon to a star as he traverses the globe -- Europe, the Caribbean and Canada -- representing for dancehall as one of Jamaica’s proudest ambassadors.

“The response from countries outside of Jamaica has been awesome,” Popcaan says, still sounding a bit dazed by it all. “When I go to the Caribbean, the fans there know every song word-for-word. They expect to hear all the songs in my catalogue and they don’t want one verse either, they demand the entire song… and I am only too happy to sing it all for them,” declares the MOBO nominated artiste.

Papi, as he is affectionately called, has already visited the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago twice for this year, and he is headed for Tobago again this weekend. He also recently returned from Europe where, according to reports, the response to Popcaan is nothing short of “ridiculous”. He toured Europe in June and, based on the resounding success of that trip, he returned early in November, which saw him doing cities such as Paris, Bordeaux, Orleans, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Rome. Songs like “Ravin,” “Party Shot", “Only Man She Want” and especially "Get Gal Easy" and "The System" were definite crowd-pleasers and, with his developing skills, Popcaan has been mixing in the newer songs with the blockbusters and leaving  his fans satisfied with hour-long performances.

And, although the demand for him overseas has spiked, Popcaan remains true to his local fan base, giving a dazzling performance at the Arthur Guinness show held in October. “Home is really where the heart is. I love to perform for fans outside of Jamaica and I enjoy the fact that music has the power to unite people of different cultures, but there is nowhere like home,” the man who earned the title, Gaza Prefect stated.

Among his more recent offerings are "Food Haffi Run", which peaked at number one in the UK and which is getting quite a bit of love locally, and So We Do It, for which he is in the process of shooting the video. 

Booked solid for the upcoming festive season, which includes Sting and a concert in Colombia (South America) where he will be opening for Shaggy, Popcaan will also be busy in studio working on his debut album.

“We have assembled a team of producers and I am really excited about this album project. It’s my first, so it will definitely be something to talk about,” stated the man who the UK-based BB Radio 1Xtra chose as one of their 'Hot 20 for 2012’. 

Vanity Fair...is a good look

Big up Diplo and music photographer Shane McCauley, yea, for featuring me on vanityfair.com for Diplo's music blog.

Here's what Diplo had to say bout di fry yiy:

"In a music scene where controversy sells—and hype and drama are the motivators behind a buzz—Popcaan has made a career out of the opposite. He just makes music about pretty girls and having a good time partying. Still, his distinctive high-pitched voice, distinct swagger, and up-to-the-minute street vocabulary have enabled him to have a meteoric rise that hasn’t been seen in years. Doesn’t hurt to be co-signed by the biggest star, either. His 2011 hit—an ode to the Clarks shoes—opens with “wha gwaan Popcaan.” Since that moment, the whole world knew who he was—the song even made me buy a pair of Clarks in Half Way Tree in New Kingston. I’m positive they were bootlegs, but it’s my souvenir from the Clarks and Popcaan movement."