Sean Paul had much to say about the amount or radio airtime reggae and dancehall music gets and what might be preventing it from making more entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Sean said, “I have so much to say on that. We don’t have the numbers. There are 2.9 million people in Jamaica, so no matter how big we tell you this or that person is, nobody is buying or streaming that shit. Back when I was swimming for Jamaica, I would go to events in Trinidad, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Orlando, and after we’d finish the competition we’d go out for a few beers and I’d hear dancehall music in the clubs—but never on the radio, it being the son of reggae. But it evolved.”
His comments were made in the Daily Beast.
He said there was one point where he thought to blend his music in order to get some airplay.
“That’s the nail on the head right there. The music blew up and I had 10 successful years of being played on the radio in America. After that, it became harder and harder. I thought “Oh, I’ve got to blend my music with this dance music now just to get heard?”
He laments that although he had success with dancehall in the past, now labels and radio stations are more inclined to support non-Jamaican artist doing dancehall and climbing the charts than Jamaican artist who do the same music.
“And then “Bailando” was a huge song, and I was involved in that, so I’m thinking “Why are these executives telling me ‘We’re not having fun trying to run your record in these places because people are saying dancehall is over with?’” So, I tried to do records with these other [pop artists], a lot of collabs. Then, I’m hearing Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Drake, and Swae Lee on the radio, and I’m thinking, “This is all dancehall to me. Why are you categorizing me like that?” It’s been feeling that people are taking it away from us, because if you’re getting on the radio and you’re telling me dancehall’s not getting on the radio anymore…don’t tell me our stuff don’t work.”
Rihanna and Drake’s Work is certified 8 times platinum and Justin Bieber’s Sorry which uses dancehall beat and dances for his music video is certified 10 times platinum.
Bieber’s “Let Me Love You” debuted at number 12 on the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ on the issue dated 27 August 2016. The single is opened at number-one on ‘Digital Songs’ with 113,000 downloads, becoming DJ Snake’s first and Bieber’s sixth number-one on the chart. It has since sold 5 million units. A remix with Sean Paul was said to have harmonic mixing with other chart toppers such as Down by Fifth Harmony feat. Gucci Mane because they have similar tempo.
The remix of the song with the collaboration of American R&B singer R. Kelly debuted at number 24 on the Bubbling Under Hot on issue dated 14 January 2017.
Sean Paul’s eighth, full-length album Scorcha, is scheduled for release on May 27, 2022. He has released 5 singles so far: Only Fanz with Ty Dolla $ign, How We Do It with Pia Mia, Dynamite with Sia, Calling On Me with Tove Lo and the title track Scorcha.
The married, father of 2 says although he makes music for people to dance on a Friday night, the 15 track album will have more thoughtful tracks.
“I make party music—something where people can forget about their problems and throw yourself into the party on a weekend—but this album shows a lot more growth as well. I’ve been a thoughtful person for many years, and it’s not been reflected in my music, so there are some songs like “Good Day” and “Calling on Me”—that’s a song about being there for each other, about family. “Borrowed Time” is a party track, but there’s something deeper in there. It’s talking about cheating. I came to the realization in that song that it’s not satisfying, that shit.”
