Dancehall star Teejay has confirmed that he is no longer signed to Warner Records, marking a new chapter in his career following the release of his debut EP I Am Chippy. Speaking exclusively with World Music Views, the artist made it clear that he is now fully independent.
“Independent artist, that is it,” Teejay said, announcing the split. Despite the departure from the major label system, the Montego Bay native appears confident about the road ahead. When asked what fans can expect in 2026, his response was emphatic: “Great, great, great — look out for new music coming, stay tuned.”
I Am Chippy, released February 2, 2024 via Warner Records debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart, making it the first dancehall EP to debut on the chart in 2024. The 10-track project recorded 1,000 combined album units in its first week, including approximately 200 pure sales and 1.1 million official streams, according to Luminate. The album finished the year as the second highest streaming dancehall project released in 2024 with 34 million streams on Spotify. The Warner Records release has sold more than 15,000 album-equivalent units in the U.S. since its release on February 2, 2024, according to data provided to World Music Views by Billboard Sales Tracker Luminate.
The EP’s commercial performance extended beyond Billboard. I Am Chippy climbed to No. 1 on the Reggae iTunes Chart, briefly dethroning Bob Marley’s iconic Legend compilation before maintaining a top-ten position throughout the week — Teejay’s first No. 1 project in the genre on the platform.
Across the Caribbean and beyond, the project also posted strong Apple Music rankings, reaching No. 3 in Jamaica, No. 4 in Belize and Dominica, No. 5 in Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana, and even charting in Madagascar at No. 20. On iTunes, Teejay dominated in Grenada, hitting No. 1, and peaked at No. 1 in the Cayman Islands.
Leading the project’s momentum is the breakout single “Drift,” which reached No. 47 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, helping introduce Teejay to a broader international audience.
I Am Chippy features an impressive lineup of collaborators, including Davido, Tommy Lee Sparta, Jaydon, Quada, Skillibeng, Bayka, and Malie Donn. Executive production was handled by Grammy-winning dancehall icon Shaggy alongside Teejay, Sharon Burke, and Steve “Steve-O” Carless. Production credits span a wide pool of hitmakers such as DJ Frass, Yung Alpha, Panda, Topbraff Music, Sabaster Muzik, and others.
In support of the EP, Teejay embarked on a promotional run across North America, stopping in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and Miami. He capped off the tour in Cancun, Mexico, where he proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Tionna — adding a personal milestone to an already pivotal week.
With major chart success behind him and independence ahead, Teejay now stands at a critical turning point. If his confident outlook is any indication, 2026 could mark his biggest era yet — this time on his own terms.
