Re-entering the Billboard Reggae Albums chart at No. 10 this week is Here Comes The Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze. The return to the chart after peaking at No. 1 in 1994 places Ini Kamoze’s among reggae’s elite class of acts with iconic albums. The album has surpassed 194 million streams on Spotify.
Produced by riddim twins Sly and Robbie the somewhat of a compilation has the breakout Billboard chart topping single of the same name along with re-recordings from Ini’s first three albums: Ini Kamoze {1984}, Statement {1984}, and Pirate (1986).
Other musicians to have worked on the reggae rock infused set include saxophonist Dean Fraser, Willie Lindo on guitar, Richard Dunn on keyboards and Robbie Lyn on piano and synthesizer.
Kamoze’s unique ability to navigate and fuse various genres while maintaining his distinct roots reggae sound and poetic lyricism is a masterclass in musical synergy.
The resurgence of the album is also aided by the popularity of the single Here Comes The Hotstepper on TikTok in recent months where its currently No. 24 in the UK and No. 40 in Ireland.
Elsewhere on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart this week is Legend The Best Of Bob Marley and The Wailers at No. 1 for a record 174 weeks.
See full chart below:
| Rank | Artist | Album | Last Week | Peak Pos. | Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bob Marley And The Wailers | Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers | 1 | 1 | 175 |
| 2 | Shaggy | Best Of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection | 2 | 2 | 215 |
| 3 | Sean Paul | Dutty Classics Collection | 3 | 2 | 145 |
| 4 | UB40 | Greatest Hits | 4 | 1 | 243 |
| 5 | Stick Figure | World On Fire | 6 | 1 | 193 |
| 6 | Stick Figure | Wisdom | 5 | 1 | 35 |
| 7 | Stick Figure | Set In Stone | 7 | 1 | 252 |
| 8 | Iration | Backyard Sessions: Malibu Edition | 9 | 8 | 5 |
| 9 | Rebelution (Re-Entry) | Live At Red Rocks | – | 1 | 102 |
| 10 | Ini Kamoze (Re-Entry) | Here Comes The Hotstepper | – | 1 | 49 |
Meanwhile on The US Afrobeats Chart Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomez is at No. 1. The song spends a record 60 weeks on the chart and returns to its peak position of No. 5 on the U.S. Hot 100.
See top 25 Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs for the week of May 20, 2023:
| Rank | Title | Artist | Last Week | Peak Pos. | Wks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calm Down | Rema & Selena Gomez | 1 | 1 | 60 |
| 2 | People | Libianca | 2 | 2 | 23 |
| 3 | Free Mind | Tems | 3 | 1 | 60 |
| 4 | Essence | Wizkid Featuring Justin Bieber & Tems | 4 | 1 | 60 |
| 5 | Rush | Ayra Starr | 5 | 3 | 34 |
| 6 | Last Last | Burna Boy | 6 | 1 | 52 |
| 7 | Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah) | CKay | 7 | 1 | 60 |
| 8 | Peru | Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran | 9 | 1 | 60 |
| 9 | Soweto | Victony, Rema & Tempoe Featuring Don Toliver | 8 | 7 | 34 |
| 10 | Unavailable | DaVido Featuring Musa Keys | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| 11 | Higher | Tems | 11 | 5 | 54 |
| 12 | Ku Lo Sa | Oxlade | 13 | 5 | 43 |
| 13 | Charm | Rema | 12 | 12 | 2 |
| 14 | soso | Omah Lay | 14 | 12 | 24 |
| 15 | Found | Tems Featuring Brent Faiyaz | 15 | 8 | 60 |
| 16 | For My Hand | Burna Boy Featuring Ed Sheeran | 16 | 2 | 44 |
| 17 | Jerusalema | Master KG Featuring Burna Boy & Nomcebo Zikode | 17 | 10 | 58 |
| 18 | Ye | Burna Boy | 21 | 12 | 60 |
| 19 | Monalisa | Lojay X Sarz X Chris Brown | 19 | 8 | 26 |
| 20 | Feel | DaVido | 18 | 11 | 6 |
| 21 | Alone | Burna Boy | 20 | 2 | 27 |
| 22 | Party No Dey Stop | Adekunle Gold & Zinoleesky | 23 | 9 | 8 |
| 23 | It’s Plenty | Burna Boy | 29 | 8 | 44 |
| 24 | 2:30 | Asake | 25 | 8 | 5 |
| 25 | Finesse | Pheelz x Buju | 28 | 5 | 60 |
