MOBO Award Winning dancehall artist Skillibeng will no longer be on the “Under The Influence” European Tour with Chris Brown according to a statement from the artist released late Friday.
The Crocodile Teeth artist shared the news on his social media saying, “It is with a heavy heart that Skillibeng/Eastsyde Records would like to announce to fan, his withdrawal from the “Under the Influence Tour: Europe”.”
The statement continued, “We we’re looking forward to being on the road with our brother Chris Brown and doing what we both do best which is entertaining our fans.”
No reason was given for his withdrawal from the sold out tour except, “due to unforeseen circumstances.”
In December, the Skillibeng was announced as the only guest to join his RCA records label mate R&B superstar Chris Brown on the European leg of his “Under The Influence” Tour. The tour begins February 12 in Dublin and ends March 6, 2023 in Amsterdam.
The announcement then was made via Chris Brown’s social media. Brown posted a flier with 13 dates along with the caption: “TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY👀❤️🙏🏽 IM BRINGING MY BROTHER @skillibeng ON TOUR 🔫🔫🔫🔫🔥🔥🔥 UK/EUROPE!!!
#undertheinfluencetour STARTING THE YEAR OFF WIT A BANG! See you there 💪🏽. PRE ORDERS STARTS TODAY.”
The track “Under the Influence” from which the tour is named is the third track on the extended edition of the Virginia born singer’s ninth studio album Indigo, which was released on October 4, 2019. The song was written by Brown along with Nigerian singer Davido and produced by Kiddominant and Tiffany Mckie.
“Under the Influence” eventually became viral hit three years after its release on TikTok. Subsequently it has entered the charts in several countries including Jamaica and across Europe. It debuted at No. 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 the week of September 24, 2022. As a result, Brown became the first R&B singer in history to have over fifty top-40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Global 200, making it Brown’s first top ten on the Global 200 chart since the chart was introduced in 2020.
Skillibeng, 25, won Best Caribbean Music Act 2022 award at the 25th annual MOBO Awards in the U.K. last Wednesday, November 30.
It was the Crocodile Teeth artist’s first major award and he was also nominated for Best International act alongside Beyonce, Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Drake, Jack Harlow, Jazmine Sullivan, Kendrick Lamr, Summer Walker, and Tems. Burna Boy won that award.
Last year Skillibeng was nominated for two award: Best Reggae act and it was his first time being nominated in the best International Act category alongside Doja Cat, Drake, Kanye West, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Polo G, Rema, Wizkid, and Young Stoner Life (Young Thug & Gunna).
In October 2022 music producer Johny Wonder said that Skillibeng’s entry into music will bridge the gap between Hip Hop and dancehall.
It seems that statement is inching closer to becoming a reality with his impending tour with Chris Brown even as his single Whap Whap was honored several hip hop remixed by top streaming artists like NBA Youngboy, French Montana and Fivio Foreign.
When Skillibeng’s original Whap Whap was released, the song quickly went to number 1 on World Music Views YouTube chart on the week of March 18 2022.
With a No. 100 record on the hot 100 with the Nicki Minaj remix of Crocodile Teeth, the St. Thomas native said that he is the leader of this generation of dancehall artists in an interview with “On The Radar Radio.“
“I think I am the leader of like the new generation, based off what stats are saying and shows,” he remarked.
“A lotta mah flows have been stolen, a lot of my tactics that I teach in interviews have been stolen, I am not even saying tis been stolen,” he says with a pseudo American accent.
“Younger artist are taking my moves, taking my moves and doing what I teach them and i applaud them,” he continued.
“I am doing the work and its all about me doing the work, cause I been doing the work over the years I been releasing a lotta music. I been like putting in the work, bodies of work, I am the only person that like release a mixtape with 35 , 37 tracks going crazy,” he says confidently.
His first album released in June 2021 “The Prodigy: Ladies Only Edition” only sold 25 copies in pure album sales in the United States in its first week, according to data provided to World Music Views by Luminate. Total consumption from pure album sales plus stream equivalent albums was 300 units.
The album’s total streams from audio and video in the US for the period May 28 to June 10 was 381,000, according to MRC Data.
Still, the follow up project Crocodile Teeth The Album has 12 songs with a star studded line up of rappers which include, Bobby Shmurda, Lil Zach, Rich The Kid, and Stefflon Don.
By himself he has made successful stops in the U.K. and the US at the Wireless and Afropunk Festivals where he was well received by thousands of eager fans outside of his core base.
His presence has been felt among the Hip Hop and Afro-fusion artists who have embraced him on those stages with Whap Whap, Crocodile Teeth, Coke, Bad Man, and Hot among crowd favorites. He performed twice on Wireless Festival this year – first as a solo act and again with Billboard chart topper WizKid. The two kicked it at the festival’s after-party following their performances.
“I’m thrilled to have signed with RCA Records and have their global support,” Skillibeng told Billboard of the recent deal with the label. “I have a wonderful team working with me under the leadership of Peter Edge, and it’s a true pinnacle of my career to have their commitment and belief,” he added.
McFarlane and EastSyde’s other principal, Tajay Edwards, told Billboard: “We were very excited when our international business partners BPureSounds connected us to RCA, who understood our vision for Skilli and shared our beliefs. We think that with them as our label partners, Skilli is going to shine a global spotlight on Jamaican music. Music is our life, so we’re putting in the work.”
