Dancehall artist Teejay has inked a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music . The deal happened on Thursday June 15, 2023 in Manhattan New York City.
A release sent out by Solida Agency on June 21 also stated that the Montego Bay deejay also signed a record deal with Warner Records.
Guy Moot, Co Chair and CEO of Warner Chappell Music (WCM), inked the deal with the dancehall rising star whose summer hit Drift has been in the top three on both the Apple Music and YouTube Jamaica charts.
Burke, Guy Moot, Bottom right – Teejay Drifting at Warner offices.
The Uptop Boss, real name Timoy Jones has been under the management of Sharon Burke and her Solid agency music management outfit since leaving Romeich Entertainment in June 2021.
Moot who was influential in signing Sean Paul as well as some of the biggest songwriters in the world, including Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey, Mark Ronson, Arctic Monkeys, says he is happy to see dancehall music and another Jamaican artist in this context and on the global rise. “It’s the right artist with the right music and the right time.”
The co-chair has also been influential with other Jamaicans over two decades having also worked with ‘Steelie and Cleevie, Steflon Don and has been integral in Stephen ‘the genius’ McGregor’s career.
The “People” artist is the second Jamaican dancehall act to sign a record deal to a New York based label in the last 8 months. Masicka announced that he was signed to Def Jam last October after a negotiation period that went on for more than a year.
The Moments artist’s debut album 438, released December 3, 2021 is the most streamed album by a male dancehall artist in the U.S. that was released over the last 12 month period according to data provided to World Music Views by Billboard sales tracker Luminate.
The independent project has so far earned 32,600 equivalent album units (SEA,TEA) in the US. Of that sum, pure album sales in the US were 1,200 (together equaling total on-demand streams (audio + video) over its lifetime of 48.8 million).
With no major label backing for 438, positioned Masicka to be signed to a major U.S. record company according to sources close to the matter from the label.
The 16-track debut project was released independently through Genasyde/1Syde Records and features collaborations with Stefflon Don, Popcaan, Dexta Daps and Sean Paul.
Upon its release 438 moved 5,164 equivalent album units from sales and streaming in the United States during its first three weeks in December 2021.
This included 2,864 units (733 copies) sold during the first week of release. His first week total consumption also included 400 in song sales, 2,781,700 from on-demand audio streams, and 123,400 from on-demand video streams according to WMV’s Luminate correspondence.
Skeng and his production crew signed a similar publishing deal with Geejam Music back in 2022.
See Teejay’s current chart standing below:
“Drift”:
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- Apple Music: The song ranks highly in multiple Caribbean countries, including #3 in Antigua and Barbuda, #5 in Grenada and Saint Kitts and Nevis, #6 in the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, and Turks and Caicos. It also holds positions such as #7 in Guyana, #8 in Trinidad and Tobago, and #9 in Bermuda.
- YouTube: “Drift” is particularly popular in Jamaica, where it ranks at #3. It also ranks at #9 in Guyana and #14 in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Shazam: No specific chart ranking provided.
“People”:
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- Apple Music: The song has gained popularity in several Caribbean countries, including #9 in Antigua and Barbuda, #15 in Dominica, #16 in Grenada, and #24 in Saint Kitts and Nevis. It also ranks at #28 in Guyana, #41 in St. Lucia, and #53 in St. Vincent and The Grenadines.
- YouTube: “People” holds the #12 spot in Guyana.
- Shazam: It ranks at #104 in Ghana.
“Stimulate”:
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- Apple Music: “Stimulate” has gained traction in several Caribbean countries, including #23 in Montserrat, #35 in Guyana and St. Lucia, and #38 in St. Vincent and The Grenadines. It also ranks at #46 in Saint Kitts and Nevis and #50 in Grenada.
- iTunes: The song reached #35 in Grenada.
“Unfaithful Games”:
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- Apple Music: “Unfaithful Games” has achieved chart positions in several Caribbean countries, including #44 in Montserrat, #49 in St. Vincent and The Grenadines, and #53 in Anguilla. It also ranks at #59 in Guyana and #78 in Trinidad and Tobago.
- No specific chart rankings are provided for other platforms.
Note: This article has been amended to reflect Teejay signing a publishing deal with Warner Chappell and not a record deal with Warner music as was previously announced.
