Due to the very nature of dancehall music, it becomes almost impossible to single out which is the most influential track of all time. The culture of competing is ever-present and is a distinguishing characteristic compared to other music genres. The whole culture of clashes/battles emanated back in the early 90s when lines were drawn amongst deejays vying for the top spot as to who ruled the roost. That is why there is always the question as to who is the king or queen of dancehall.
There have been memorable battles over the years. From the face-off between Bounty Killer and Beenie Man in 1993 at the Sting Festival to Ninja Man vs Super Cat. Dancehall newbies will talk about the beef between Alkaline and Squash which got personal last year to the extent where their death threats became more sinister than they were intended to be. And last but not least we cannot forget the onstage clash between Vybz Kartel and Mavado in 2009.
With all this in mind, this has bred a culture of constant innovation and ingenuity. And is probably the reason why dancehall artists constantly churn out music. There is no other genre that produces so much music on a weekly basis and this is apparent not just in the Caribbean but dancehall all over the world. So for starters. I would like to put the spotlight on the genre for the most influential tracks of the current century. The genre emanated from Jamaica back in 1977 from reggae and ska music. And has been carried by various deejays including the likes of Shabba Ranks, Ninja Man and Capleton who may not feature on the list below.
Find the list below of the top ten most influential and accomplished tracks from the year 2000 to date. Just bear in mind it is not in any particular order as I failed to ascertain a criteria as to fully distinguish their correct order.
Beenie Man – Who am I (Sim Simma)
“Sim Simma, who’s got the keys to my Bimaâ€
The iconic opening line of the track is remembered today by most dancehall fans for one of Beenie Man’s legendary tracks from 2001. It probably did wonders for BMW sales all over the world and will be remembered for years to come.
