Prince Swanny Archives - Caribbean Entertainment Hub

Trinibad Trinidad Dancehall Artistes Continues to Shine

Posted on September 4, 2022September 26, 2022 by Nekisha Cyrus

As the newest style of Dancehall music continues to take flight, breaking international borders and gaining recognition, Caribbean Entertainment Hub would like to celebrate and spotlight a few Trinibad Dancehall Artistes who are at the forefront and flying the Red, White and Black Flag high.

As we did in our previous instalment (click here), CEH would like to advise our readers that some of the videos below may include profanity, violence, vulgarity, and may not be appropriate for children.

Let’s get the musical ball rolling with the artiste whose name has become synonymous with the word ‘Trinibad’.

PRINCE SWANNY

With 215,970,657 collective views and counting on his YouTube Channel, Taryll Swan aka Prince Swanny (see featured video) continues to soar to higher and higher heights. Recently announcing that he signed a distribution deal with American Hip Hop Legend Jay Z’s record label Roc Nation definitely had the streets buzzing. Also adding to this great news, Swanny also shared that Roc Nation’s new distribution arm Equity Distribution (EQ) will handle the supply chains for Swanny’s sophomore album ‘Swanology’. The Carenage-born artiste was also featured as a Tidal Rising Spotlight, as he gears up to release his album later this year. The album’s lead single ‘Govern’ has already racked up 557K views and counting.

The ZTEKK Label singer recently performed at the 4th Annual ‘Angela Yee Day’ in Brooklyn, which is produced by award-winning media personality and “The Breakfast Club” co-host Angela Yee, in partnership with iHeartMedia. Swanny was featured on a cast alongside fellow Trinidadian stars such as Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons and other Caribbean acts.

JAHLLANO

Next, we highlight Jahllano (Llano Grant), still one of the most versatile talents in the Trinibad game, this self-proclaimed “Voice of Di Ghetto Youths” hails from Laventille. No stranger to being consistent with his music and stepping outside the box musically, to date, Jahllano has been featured on singles with the likes of Machel Montano and Ravi B. But it was his 2022 single ‘Freedom’ that had the streets buzzing because it featured one of his musical icons, Jamaica’s Reggae Legend, Sizzla Kalonji which was shot in both Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.

But the musical moves don’t quite stop there for this 2020 AEAUSA Awards nominee and Rudeboy Trinbago Brand Ambassador. Jahllano also recently dropped another Jamaica collab single, this time alongside Jahshii titled ‘Evil Now’, and also announced that he has a new album on the way.

As the Trinibad Dancehall Movement continues to propel forward, many new and established talents continue to contribute to this musical melting pot. Below in our playlists are a few artistes that we at CEH have been noticing for a while now. This list includes Zerimar, Tafari, Kalonji, Medz Boss, Plumpy Boss, Castella, Toppy Boss, Young Star, Gskell, and more.

In addition to Trinibad, we can’t forget to mention the Trini good Dancehall movement that has been making its way to the forefront as well. With names like Jovi Ton, a former Trinibad Artiste contributing to the mix, we can safely say that music with a strong positive message is much needed at these times (see below).

Another honorable mention on the Trini good scene is Christopher Charles, aka Logiq Muzik, a new artiste creating some serious buzz 0n the Trinidad Dancehall Music scene with his powerful vocals and conscious lyrics (see below).

As well as the likes of Orlando Octave, Trinidadian Singer/ Songwriter who surely needs no introduction after achieving both locally and international stardom. With a new direction musically, he has been making music with a difference and paving a new path our consciousness through entertainment (see below)

Sources include: https://x104fm.com, Artistes featured social media.

Hashtags: #Trinibad #TrinidadDancehall #Dancehallmusic #Princeswanny #Jahllano #Zerimar #Tafari #Kalonji #Logiq #Joviton #OrlandoOctave #TrinidadandTobago

Lila Iké Shows Love To TriniBad Dancehall Artistes Rebel Sixx & Zerimar

Posted on September 11, 2021September 11, 2021 by Nekisha Cyrus

Jamaican Reggae Singer and Songwriter, Lila Iké recently showed her love for some of Trinidad’s Top Dancehall Artistes. On a recent Instagram live alongside Jamaican Dancehall newcomer Alandon, Lila highlighted a few of her favourite TriniBad Dancehall songs. The list included the late Rebel Sixx’s ‘Rifle War’ and Zerimar’s ‘Arima’.

During the IG live, Lila was also heard sharing the following sentiments:

‘Prince Swanny tough man

Them mad, them ah do they ting over there

Them tough, have a wicked vibe man

Them accent do ah thing’

Alandon, well known for his popular hit ‘Tighest’, also shared in the sentiments as well as he also recognized Prince Swanny while highlighting Boy Boy’s ‘Die, Die’ and mentioning Jahllano, the protégé.

Caribbean Entertainment Hub, was fortunate to save a clip of the live video, which we shared on our Instagram. To see the clip we’re referring to click here and enjoy! Trinibad to the World!

Hashtags: #Jamaica #LilaIke #Alandon #Trinibad #Trinidaddancehall #RebelSixx #Zerimar #PrinceSwanny #BoyBoy #Jahllano #TrinidadandTobago

Trinibad To The World, Trinidad Dancehall Continues To Soar’

Posted on March 6, 2021March 25, 2021 by Nekisha Cyrus

No, it’s not your auto-correct playing tricks on you. ‘Trinibad’, the newest style of Dancehall music originating in Trinidad and Tobago continues to gain international recognition and support.

With the huge success of Trinibad’s very own trendsetter Prince Swanny, who continues to set the bar high, with his latest release ‘Radar’ recently featured on the popular BBC Radio 1Xtra ‘New Music Friday’ playlist which also featured four-time Grammy Award-winning Rapper, Drake. Yes, in such a short span of time, the local dancehall movement continues to soar.

In our previous Trinidad Dancehall blog, we featured some of the heavyweights who have propelled this movement forward. As we continue to support the growing Dancehall movement, here are some artistes who we believe are well on their way to international success. (CEH will like to advise our readers that some of the videos below may include profanity, violence, vulgarity, and may not be appropriate for children.)

JAHLLANO

First up, Llano Grant who goes by the artiste name ‘Jahllano’ is considered one of the Trinibad’s favorites. From his unique vocals, humble persona and versatility as an artiste, the Laventille-born singer has been on the scene for some time delivering many favorite hits.

With anthems such as ‘War Dem Want’, ‘Need a Change’, ‘Come from Nothing’, ‘Expensive Lifestyle, ‘Melodies of Love’ and more; he even surprised fans recently when he released a collab with Chutney soca star Ravi B, called ‘Rum in meh Veins’. And it also seems like all his hard work is beginning to pay off as he was nominated at the 2020 AEUSA Awards in the ‘Best Male Artist’ category, which also included some of the top African artistes such as Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido.

MEDZ BOSS

Up next, we feature another Trinibad artiste, Joseph Ollivere, who goes by the name ‘Medz Boss’. Hailing from Beetham Gardens, Port of Spain, the Ztekk Records artiste has been creating his own lane within the movement, rolling out hits like ‘Fear We’, ‘Blood’, ‘Welcome to Trinibad’, ‘Bad Gyal’, ‘No Media Badness’, ‘Love Yuh’ and many more.

In 2020, he also teamed up with the Sokah princess, Nailah Blackman for their hit collaboration ‘Say Less’, which is still very much a crowd favorite. Since breaking onto the music scene, Medz has performed in countries such as Barbados, Grenada, and St. Vincent. He was also one of the Trinibad artiste featured in the 2020 local ‘Zesser’ movie.

TAFARI

Next on our list, is a young man who as it seems was destined to be an artiste. Tafari, the son of well-known Trinidadian Reggae artiste, King David, is bringing his own unique style and flavour to the Trinibad pot. Hailing from Maraval, the Hilltop Entertainment artiste is known for hits like ‘Bompton Law’, ‘Fully Active’, ‘Murder’, ‘Freak’, ‘Buss Meh Gun’, ‘Crisis’, and many more.

Tafari recently released his very first album called ‘Sovereign’, which features (7) tracks and is available on streaming sites such as Apple Music. As he continues to make his waves, he also recently performed at Nailah Blackman’s virtual concert ‘FIAH’.

At this time, CEH will also like to salute two of Trinibad’s fallen soldiers, K-Lion and Rebel-Sixx who’s lives and career were cut short in 2020. Their music is still respected and is considered to have a huge impact in pushing the movement forward. May they continue to rest in paradise.

As the Trinibad Dancehall genre continues to make history, we believe that this is only just a scratch on the surface of the talents still to come. To add to our featured list, here is a video playlist of a few more artistes who have definitely been putting in the work thus far:

Sources include: OutDey TV, Artistes featured social media

Hashtags: #Trinibad #TrinidadDancehall #Dancehallmusic #Princeswanny #Jahllano #MedzBoss #Tafari #BoyBoy #PlumpyBoss #Zerimar #Kalonji #DJLila #TrinidadandTobago

Trinidad Dancehall And The Zesser Movement

Posted on May 2, 2020August 2, 2023 by Nekisha Cyrus

‘Zesser’ a term that was initially coined and heavily associated with the Trinidad Dancehall community has now evolved into a movement.

Defined by urbandictionary.com as a cool confident person who wears the hottest expensive brand name clothing & huge excessive jewelry, this Trinidadian slang originates from the English word ‘zest’ or ‘zesty’ which means to be appealing, appetizing, or sharp. Today this movement, which was birthed within the streets of Trinidad’s ghettos is now making its way to some of the main stages, not just locally but internationally as well.

For the past, several years dancehall in Trinidad has taken a few twists and turns from its Jamaican root resulting in its own unique, distinguishable ‘flavor’ that has become the voice and sound of the Zesser movement. As Art imitates life and music reflects the culture or subculture that produces it, this music from the slums of Trinidad, like its Jamaican counterpart, is filled with the glorification of thug-life, sex, and ‘bling-bling’ and as such has become controversial and is encountering much resistance from the mainstream culture. However, in the end, the fandom has spoken, and the support continues to grow as is evident in the millions of views received by some of the top ‘Zesser’ videos on social media.

Before introducing some of the movers and shakers in the movement, CEH will like to warn readers that some of the videos (mainly 1^st & 4^th ) contents profanity, vulgarity, and graphic scenes of violence. While it’s our policy to stay away from such contents, their inclusion gives a clear picture of a main aspect of the Zesser movement.

PRINCE SWANNY

Taryll Swan who goes by the stage name ‘Prince Swanny’ has been considered the leader of the pack when it comes to pushing Trinidad Dancehall music internationally. Hailed as the Zesser King, this Carenage native has been stacking up the views online with every new release.

His strong fan base expands throughout Trinidad and Jamaica, but he’d also been breaking boundaries touring the USA and even appeared alongside Trinidad James on the popular US ‘Sway in the Morning’ show.

With his street-savvy lyrics and outspoken personality, he continues to deliver those hits. Speaking of hits, some of his popular releases include ‘Brother, Brother’, ‘Watch Your Friends’, ‘Bread Winner’, ‘Dreams’ and so much more.

TRINIDAD GHOST

In 2019, he had us all dancing and chanting this popular phrase ‘More Zessing, Less Stressing’ after releasing one of the biggest dancehall songs ‘Zesser’. Yes, we’re talking Akel Mclean aka the one and only ‘Trinidad Ghost’.

One of the most versatile artists in the game, Trinidad Ghost has been honing his craft since 2014, when he first came on the scene. His style of music isn’t just limited to the dancehall genre as he has had success in other genres like hip-hop and soca. Speaking of soca, his 2020 soca release ‘I Ain’t See’ still a crowd favorite and even landed him as a finalist in the 2020 International Soca Monarch.

Some of his popular releases also include ‘WhatsApp’, ‘Touch Down Ouu’, ‘Fed Up of Meh Ex’, ‘I Love Venezuela, I Love Trinidad’, and more.

TRINIDAD KILLA

After releasing one of the most controversial hits of 2019 ‘Gunman in Yuh Hole’, this Trinidadian Dancehall artiste then brought the zess to soca as he had everyone chanting ‘Dyy Zess’ throughout the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago Carnival season after releasing his ‘Power in Soca’ single. Yes, we’re speaking about Kern Joseph aka ‘Mr. Trinidad Killa’ himself.

He won over fans with his energetic persona and his no-bullshit approach to speaking his truth and standing by it. His racy song topics also seem to spark a connection with his fans. Some of his popular singles also include ‘Ms. Corona’, ‘Ru Kung Ku Tung Tung’, ‘Good Morning Badmind’ and more.

K-LION

Up next, we feature one of the newest on the scene who just happens to presently have one of the biggest dancehall releases in 2020. He hails from Belmont, Port of Spain, and goes by the stage name ‘K-Lion’.

With one of the most unique sounds in dancehall music, his vocals and lyrical prowess already sets him apart. The ‘Malandros’ singer impressive catalog of hits makes him a fan favorite whenever he performs. Speaking of his catalog, some of his favorite releases include ‘Safe’, ‘Private Zess’, ‘Rise Up’, ‘One Link’, and more.

Additionally, 2020 has already proven to be a major year for this growing community as for the first time ever, Dancehall music made its way to the International Soca Monarch stage program during their official ‘Zesser Segment’ which featured many of the top local acts including Prince Swanny, K-Lion, Rebel Sixx, Jahllano, Medz Boss and many more.

And the Zesser movement hasn’t stopped with just music. Have you seen the new Zesser movie that was released earlier this year? Yes, I said movie and it also stars some of your favorite Trinidad Dancehall artists.

Related Articles:

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Jab Jab, the mass of the downtrodden, the music of the simple man has now ascended into prominence and respectability on the carnival scene. Jab has been around since the origin of carnival, Jab Molassie in Trinidad and Jab Jab in Grenada.

Hybrid Soca: The New Generation Of Soca Music Pt 1

With the likes of new soca superstar Nailah Blackman gaining international recognition with her unique sound, and music lovers struggling to coin new names to describe this modern era of the soca genre, the global demand for the new continues to increase

Hybrid Soca: The New Generation of Soca Music Part 2

Mical also holds the ‘Eyeslam Superstar’ title for his single ‘Proud’ released in 2017. As a producer, his impressive credits include the ‘Want Riddim’ which features Patrice Roberts and Olatunji, and also produced and co-wrote the single ‘Bodyline’

Sources include: https://www.urbandictionary.com/, https://www.loopjamaica.com/, https://magnumhub.tv/, https://www.submithub.com/

Hashtags: #TheZessermovement #ZessMusic #TrinidadDancehall #Dancehallmusic #PrinceSwanny #TrinidadGhost #TrinidadKilla #KLionMusic #TrinidadandTobago