It’s been almost five years since Masicka launched his debut album 438, a state-of-the-art dancehall project stacked with top-tier features—Sean Paul, Popcaan, Dexta Daps, Stefflon Don. But the real star of this independent release was Masicka’s songwriting. The raw emotion of tunes like “Pain” and “Suicide Note” made 438 an instant classic. I described it back in December 2021 as “the long-awaited culmination of an already prolific career,” adding that 438 “solidifies Masicka’s status as one of the greatest lyricists ever to emerge within the dancehall genre.”
We first met seven years before that, when the hungry young artist was promoting a project called the Sikk Tape. Even back then he seemed calm and confident, although he described his career as a series of ups and downs and sleepless nights. “If you no determined, you ah go give up,” he told me that day. “So it’s just all about determination, and you have to stay focused.” So said, so done.
Putting his principles into practice, Masicka and his close-knit 1Syde Entertainment team parlayed the success of 438 into a major label deal, signing with Def Jam and defying the sophomore jinx with his stunning 2023 follow-up, Generation of Kings. Today Masicka delivers his second major label album, Forever Reign. With features ranging from Jamaican stars Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Lila Ike to Nigerian artist Blaqbonez, this might just be his best work yet. Tomorrow night Masicka will be headlining the Barclay’s Center, the latest in a string of career milestones.
Although he popped up with French Montana to perform his smash hit “Whites” at last month’s Hot 97 Summer Jam and delivered a set for Drake’s Wireless Fest last summer in London, Masicka is not chasing crossover success. At this point, he’s manifesting his own destiny, preaching discipline and self-confidence to his growing fanbase. His habit of describing himself as a “King,” and sometimes “the G.O.A.T.,” seems to have irritated Vybz Kartel’s loyal fans, leading to a prolonged lyrical and social media conflict that continues to bubble until this day. Masicka insists he’s a big Kartel fan, but he’s not backing down from his position. “Dancehall is a nonstop boxing match,” he told me with a smile. “This is my era and my time.”
VIBE: So much is happening for you right now. You’ve worked hard for this moment, but how do you handle it all at once?
Masicka: Nuff things, nuff things! Nuff times me sit and look pon my life. Sometimes me can’t even believe. Sometimes me haffi really look inna my mirror. Nuff times I have to really check my mirror to sed…
Is it real?
Yeah, and it’s not to say we reach, because really and truly, we’ve not even reached like 15% of what we want to achieve in our life. But I’m able to change a lot of people’s lives, And, you know, just knowing me coming from—all of the icons show me love. Me coulda make me family happy. You know, it’s just a tremendous feeling every day.
I saw you on the big Wireless stage as well, that was amazing. Getting an invitation from Drake to be on a stage must have felt great.
Definitely, definitely. Great feeling, great reception too. Nuff of the things a dream come true because we put in the work. We always envision ourselves reaching the next level, and propelling to different heights. It was a great vibe. Crazy, crazy feeling.
I saw you hanging out with Burna Boy.
Burna Boy me bro, man, you know? Big up Burna Boy, Burna Boy love the music too. Fan of the music. Fan of him music likewise. Dreams do come true. Working hard do pay off— and believing in yourself definitely go a far way.
“Whites” is not just a huge song, it’s an anthem. You hear footballers gearing up to go play, and they listen to it.
And I wasn’t going to record on the riddim? [Laughs] The producers [Atto Wallace and Salanio “Dan Sky” Roberts] sent me the riddim like probably four months [earlier]—and it was just sitting in my email. One night, I think I just watched some TV upstairs. And me say, “Me ah go inna the studio to kick it likkle bit. Come downstairs, go inna the studio and fly up the computer. And when me hear the riddim, me say, “Fuck—this dope!” And me just shout [my engineer] Razzy. Razzy always available. I’ve known Razzy for like 15 years. I’ve never called Razzy’s phone yet and he’s busy. I swear to God. Never! From me call him, him ah go to reach inna the studio.
It’s nice to have people that really believe in you. Because it can be hard in this industry, it seems very…
Selfish and lonely. But the thing is, you haffi give them something to believe in. And me think what happens is they believe because they see say me nah stop. And that is one of the reasons why I’m not going to stop. People invest a lot of time, even like Razzy, he spent most of his life as an engineer. Him have him family too. It would be unfair if I just stopped along the way. Knowing he put all his life inna it too. So I have to always remember, it’s not just me. It’s a whole collective of people and effort put into this every day.
So we haffi keep going until we reach a milestone and me know say everybody fully… You understand? And it’s not even just monetary-wise. It’s so his son can come and learn from it. Somebody else can come and benefit from the work that we’ve put in. My son can come up. My daughter can come and….
You haven’t done many hip-hop collabs. How did the “Whites” remix with French Montana happen?
French actually reached out. Him love the song, him reach out. Some people from him team, we connect. And trust me, me never expect it to be so smooth. So when him voice the record, him link me and said, “Yo, if you need anything to change, just let me know. Because I really mess with the record.” We decide say we wan’ shoot the video. Smooth! He nearly pull up by himself.
He’s a real youth, by the way. Comes from a real place.
Real youth! He nearly pulled up by himself. Just him and a few people and the energy was smooth. Respectful, you know? So big up French.
We are coming up to your second album on a major label. The last album, but that was amazing—Generation of Kings.
Yes, yes, yes.
Not all dancehall artists who sign to major labels are able to keep their authenticity and their sound.
Yes.
But you seem to have been able to do that, which is somewhat unusual.
How do you do that?
I think it’s a lot of understanding, for one.
On whose part? Yours?
Both of us. Me and [Def Jam CEO] Tunji [Balogun]. So, I think the label understand me somewhat. From the get go. Before I even signed, I tried to, you know, break some things to them at first. Tunji really loved the music.
But seriously, 438 was so amazing. And that was you—no labels. That was independent. And you just blew the roof off.
Yes, yes, yes.
But then Generation of Kings. I don’t know if it was for you, but sometimes it can be pressurizing to go, “Oh my God! I had such a hit album. How do I do that again?” But then you did it again.
Yes.
And now we’re coming to…
The third one.
Forever Reign.
Yes, the best one yet.
Okay then, you said it! But, I want to just touch a bit on Generation of Kings.
Generation of Kings, one of my projects that I really love. You know me big pon believing inna myself. And not just loving myself, but… Me think what we lack as youth is confidence and the ability to identify say we ah go fail, and we’re not perfect, but we need to keep trying and stuff like that. So me naming the album Generation of Kings, it was just for the youths them to know say, “Alright. We don’t have to have everything, but all of we a king in our own way.” Me feel like every man is a king. From you born pon the earth, you’re a king in some way, shape or form. And from you believe inna yourself…
Most of what me achieve is manifesting. All of what I achieve is believing in myself. And I said this from the get-go. People might say this or that or “You’re just a talker.” No. Me always have faith. I’ve never felt like time dark or felt like me nah go make it. I always know I’m going to make it. I don’t even feel like. Me know me ah go make it and I know I have high heights to go, because I’m working.
So Generation of Kings was, after 438, you know, and the love weh it get, Generation of Kings was me more cementing myself. Making dancehall know say me arrive. Me ah make good music, Youths them ah believe inna themselves. Lef’ the self-doubt. All of we can achieve. All of we can be great.” We no need fi follow. We don’t need to fit in. Because my thing is never fitting in.
After me release 438 me start get more shows, start get bigger shows. It start grow upon a level, I think that was a good title to represent the position of my career at that time and the place where it was.
It’s about having confidence. Feeling confident.
Yes, definitely, definitely, definitely. A lot of we seek validation from people who you don’t even know. And this is one thing I always tell my engineers: The media doesn’t affect me in no way, shape, or form. Like, nothing what people say can affect me. Because remember me was sitting in my room ah do this. Classroom and knock desks. And now me can make millions with people who me love and change my family life. Buy my mom a house, Help my sister, help my brother, help my grandma, do stuff weh me not even imagine possible at that point in time.
So you can imagine me ah listen to critic? After achieving and doing so much as a youth? So, it’s just for the youth them know say, “Believe in yourself, man. You can do it. Nobody can put any limitations on your life. Nothing will define you.” As long as you decide to work and continue working and believing, the world is there for you. No man never God, man.
That is the first thing what them have to understand. Nobody control this world and nobody is better than nobody. We are all flesh and blood and even if you have a trillion dollars, you will go right back to dust, So, it doesn’t make you better than a man even if you own everything inna the world.
Right.
It’s the same humility, it’s the same dirt and dust. The same funeral, it’s the same… Let me tell you, if you have 100 room, you only can sleep inna one.
If you have 100 car, you can only drive one at a time. So, it’s good to work hard, But for me, sometimes planting the tree is not for me. It’s so my son can come enjoy the shade, and my kids them. So everything is not for just me and myself, It’s so them can see it. Them can not have a hard life, So, it’s just to break generational curses.
Me believe in myself so much and that’s all I need. All I need is to just wake up, and me can make anything possible. I always have a mindset like that. Me just need to be alive and once I’m alive, trust me! Me ah go find a way, man. I promise you. I can never deh pon my back foot, man. No time inna life. You see, and once youths have the mindset like that…
Because life is not that hard, personally, I feel like. Life is hard, but you see, life is not that hard. If my mom could tell you, me grow inna some different circumstances. Like some real different circumstances. But I’ve never made it seem that way. Never.
Because of your mindset.
Me no glorify povert. Me glorify change. Speaking about the problem doesn’t change it. Highlighting the problem doesn’t change it. Yes, this is a problem. Alright, how we get from here? Even with my friends, you have one time to tell me some things. The next time, me wan’ hear a solution. Other than that, me no wan’ hear. You just want pity. And I don’t do pity.
You know, there’s no lack of confidence in dancehall. It’s one of the things that makes it such an exciting genre.
Yeah.
And there’s a lot of kings and a lot of icons in dancehall.
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
People also use the term “G.O.A.T.”
Yes, yes, yes.
What do you think is unique to you to make you the G.O.A.T.? What is your unique contribution to dancehall?
First and foremost, me’s a king to my family. So me is a king in my own realm. Me always felt like a king. Me a born king. Me never felt the need to follow. Me never follow yet. Me never feel the need to be second. And me not disrespect a man who feel the need to be second. That is just not what me see for myself.
Me always see myself as a head. And if me can’t be then, me nah go… You understand what I’m saying? It’s just the way me see my life. Me wan’ me son see me as a leader. Me don’t want him see me follow in a next man’s shoes. It must be my father. So if me nah follow my own father, then me can’t go follow a next man. It’s impossible.
You see the thing is, me grow up in a way where me love and respect everybody but as me tell you, we no look up to people. And it’s not even in a disrespectful manner. It’s with humility. Same way we respect people. But me also know it’s attainable with hard work.
So me respect your work. Me respect everybody’s work and everybody’s greatness. But me also know with hard work and time and whatever it can be achieved. And so, being a king for me is not necessarily even accolades or awards or stuff like that.
Personally, before me get back to dancehall, the man that cut grass, go home every day, take care of him family, try and make ends meet, right? Sometimes he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Because he doesn’t get put on a platform and he’s not getting millions or he’s not the brand manager for Nike. Or he’s not this or he’s not on the front of that. So you see, he doesn’t really get appreciated. But your mum clean house and stuff like that. Or your father might do some things to make the child life happy. But they didn’t really get appreciated or be called a king. Because of the wage that they bring in.
But it doesn’t matter what you do, you’re a king from your try. So from you try to make your family good. From you try to do anything positive inna life. And you tell yourself, “This is how me feel. This is how my family see me.” You can’t tell a man that.
So me personally, when me say “King,” it’s just my aura, my style, It’s just me as a man. How me feel. My presence. And me feel like every youth should have that. Going into anything you should want to be the best. I don’t know why you woulda want to go into something and want to be second.
Anybody go into a race and want to come second shouldn’t go in the race. You know what I mean? Just like World Cup, everybody going there to be first. Alright, even if you check rap music now, Jay-Z will say him ah the G.O.A.T. Then you hear Future say him ah G.O.A.T. It’s just a sense of you believing in yourself. And believing that, you know, “This is you. I am me.” Which human being can tell me say I am not who I say I am. God alone, man!
Me feel like every artist eho proclaim that over themselves is king too. Every dancehall artist who say that. Me can’t tell you say you are no king. Or you are not who you say you are.
And I think the music and the fans, them love stuff like that. Dancehall. Like when you aggressive man, when you stand up man, when you claim your place. Everything in life is about claiming your place and finding yourself. And sometime you haffi fight fe it. And not physical fighting. Sometime you have to fight yourself. Discipline. Fight failure.
I was just at Sumfest and went to the Gaza Gully thing. And I linked with the Gully Gaad [Mavado]. I saw you two in the airport together and everyone’s social media was going crazy!
Yeah, yeah, yes.
He’s one of my favorite artists of all time.
Yeah man. Real G, man. Real G. I think it was the first time we ah meet up inna person like that. And we actually fly back.
Together?
Yeah man, ah the weirdest thing. So we actually sit beside each other on the flight back.
Wow!
Yeah man, that’s the first we hold a steady conversation, We hold some vibe. And you see nuff time that’s what the music needs. So when we connect on them level there and hold some vibration, you realize the love and the respect, it’s real. So, social media is a thing weh you can’t really follow up.
As a youth, you done know me ah grew up and see Vybz Kartel and Mavado do it and mash up the place. Fi deh inna school and witness it, Witness Vybz Kartel era. Witness Mavado era. Witness all of the man dem. And then we can leave high school and actually come sing some song and hear them man yah say, “Yo, you’re tough!” No money in the world can’t buy that, man.
Believe you me. Because we used to wear them badge yah, Me ah buy my Power Cut CD with Kartel ah tear down the place. Vado ah tear down the place. And you’re so excited as a little school youth. And everything at that time. And then fi grow up and Kartel say, “Yo, you bad!” And Vado say, “Yo, you’re tough!” For the icons in the game acknowledge your talent is something great, And them do it. You can’t take nothing from the greats. Them do it. Bounty Killer, Beenie Man. Them do it, and them a legend in the game same way. So as youths in the dancehall now, it’s we fe just carry on the baton, you know? Yeah mon.
And as Mavado once said to me, you know, sometimes there’s a storm, there’s a calm, and then there’s a storm again. And that’s just what dancehall is about.
Yeah mon. Dancehall is a non-stop boxing match. [Laughs] You might get a five-minute break, but you have to put back on your gloves already again, You can’t be thin skinned. The thing is, you have to want it. And this is how we take care of family. This is how we make my family smile. It’s what keeps me going, what keep my heart pumping. So I love it. I love the good, I love the bad. I love everything that it come with.
And as you said, Kartel has bigged you up personally.
Yeah, man. As nuff people nuh know, Kartel ah my DJ, like Bounty Killer ah my DJ, you understand weh me ah say? And them thing deh can’t change. Cause me grew up and listen their music. At Calabar High School, mi friend them can tell you. Even right now, right now, at present, I still play my Kartel right now, right through. Play me Bounty Killer…
So the thing with me is, me’s a lover of music first. And as I can tell you, me and no artist no have no real… Music beef different from real. Cause me go everywhere same way. You understand what I’m saying? Because me a real youth. You get what I’m saying? So me’s a man who play my song them same way… Every artist. Me play every single artist’s music. Yeah, man. Music I deal with. Me love music. And remember say, me’s a talented artist who nobody can stop, you know? So it’s not like people can stop my career.
So I think the thing that nuff people have is: dancehall bigger than the small opinions of people and the little mix-up and the little ray… Trust me. Dancehall go far beyond that. Just like how me and my peers ah do it right now, we have to respect the legends them weh come before we. And it’s not even an ego thing. The man them do it. The whole of them do it: Bounty, Beenie Man, Kartel, Vado, Ninjaman. Them do it.
Hard work you know! It nuh easy, yunno? You must think say dancehall easy, man. You have to lay your foundation. But at the same time you have to make a mark. And you have to stand your ground and you have to be brave and solid in what you doin’.
Just like life.
Yeah, so them do it. You have to tell yourself say me can do it. This is my era, my time. I’m doing it, you know what I mean? Yeah man, and nobody can take ’way that. So it’s timing, and it’s era, and it’s… Ah just our time now. The youths them.
I want to congratulate you also on your show at Barclays.
Yes.
This is the first time headlining a major venue like that.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, We really look forward to it. We want the fans to come out, Should be crazy, definitely going to be crazy.
I mean, hello! And that must make you feel proud—not just for yourself. But dancehall has been killing it in the last couple of years. A lot of arenas are getting sold out in the name of dancehall.
Yes.
Not everyone can headline their own show, though. So this is a special thing that you’re doing. And it just goes to show maybe that’s why it’s Forever Reign.
Yes, Forever. No drying up the Reign, Forever Reign, man. Blessings. Reign forever. And that is why me feel like the album title is a suitable name. Like, 438, me did have an introduction. Generation of Kings, that make them know who I really is now. And now Forever Reign, I’m here to stay: This is my space now, where I do the best I can do, and where I soak up everything. And the fans love it, and whether anybody loves it or not, it’s not going to stop. It’s going to rain forever.
