Drake has received plenty of criticism from those who think he is appropriating dancehall and Sean Paul is the latest voice to join in that discussion. He explains his problems with the Toronto rapper, Justin Bieber and others for using the genre without credit.
“It is a sore point when people like Drake or Bieber or other artists come and do dancehall-orientated music but don’t credit where dancehall came from and they don’t necessarily understand it,” the dancehall legend says to The Guardian. “A lot of people get upset, they get sour. And I know artists back in Jamaica that don’t like Major Lazer because they think they do the same thing that Drake and Kanye did – they take and take and don’t credit.”
Paul says that he still enjoys Drizzy‘s music, but views the way he infuses dancehall less as a tribute and more as exploitation.
“I love some of his songs but I don’t think he’s the best rapper,” he continues.
As Paul works on new music, he understands the importance of keeping up with trends in order to maintain relevance. He’s worked with Wiz Khalifa and Blood, the producer who crafted Bieber’s “Sorry.” He believes he can serve as the much-needed link to the genre’s origins.
“Dancehall is back but this time it’s also infused with Afrobeat, with hip-hop, with trap, and that’s fine with me,” he says. “Sure, I would like what we do in Jamaica, that authentic dancehall, to be on top, but it simply isn’t. So I want this album to bridge that gap.”
Other critics of the appropriation of dancehall include Azealia Banks, who dissed Rihanna’s “Work” video, which features Drake. She said that it reminded her of a Sean Paul video, “except not as fly.”
Mr. Vegas has been a leading voice on the debate against the use of dancehall and spoke out against Popcaan for defending Drake. He shared his grievances with HipHopDX’s senior features writer Ural Garrett.
“I call a spade a spade,” he says. “I’m a straightforward person and not going to try to play hypocrite because I’m hoping Drake is going to put me on a record or Rihanna is going to put me on a record. I’m just going to be straight up if it’s bullshit. If it’s bullshit, it’s bullshit. First of all, I don’t have a problem with anyone who does Dancehall or Reggae music or artists who cover Dancehall or Reggae music as long as people are recognizing where it’s coming from and giving the artists their due.”
Read Sean Paul’s interview discussing Drake’s appropriation of dancehall at The Guardian.
This is ridiculous….know you nothing about the six? The place is packed with Caribbean roots.
To be honest popcaan opinion of real dancehall is greater than Sean Paul and Mr. Vegas. Sean Paul is some mixed, private school kid that had to hook up with people in Toronto to create a sound that made him popular. Mr. Vegas was popular and just seems salty that no one pays attention to his old ass anymore. Major Lazer has done more than what Sean Paul and Mr. Vegas have done combined for dancehall artists, when you get on a Major Lazer track you actually get a proper record deal for your work rather then the hundred dollar deals that most dancehall artists get.
Major Lazer has done more then sean paul and Mr. Vegas COMBINED???..boi wat di rassclot….
Each and every dancehall artist Major Lazer has worked with or used material from were properly credited, got North America style record deals or royalties. Mr. Vegas and Sean Paul can’t say the same.
Even you have to realize that what you’re saying is a pile of bullshit.
Sorry, if you’re butthurt by the truth. A fact is a fact, you can try to deny facts but you’re only denying the truth to yourself. If you want to stay ignorant that is your prerogative.
Huh? It’s universally known that diplo treats the soca and dancehall artists he works with pretty well. In fact so well that Sean Paul himself most popular song in the past few years is a Major Lazer feature. It’s weird Sean Paul didn’t voice his concerns just little over a year ago when he was on a Lazer track.
I can name at least 40 Sean Paul classics before that major lazor feature you buggin b
Drake is a pop artist, and appropriate is what they do.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve heard recently. Drake made one dancehall song. ONE song out of the hundreds he has released, but somehow people are pressed and mad. Any artist can make a song from any genre. There are no limits on art.
One dance, controlla, find your love… Thats at least 3 songs there. Plus the work song with Rihanna.
Who the fuck cares about this has been nobody … His opinion means nothing and he say he making music yeah and money grow on trees never had a career. Everyone wanna mention negative shit about the 6god when they all wish they were him !
This is mad corny.. First off, Toronto has so many Caribbean​ people living there Im sure he got the influence from there. Second off isnt Dancehall known for COVER SONGS!! like thousands of dancehall songs are covers for pop american songs GTFOH
Drake dont respect JAH he only bow for jaweh.
Difference!
Jah will never best almighty Thor.
When the last time this man was relevant? Like 10-15 years ago? Sean just wanted his 15 minutes of fame again.
Relevant? Smh. Check the charts for Sia ‘Cheap Thrills’ remix with Sean Paul. It is right there with One Dance. What more relevancy does Sean Paul need other than a #1 song in 2016?
Lmao. I guess he’s staying do true to his “Dancehall roots” with that one too??? Foh you Sean Paul loving weirdo.
Sean? is that you?
It’s funny that most real dancehall artists and fans were saying the same thing about sean paul 15 years ago- that he was appropriating dancehall and turning it into a radio friendly, watered down, more accessible pop version of the genre. I’m not big into Drake, but what’s wrong with him giving a nod to his Toronto Caribbean influences. Artists can draw inspiration from anywhere, and him drawing inspiration from dancehall only gives the genre a little deserved spotlight. People who like it will dig deeper and find the roots. Just brings more attention to an overlooked and underappreciated although very influential and unique music form.
if they dig deeper into dancehall they will find out about the scene in Jamaica. . Remember tracks like “boom bye bye” by Buju Banton? Classic. Straight up inciting violence against homosexuals. I bet they don’t have any of those “pride parades” in Kingston, eh?
exactly!!!!! Thank you. Nevermind, hiphop is born out of dancehall. Look at KRS-One, Lauryn Hill etc. Hiphop has always integrated dancehall. Sean Paul needs to shut up
You’re confusing inspiration with exploitation.
Drake is a culture vulture.
Stole being stupid
NOBODY said Sean Paul was appropriating Dancehall culture when he got is feet in the game. You cannot appropriate something that you come from. Sean Paul isn’t somebody who is trying on Dancehall like clothes for the day. The man has ONLY ever known Dancehall. He was born and raised in Jamaica. Never went to school anywhere else, never lived anywhere else. And the songs Sean Paul buss wid, were all songs he performed on riddims that he took and made compilation albums with that took off and crossover. Sean didn’t say I’m going to use Pop to cross over. He used his own songs that were already in the streets in Jamaica. I hate when ppl who don’t know what they are talking about act like they do.
Translation from Mr. Vegas and Sean Paul- I’m hating on Drake for not using me as a dancehall feature on a record cause I’m tired of hearing ONLY Popcaan on the radio and he the only artist getting money in a drought of dancehall. WHY NOT ME DRAKE
y’all niggas really believe drake is paying tribute to his “toronto-caribbean influences”?smh, took him long enough to do it, drake been on since 2009-ish, why is he only doing it now?I know that an artist’s musical vision is dynamic (i.e it evolves with/through time) but don’t u think it’s a little bit shady that he is only doing it now? drake is one of my favourite rappers so all you dick-sucking fuckboys can stfu with that “hater” shit before you even begin,tired of y’all, but a true fan is the one who BOTH congratulates who they are a fan of when they do some real shit and criticizes him/her when they on some bs… that’s why I think all y’all niggas was buggin when u supported him after what he pulled with quentin miller
SAID it, go ahead,talk yo shit, I’m out
Someone give this girl a tampon.
Sean Paul and Mr. Vegas need to fuck off. I don’t even like Drake but this is stupid. Sean Paul calling himself a Dancehall artist is like a country-rock artist calling himself a rocker. Sean Paul sold out to pop bullshit so long ago. Just because he sings in a Dancehall style voice doesn’t mean hes Dancehall.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Sean Paul is Dancehall and foreva will be. Sean Paul is as authentic a Dancehall artist as any other Dancehall artist. Stop talk about shit that you don’t know about.
But he’s right tho, he sold out to all that pop bulkshit. You have no argument to against the original comment except saying “Sean Paul is Dancehall and foreva will be”…….Dumbass.
people gets crazy when iggy azalea claims to be hip hop but now with drake is fine to claim dancehall, screwed southside, new york, etc because he is fake as fuck and thats what fake people do, just pretend to be something to be accepted
we all know where danceball comes from its nothing new..seems like the title should be called ‘sean paul joins outcry in unfounded hate for drake”..i like drakes music hes not the best but hes got the biggest haters in the world
Come the fuck on you guys its not that fucking hard to distinguish dancehall from hiphop when its throw in the mix . Music is music he doesnt to say here it come from. Sean paul is just mad no one listen to his lame shit anymore. Coming from a jamaican
sean paul sounds like someone doing a bad jamaican accent. anyone who unironically listens to sean paul should have their legs sliced off.
Wasnt Sean Paul bitching when came up about not being accepted from black Jamacains cuz he is light-skinned and just Appropriating the culture himself??
This ilexx f.aggot needs to gtfo of this comment section, replying to every negative comment about that pussy Sean Paul, trying to defend his honor or some shit.smfh. It’s prolly Sean Paul, the fucking loser.
This wigga Sean PALE is the corniest sounding “Jamaican” I’ve ever heard. All his shit is pure GARBAGE for girls under the age of 15
Why is it dancehall is so off limits? Rap isn’t originated from Toronto yet Drake considered himself a rapper. Rihanna isn’t from the US yet she sings Rnb/pop. Most artists aren’t from Britian but that’s where Pop started. So why is dacnehall off limits? Because your not from Jamacia? FOH. That’s why most people don’t even know the damn genre and why the never hit number ones, cause they ravenous and wanna keep it to themselves.
I heard drake is doing a album with Sean? RIGHT after his album with lil cease and ja rule
What do they want him to do? Tell the crowd he uses dancehall music before every performance? Hip hop takes from every genre thats what it is. I dont get it