Since March 2025, we premiered a new weekly Playlist called, “What’s On 13th Street?“. Since then, we have featured over 600 new songs from Artists in and outside the Caribbean. Some are your faves, others are legends in the game, and some newcomers. Please show your support for the Playlist by liking/following it on Spotify, share with your friends regularly, and enjoy!
Love is lovely, isn’t it? Some of us have experienced it, and others are anticipating it. Today, we help to share the vibe that good love brings through our new selection. Shaggy is more than a Recording Artist, he is a Jamaican legend, and a part of Pop Culture. His catalogue is still going strong, and he has a new album on the way! Before we get it, he ramps up anticipation with the video for, “Looking Lovely“.
Directed by Ilmato and featured R&B star Robin Thicke, Shaggy promotes love in the best way in, “Looking Lovely”. Over a sample for Bill Withers’ 1977 classic “Lovely Day“ with Karl Daniel and Dave Kelly on production, the Artists share a song about showing appreciation for the lady in your life, admiring her beauty, and wanting to do everything for her, including making her grey skies blue. In this love thing, there are Women who have shared being unappreciated, and “Looking Lovely” looks to bring back those sparks, inspire more couples to keep the love going, and making her feel more than special everyday. We look forward to what else Shaggy has in store when he releases his new album “Lottery” on May 15. Here’s to real love.
Check out the video below, and share with a friend. Show us some love/follow us on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram at @13thStreetPromo.
We have officially crossed the half mark of the 2020s, and a lot has happened. In Jamaica’s music scene, many new Artists and movements emerged, some fell by the wayside just as quickly as they get the break, and others never made it to the 2020s for one reason or another. We remember those who passed away, and may their music and works live on. In remembering the first half of the 2020s, we look back at a few songs that made impact in the 2020s so far. These songs may have officially given the Artists their big break, rejuvenated a career or few, set Social Media and the streets on fire, and crossed over to the International market. Here are 10 of them in no particular order.
2022 was a year for Dancehall Artist Valiant. While he was building his career for a number of years, his name got the people’s attention thanks to a TikTok video. The video, which found him dressed in Ralph Lauren, gave the birth to the phrase, “Kotch E Hat A lie?“, which found life on Social Media thanks to various posts using the sound. From there, Valiant would capitalize off the buzz with singles like “St. Mary” and “North Carolina“. Those singles enjoyed love in the streets, but it was the Tarick-produced “Dunce Cheque” that took over households, and took flight to various parts of the world. The music video quickly hit over 1 Million views in a couple days, the single overall scored streaming numbers in the millions while securing a place in Dancehall and Social Media, and caused a few controversies thanks to the rise of the “Dunce” movement. Valiant officially became a star, and he keeps the fire going in 2026.
In 2020, people were made aware of an upcoming Dancehall Artist named, Skeng. The Spanish Town native was armed with aggressive lyrics and a presence that would unleash brimstone if he was approached the wrong way. He started to make noise with the gun-toting single “Brrp“, but it was his 2021 release “Gvnman Shift” that would open up the gates for him. His stance as an Intellectual who carefully detailed his badness throughout, placed him on the forefront of Dancehall music. The John Coop/DiTruth-produced “Gvnman Shift” enjoyed viral success, and even had kids in Basic School/Kindergarten reciting the lyrics word for word. Skeng became a star in the 2020s, with hit singles quickly following, and he successfully crossed over to the overseas market thanks to his collaborations with Rapper Nicki Minaj. Ay BWOY!
This year, International Dancehall/Reggae Artist Shaggy celebrates 25 years of “It Wasn’t Me“. Released in November 2000 and featuring Ricardo “RikRok” Ducent, this track paved the way for a mega expansion of the Shaggy brand, scoring platinum plaques, and placing him in significant parts of Pop Culture for years to come. While the track has gained love in a variety of ways over the years, it acquired a little viral love on TikTok recently thanks to a Producer named AceMitchh. His “HoodTrapRMX” of the song would pick up steam on the platform, kicking off a new challenge.
Released in April, AceMitchh’s “HoodTrapRMX” of Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” found users on the platform sharing dance videos, GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, Sports clips, and random entries featuring the remixed track. The original video that premiered the remix garnered over a Million views, while there over 3,500 views released with the track being the soundtrack, scoring Millions of views. The original “It Wasn’t Me” has enjoyed viral success on Social Media, but this remix may get some extra love going into the Summer. TikTok users can start creating content with the sound starting here. Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” is still available on all streaming platforms.
Check out the track below, and share with a friend. Show us some love/follow us on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram at @13thStreetPromo.
It’s getting hotter, and that means it’s time to find a few parties this Summer cool off at. When it comes to big vibes and tons of fun, the pool, the boat, and the beach are a few locations needed to get things started. Dancehall/Reggae Icon Shaggy knows about those parties very well, and with “Til A Mawnin (Remix)“, he’s bringing you all there.
Featuring International Icon and frequent collaborator Sting in a Jay Will-directed video, Shaggy turns things up on the Yacht, and at the beach in the visual for “Til A Mawnin (Remix)”. We get a new sound here that’s produced by Shane Hoosong, Big Dawg, and H.B. Monte, and it’s all about enjoying good company with your favourite drinks and music in tow. Shaggy has been very busy this year, and he shared some of what he has been up to recently with Jamaicans.com. Catch him on the road extending his reign as an International Ambassador of Dancehall and Reggae in the coming days, and rock with him and his hits til a mawnin!
Check out the video below, and share with a friend. Show us some love/follow us on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram at @13thStreetPromo.
International Dancehall/Reggae Ambassador Shaggy is a student of the music. Despite having a well-decorated music career, he always salutes those who have paved the way for him and others to go. It’s not hard to know when you listen to his catalogue as he finds ways to mold a classic tune into something for the new generation to enjoy. Recently, he had a chat with Kadia Francis of Jamaicans.com, and he had a lot to share.
In his new Interview with Jamaicans.com, Shaggy spoke on the significance of the late Producer Henry “Junjo” Lawes, his many contributions to the culture, being a foundation for Dancehall, and how Shaggy pays tribute to his work with the release of his new “Badman Riddim” Compilation. The new Riddim was previewed in 2024 with singles from Spice (who he shared a great deal about), Junior Cat, and Shaggy and Olaf Blackwood, and is set to be fully released later this year. Shaggy also spoke on his “Mr. Symphonic” project with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and how important it was to do something like this to expand on his creativity. He also shared his views on the newer crop of Dancehall Artists, name dropping a few who have shown up on his radar, and highlighted how necessary it is to stand out as an Artist. He also emphasized the importance of musical foundations, and there should be more to learn from previous generations, to assist in developing future generations. “Mr. Boombastic” shared plenty in this Interview, and listeners will be intrigued and motivated, especially when they learn how some of his hits were just sitting on hard drives before being released.
Catch Shaggy on May 17 with Lila Ike at The Issa Trust Foundation’s 20th Anniversary “For The Children” Event at Couples Sans Souci, Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
