Creative control and mutual understanding of his musical vision are among the factors that influenced Dancehall heavyweight Masicka to sign with Def Jam Records.

The “Genahsyde” top man shared the insight during a panel discussion at the Island Music Conference(IMC) at the Courtleigh Auditorium Kingston on Thursday.

The “Limelight” singer shared that the deal allowed him to retain a great level of creative control over the direction of his music and overall image, including his social media presence and persona.

Masicka also noted that he had exhausted all he could have done regionally, adding that a major label backing helps to boost his impact on a more global scale.

The “Top Form” hitmaker was also quick to point out that signing to a major label also requires extra effort to verify the talent and not be reliant on the status being “signed” as the only driving force behind the career.

Masicka, who signed to the US major label in February 2023, released his critically acclaimed sophomore project Generation Of Kings (GOK), also his first under Def Jam, in December of that year.

GOK was declared an instant classic among dancehall fans as it shot to the top of streams in the Reggae category on Apple Music within hours of its release, eventually opening at number two on the Reggae Billboard charts only behind the late King of Reggae Bob Marley.