Wednesday night’s ‘Simma’ edition of Weddy Weddy was just what ‘The Doctor’ ordered. Held in celebration of Beenie Man’s latest album, the popular party attracted a large audience of loyal supporters, including artistes, producers, and selectors.
Sean Paul, Cham, Bounty Killer, Chi Ching Ching, Qraig, Tony Curtis, Anthony Red Rose, and General B are among a number of dancehall stars who came to give the album a listening ear, party with lovers of the genre and support their colleague and friend, who has been proclaimed the ‘King of the Dancehall’ since 2009. Producers such as Andre ‘Suku’ Ward, Richie D, Tony ‘CD’ Kelly, and Frankie Music, who produced tracks on the Simma album also made it to Stone Love headquarters.
Shawn Baptiste, CIGA Records CEO and organiser of the listening party, expressed gratitude to all persons in attendance, noting that, “the response to ‘Simma’ has been overwhelming and to see the camaraderie and gathering that come out to enjoy the music at Weddy Weddy, one of the original places for dancehall, shows how dancehall brings the people together.”
“I have a lot of respect for every dancehall artistes from the 90s and I respect the younger acts equally but the quality and level of promotion for dancehall has dropped and we need to bring it back up to the highest tier. This event was just one way of me demonstrating my mindset and energy that I’m putting into the genre to take it to the place we want it to be and where it should be,” he continued.
CIGA Records is confident that the album will garner more attention for his artiste and for dancehall and urged a unified stance amongst the fraternity.
Beenie Man, given name Moses Davis, who not only known for making musical hits but also fashion statements, arrived at the venue at 11 o’clock on the dot as promised, sporting a white ‘Simma’-branded hazmat suit and matching headgear. This time around the statement that the Tear Off Mi Garment hitmaker made, was that, “Dancehall is a fashionable place and as an artiste yuh haffi mek a bold statement every time yuh go on a stage fi perform and when out in the streets.”
“I continue to be a trendsetter and this Simma hazmat suit is just because me style clean and me ah try stay away from those who are not clean like me,” Beenie Man continued in his usual witty way.
‘Simma’ is Beenie Man’s 17th studio album and features an eclectic mix of dancehall, reggae, afrobeats, and drill music. It boasts an impressive line-up of collaborators, including Busy Signal, Patoranking, Ms Banks, Mya, Hood Celebrityy, Dexta Daps, Shenseea, Bunji Garlin, Shaggy, Backroad Gee, Popcaan, Dre Island, Morgan Heritage, Charly Black, Anthony Red Rose, Louie Culture, Stonebwoy, Cee Gee, Relevant, Jahfrican, and Sean Paul.
Beenie Man commanded the microphone as he performed the title track as well as his verses from collaborations, How Deep, Fitness Instructor, Hel-Eva Bumpa, Good Like Gold, and Dem Want More. Sean Paul arrived just in time to join Beenie Man to deliver their track titled Supa Star. Chop Suey, the seventeenth track on the album, was also a crowd favourite.
The artiste’s catalogue is filled with several hits including Who Am I, Dude, Girls Dem Sugar, and Feel It Boy featuring 2018 Billboard Music Icon Award recipient Janet Jackson, and he has earned six entries on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
Beenie Man said he anticipates a Grammy Award nomination for Simma but feels more satisfied knowing that both his core dancehall audience, locally and overseas, still support his career. “Before we say that I am a legend, we have to acknowledge that I am living…so I’m a living legend. That’s a big accomplishment in the music industry,” he exclaimed as he made his exit from the stage area.
